Introduction Your project may well need some form of funding even if you have plenty of willing volunteers who give their time freely.  You may still need to buy tools, equipment, tree guards, seeds or a piece of land.  Other costs can also be incurred like using the skills of a professional contractor, training, publicity materials or hiring a hall.  It is important to get a good idea of the funding that may be needed so that you do not end up with a shortfall and be unable to complete your project. There are two main avenues to explore: Fundraising. Applying for a grant. What follows is by no means an exhaustive guide but it should enable you to get started in the right direction.

Fundraising

Many community projects involve fundraising activities before they can start.  Within the community there will be people who have undertaken fundraising for a charity or school in the past and can make some suggestions for fundraising events.  Often, grant applications will not fully fund a project anyway so you may have to do some fundraising as well.

Activities might include:

• Sponsored event.
• Fete, bring and buy sale or car boot sale.
• Quiz night.
• Darts or skittles tournament.
• Auction.
• Concert.
• Barn dance.
• Barbeque.

The possibilities are endless!

Try this web site – the A-Z of fundraising ideas by Childline.

Applying for a grant

Grant forms can be simple or complex, but any application will be eased if you first consider a few basic points.  For instance, have you:

• Identified, and can you show clearly, that there is a need for your project?
• Gathered information/research material to prove the need?
• Considered whether you should have partners to help share the work load?
• Decided who within the organisation can drive the project forward.  Do they have enough free time to spend doing so?

You should also identify people who may be sympathetic and prepared to help:

• Who could you "co-opt" onto your committee to strengthen your position and/or help shape your project? Your community may contain a lot of specific expertise and experience.
• Who should you inform about your project? A local councillor, neighbours, do you need legal permissions?
• Don't waste time and money re-inventing the wheel if others can help.

Setting priorities

It is important to decide priorities. Make a list of all the tasks involved in making your application, and prioritise them. Each task should be allocated to a person and have a deadline. Combine the tasks into a logical "action plan". Time is important, but getting it right is more important.

Ready to go

Before beginning to prepare a funding application, check your plan once more to ensure it covers such issues as:

• Sustainability (can your project support itself financially after the initial funding period?).
• Coherence (is your project easy to understand and explained logically?).
• Who is going to deal with any follow-up questions or calls?

Application structure

An application should have clear structure. When applying for grants you will usually be asked to complete a set application form.  For unsolicited applications, a suggested outline is:

• Project title.
• Introduction - who you are.
• Proposal summary.
• The problem or need and who will benefit from the project.
• What you want to achieve.
• How you will do it.
• How you will monitor your results.
• How much money you will need.
• How much money will you raise from your own and/or other funding sources.

Next steps

The next step is to draw up a list of potential funders. For this, you will need to do some research. For example:

• Choose funders whose criteria the project fits.
• Make contact before you prepare your application to ensure your project fits the funding criteria.
• Find out the timetables or timescales for reply.
• State clearly where you hope to find all the funding.

Practical tips

• If you can, always type up the application form.
• Make sure you enclose all of the documentation that is requested.
• Choose your referees carefully.
• Make sure your referees have a copy of the proposal.
• If the Trust or funder has a website, check it out before making the application.
• Letters of support from relevant prominent people may be useful.
• Always try and raise some money locally as a "community contribution to the project".
• Approach local companies - they are often willing to help out with goods, services or funding.
• Don't give up.  If in doubt, ask the funder(s) for help.

Funding guides

Books:

• Directory of Grant Making Trusts 2005-2006

pub. DSC on behalf of CAF, 19th ed., 2005, £80, ISBN 1 903991 58 7  (Information about over 3,000 grant-making trusts in England and Wales).

• A Guide to the Major Trusts 2005/2006 - Volume 1

by Tom Traynor & Alan French, pub. DSC, 10th ed., 2005, £29.95, ISBN 1 903991 55 2 (Details of the top 400 grant-making trusts).

• A Guide to the Major Trusts 2005/2006 - Volume 2

by Dave Griffiths, Chris McGuire & Rebecca Ryland, pub. DSC, 7th ed., 2005, £29.95, ISBN 1 903991 56 0 (Gives details of the next 1200 top grant-making trusts).

• The Guide to UK Company Giving 2004/2005

by John Smyth, pub. DSC, 5th ed., 2004, £29.95, ISBN 1 903991 53 6  (Profiles over 500 companies which support charities).

• The Environmental Funding Guide

by Susan Forrester & Dave Casson, pub. DSC, 3rd ed., 1998, £16.95, ISBN 1 900360 21 7 (Government funding thoroughly covered as well as the National Lottery, Europe, companies and trusts).

Funding web sites:

Funding Sourcebook (web based) – Official Funding Agents Sourcebook - small subscription payable

Grants Online – information about grants available (subscription payable)

Other:

It should be noted that many of these grants only have a finite pot of money and this could run out at any time.  It is also important to check that your project meets any relevant funding criteria.  Please check with the different organisations before applying. 

Devon County Council will endeavour to keep this list of web sites current, but sources of funding come and go.  If you are aware of any missing sources or any out of date entries, please let us know by contacting us at nature@devon.gov.uk. Thank you.

Heritage Link – a funding directory supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.  A good source of information.

Major sources of funding

• Environmental Stewardship – whole farm agri-environment scheme funding.
• SITA Trust - Enriching Nature: for biodiversity conservation projects within ten miles of any landfill site in England.
• GrantScape – significant sums of money often available for biodiversity action, including landscape-scale projects.
• The Tubney Charitable Trust – large funds available but on an invitation-to-bid only basis.
• Esmee Fairbairn Foundation – no maximum size of grant.  “Priority will be given to high quality projects that are exemplars of good practice or imaginative approaches to old problems, that have wider impact, leading to changes in the law, policy or practice or that may be viewed as difficult to support or too 'high risk' by other funders.”
• Big Lottery Fund – “Every year BIG gives out millions of pounds from the National Lottery to good causes. Our money goes to community groups and to projects that improve health, education and the environment.”  Often has large programmes relating to the environment, for example:
  • Changing Spaces: Access to Nature - grants: £50,000 - £715,000. This programme aims to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors, particularly those who face social exclusion.
  • Changing Spaces: Community Places - grants: £10,000 - £450,000. This programme will fund community groups who want to improve local green spaces such as play areas, community gardens and parks.

Possible funding for smaller projects

It should be noted that many of these grants only have a finite pot of money and this could run out at any time.  It is also important to check that your project meets any relevant funding criteria.  Please check with the different organisations before applying.  

• Big Lottery Fund (see above) – BIG also gives smaller grants, for example:
  • Awards for All England - Grants: £300 - £10,000. ‘Awards for All gives money to projects that encourage people to take part in arts, sport, heritage and also community projects’.
• AONB Sustainable Development Funds -
  • Blackdown Hills
  • East Devon
  • North Devon
  • South Devon
  • Tamar Valley
• Biffawards - grants for biodiversity projects within 10 miles of a Biffa operation (landfill)
• SITA Trust - Enriching Nature: for biodiversity conservation projects within ten miles of any landfill site in England.
• Forestry Commission - grants and sources of funding available for improving biodiversity (for example, the Woodland Improvement Grant).
• Tree Council - small grants for schools and communities for tree planting schemes.