Funding

Could your project be self-sufficient?

Before you begin to seek external funding for your project explore the possibility that your project might be able to fund itself. External funding is wonderful if you can get it but it does come with its own set of problems, not least what happens to the project once the funding has been spent? If your project can be at least part self-financing it will make life a lot easier when you have to meet ongoing costs in the future.

Adoption Opportunities

Would it be possible to offer adoption opportunities within your community garden, allotment or orchard? Many community orchard projects allow individuals or businesses to sponsor individual trees and it is more than possible to finance all the planting material and even much of the planting costs from this kind of adoption opportunity. There might also be interest in adopting benches and other features within the project.

Sale of plants / produce

Tabletop plant sales have long been a feature of many gardening clubs and can provide valuable income as well as being a great volunteering and awareness-raising event.

Sponsorship

Local business might be worth approaching regarding the possibility of sponsorship. Focus on businesses with a strong local connection and stress the positive local PR opportunities.

Subscription

Subscription farming has been a feature within the organic farming movement for some time now. Simply divide the cost of food or fruit production between a group of subscribers who will then benefit form the resulting crops / activities. This approach may exclude additional funding from voluntary sector sources as the benefits of the activity / produce may be limited to subscribers and not generally available to the wider community.

Donations

Seeking donations for good causes has of course been a mainstay of charitable and voluntary activity but don’t limit yourself to financial donations. You may well find that it is much easier to illicit help in-kind such as materials, equipment or manpower.

To undertake these projects you may require funding to cover the costs of materials, trainer’s time, venue hire, volunteers time and consultancy fees.

If you need to fill in a funding application here are some top tips for researching your funders and writing an effective application.

Researching Funders

There are several resources, which you can use to find lists of funders for your project. The Directory of Social Change produce books and CD Roms you can purchase online and websites, which you can subscribe to. Visit www.dsc.org.uk for a full list. Funders also have their own websites where you can download guidelines and application forms.

Look through the funder guidelines to research the following information about the funder:

• Eligibility
  You need to check whether the funder will fund your type of organisation, for example, most Trusts and Foundations will only fund charities which are registered with the Charity Commission.
• Priorities
  Your project may benefit certain communities (geographical or of interest). Most funders will only give to organisations that benefit people they particularly want to support, for example disabled people, or young offenders. Funders may only provide funding to organisations which benefit people from a particular area. If a funder states their priorities for their funds make sure this matches with your project.
• Exclusions
  Funders will provide a list of items, projects and organisations they will not fund, for example, building work, vehicles, religious organisations or schools. If the particular thing that you need funding for is listed do not submit an application.
• Timescale
  Some funders may meet to consider applications at specific times in the year. Ensure that your application/proposal reaches the funder well in advance of the deadline date provided. Also, find out how often the funder's decision meetings are held, as you may be able to submit your application/proposal at a later stage if the project is not yet fully planned. Find out when decisions are made and when the funding is released, as this may be too late or too early for your projects needs.

Writing an Effective Application

• Keep it simple
  Try to remove any jargon that you have used or explain what you mean by a certain word or phrase and spell out the acronyms. You will be used to using those words but don’t make assumptions that the funder will understand the meaning.
• Write for the audience
  You should not change a project to suit the funder’s criteria but you can highlight and emphasise a certain area of the project if the funder is particularly interested in that issue. Ensure that you explain to the funder why you feel you match their criteria and how you match their priorities.
• Answer the right question in the right place
  Ensure that you read the question in detail and ask yourself what the funder wants to find out exactly. Keep reading the question as you answer it to ensure that all the information you supply is relevant to the question. Do not be scared of repeating yourself throughout the application as funders ask questions for a reason. If you feel that the question is not relevant to your project then explain why, do not leave a box empty or write ‘n/a’.
• Get someone else to read it
  Ask someone who is not very familiar with your project to read the application. They will be able to see if it is clear, concise and legible. It’s important that any reviewers feel able to voice concerns – it’s too late after the applications gone, so encourage honesty!
• Keep a copy
  If a funder needs to ask you any questions about your application it would be useful if you had a copy of the application to refer to. You should keep copies of all your calculations for the budget so you can explain the breakdown of costs, which you have included.
  

Funders

The following funders may wish to support community horticulture projects, however always contact the funder before submitting an application to see if your organisation would be eligible and appropriate:

Awards for All

This Lottery Distributor funds small projects, which involve people in their community and bringing people together. Funding of up to £10,000 is available over two years.
Application line: 0845 600 2040. Website: www.awardsforall.org.uk

UKVillages Community Kitty

This fund helps support small groups with their work at the heart of UK communities. Grants are available from £50 - £300

Visit: www.ukvillages.co.uk/ukvillages.nsf/b?openagent&s=Kitty

Community Foundation

Community foundations are charities located across the UK dedicated to strengthening local communities, creating opportunities and tackling issues of disadvantage and exclusion. They manage funds donated by individuals and organisations, building endowment and acting as the vital link between donors and local needs.

To find your local Community Foundation visit:

www.communityfoundations.org.uk/ or tel: 020 7713 9326.

Big Lottery Fund - Reaching Communities

For projects on a larger scale this programme will award grants of between £10,001 and £500,000. It will support projects that improve the quality of life of communities across England, offering help where it is most needed.

Advice line: 0845 039 0204. Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Co-op Foundation - Community Support Programme

Grants are available for community and voluntary groups residing in the trading area of the United Co-operatives Society. Support is aimed at: projects which help to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged people; encouraging community involvement; and the provision and improvement of community facilities. Grants range from £500 to £30,000.

Visit their website for more information: www.united.coop/foundation.asp