Grant fundraising


 support you through the submission process. A bid writer rarely does this  so you need to be prepared to invest some time in communicating with  though; your bid will accurately  needs. How much time you’ll need to invest usually depends on the size and complexity of the project. 


a bid writer might require an hour or two of your time to talk about your   such as building projects or sports  more time – a few days – on project  and stakeholder consultation.


Find a bid writer who


meets your needs Some bid writers specialise in funding for schools. They should have good knowledge of grants programmes that meet your needs   specialists and have expertise in   or heritage activities. They should be best placed to guide you through or manage the more detailed bid   and plans. Make a list of all your  writer’s relevant experience and ask for testimonials to help you   you use a bid writer or do it yourself.


How much will it cost? There are three main pricing  bid-writing services that usually take a percentage payment of the grant amount won if successful. This  cent. You cannot use the grant won  to make sure that you can pay the bid writer from another source.    


34 SUMMER 2017 FundEd


AT-A-GLANCE CHECKLIST


Will they consult you


on project scope and best source of funding?


Do they know the funder’s


criteria and process? 


that they will win? Are they focused on


your needs? Do they ask incisive


and nuanced questions? How much input do


they require from you? Do you get to check the bid?


expertise and your school can often learn a lot about bid writing during the process. You should think about a bid writer as an extended member  also a cost to writing a bid in-house.


Using suppliers that


offer to seek funding Depending on who is actually  as well. Just be wary if these services are unsolicited. Funders are often suspicious of this and will want to be sure that you are bidding for something that represents a genuine priority for your school. Some funders will ask you directly


 comfortable dealing with the funder if this were to happen. You should ask the supplier how the process works. Who is going to write the bid? Are they going to consult you? Do they use templates? What input from you is required? If you are  funding independently of them.


When should you write a bid yourself? Sometimes it makes sense to do it yourself. This often comes down to an assessment of your existing skill   to dedicate to bid writing (can you allocate time in your day?) and your willingness to take it on (do you feel motivated and supported?). 


a large informational demand on  the bid-writing process in-house. Writing bids can be a great learning  continue writing bids in the future. You will develop your skills and learn the ropes. Once you’ve written  are bitten by the bid-writing bug! If this is the case and you end


up writing several bids a year then maybe bid writing training (possibly for multiple members of your team) is a worthwhile investment.


Coming next issue… In the autumn issue Rachel explains how to research potential funders: checking their priorities, verifying you meet the criteria, and using successfully-funded projects to benchmark your own.


Rachel Gordon runs the School Funding Service, which helps schools across the UK win grants for a wide range of projects, from playgrounds and sports equipment, to after- school clubs and extended services. She writes bids for schools and advises them on how to maximise their funding potential. For details, visit schoolfundingservice.co.uk.


IMAGES: DJAHAN; VOINSVETA; PE-ART; FILBORG/THINKSTOCK.CO.UK


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