A big chunk of my summer has been spent writing fictional funding proposals for real charities based solely on the information on their website and in their annual accounts.

​Jealous? Don’t worry – I’m sure your summer was lovely, too.

​While you might be judging me for my slightly unorthodox hobby, it’s actually been a really interesting exercise because, in a lot of cases, I couldn’t do it. The basic information I needed to write a compelling proposal wasn’t available – at least not in a way that was easy to find or understand.

​And I think that’s a problem.

​Because while my choice of holiday activity might seem unusual, I’m not alone in doing this.

​Over the last few years we’ve seen a growing trend of funders taking a more proactive approach to their grant-making.

​Rather than inviting applications, they’re doing their own research. They’re seeking out charities and projects that align with their objectives and using that research to make decisions on who to invite to apply.

​In effect, they’re writing their own applications.

​And what happens if they can’t find the information they need on your website?

​They move on to someone else.

​So, here’s a test for you.

​Using just the information on your organisation’s website, see how easy it is to answer the following questions:

1. What does the organisation do? (You’d think this would be obvious, but I was surprised how hard it was to find a clear and concise answer to this question for a lot of organisations)
2. What need or societal problem does the organisation’s work address?
3. What impact does the organisation’s work have? What is their track-record of success?
4. What are the organisation’s current fundraising priorities?
5. What are the organisation’s future ambitions?

​Now compare the answers you’ve got from your website to the information you would normally include in a typical funding application. What’s missing? Which is more compelling?

​If you’ve struggled to answer any of the questions, consider where this information might naturally sit on your website, and who else might be interested in it. For example, perhaps you might want to consider having a number of 1-2 page template proposals for specific projects or initiatives that require grant support on the ‘Support Us’ or ‘Trusts and Foundations’ page of your website.

​In particular, I think it’s worth looking at Questions 4 and 5, as these were the ones I most frequently struggled to find answers to. While the ‘Future Plans’ section of the organisation’s Annual Accounts often included exciting plans for growth or new projects, these were rarely mentioned on the website.

​This is perhaps not surprising. Organisations might be pursuing a “private” or “silent” phase approach, and might not be ready to talk publicly about their plans. Others might feel vulnerable talking about projects that might not happen if the funding is not secured.

​However, if more funders are taking matters into their own hands, perhaps we need to be a bit more open to this vulnerability and to sharing the dreams and aspirations that can only become reality with their support.

​At the very least, we need to make sure it’s as easy as possible for potential funders to find the information they need to pique their interest.

First published on UK Fundraising – 15 April 2016

First published on UK Fundraising – 16 August 2015