Frequently Asked Questions

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Matched Giving

Matched Giving is when an organisation (normally a company) matches the amount of fundraising an employee does for another organisation (normally a charity). The fundraising of the individual, or indeed a group of individuals is matched from the company's own resource up to a pre-determined level.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Apply in Writing

NICVA's fundraising advice service is very often asked what does "unsolicited" mean. This term is often seen in the content of a grant-maker stating "they will not accept unsolicited applications". This means that the grant-maker is not open to receiving applications from organisations or individuals who have not been asked to submit one.

• Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after you put your application in the post-box? Once you have submitted an application there are still some useful tips to help increase you chances of success with an application.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Apply in Writing

It is quite common for a grant-maker to ask an applicant to "Apply in Writing", with little or no further guidance how to do so. NICVA  recommends the following as a template to putting together a written application.

• sustainability
• Frequently Asked Questions
• mainstreamed

When a funder asks is the project sustainable they want to know how you will fund the project beyond the amount of money they will provide.

When a funder asks how you will sustain the project you have really only two options:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• In-Kind Contributions

For almost every application you make you need to be able to provide an itemised budget for your project.  The budget will form the basis of the costs you request from the funder. Regardless of what you ask the funder for - you will need to fully cost the project and include every possible expense.

Funders will not pay for items retrospectively, ie. they will not back date a grant for items purchased or salaries already paid. You need to wait to hear if you have been successful before any expenditure for the items requested can be made.

• Frequently Asked Questions

A common question asked by grant-makers as part of the application process is how you will monitor the success of your project?

• Frequently Asked Questions

One of the most important questions on any application forms relates to how you project meets the funders criteria. Camelot Foundation forms have asked "Please describe how your project meets the current theme".

• Frequently Asked Questions

When asked what are you applying for it is easy to fall give two types of answers, neither one of which is really "selling" you project to the funder in the best light. You could be tempted in saying that you are applying for "a computer" or "a salary for a staff member" etc. This however isnt normally what the funder wants to hear in response.

• research
• Frequently Asked Questions

Funders look for clear evidence of need for projects they intend to fund. Notice the change of question from wanting to know about the organisation to wanting to know about the project. You should seek to make a clear distinction between the two in your applications.