We’re aware how incredibly stretched most charities and community groups have been for the last few months and that their workload keeps going up, not down. Finding new funding opportunities and writing bids is top of many people’s ‘to do’ lists, but there is so much other work to do and support to give to those in need that the weeks are going by and there just hasn’t been the time for funding applications. We’re hearing that securing Covid crisis funding was fairly quick and easy as there were lots of different pots of money to go for, but now what most charities need is flexible funding to fund their crucial ongoing work. Some frontline groups have a couple of funders they can turn to regularly, who can give multiple grants, but they only have so much funding to give out so now is a good time to try and find some fast ways of finding other charitable trusts, foundations and community funds so that you can go into 2021 with a smile on your face and not constantly filled with worry about the organisation’s finances.
Check out these links and don’t be shy. See if you can get a volunteer, trustee or colleague to work with you on funding – pick up the phone and send an email to all those who have funded you over the last few years and build a simple database of potential new contacts. And if you’re reading this, have you been in touch with Carla, our Trust Manager recently to see if the Sir George Martin Trust might be able to help?
https://www.fundingcentral.org.uk/ Free funding database if you have an income of £100K or lower and £120+VAT for those over £100K – the local versions are listed below and are free for all
www.fundingleeds.co.uk Voluntary Action Leeds regularly update this website but charities from across West Yorkshire will find this very useful
https://www.idoxopen4community.co.uk/kirkleescommunity/ This is the Kirklees version
https://communitysupportny.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Researching-funders.pdf Community First Yorkshire has provided a useful resource sheet on how to go about finding funding