Amanda Burgess harnesses the energy of lengthening days to work on funding bids
M
ore hours of daylight always make me feel like I have more time in the day, which means more
bid writing. So I thought I’d share what I’ve learned about this in my 14 years as a school fundraiser. Firstly, there’s never a perfect
window to work on funding bids, but you can make the most of the positivity that’s in the air this first part of the year. The same goes for tapping into the goodwill and enthusiasm of others – whether you’re seeking funding solutions, planning events or creating a project with your PTA. This partnership approach has
seen some of our most successful funding outcomes. Partnering with someone else, or other funders, really strengthens your bid as most grant givers require you to have part funding in place and very few will fund the whole project. I really enjoy partnership working
as it supports you and spurs you on when things start happening. For instance, this year we held a fundraising concert for our autism facility, with some well-known
42 SPRING 2024 FundEd
‘Partnering with someone else really
strengthens your bid as most grant givers require you to have part funding in place’
musicians who performed for free. We also used the event as a platform to raise awareness about autism, while funds raised went towards match funding for bids (read more on page 7). It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a
long list of requests for grants from different people and departments or curriculum areas across the school, so the following process might help you review and prioritise: n Do you have enough information? What is the problem you are trying to solve? What are the outcomes? Who and how many will benefit? Do you have case studies of projects that have benefited certain groups? n Criteria – is the project or idea a good fit with a grant giver or charity? You can always ring or email to check
n What is the total cost of the project? Do you need any additional quotes? Is there lead-up time for planning? Are there installation and delivery costs? n Has the project been approved by the senior leadership team? Does it fit with the school development plan? n Do you need any permissions from SLT or governors? Do you need planning permission? n Do you need partners? If so, how can you identify and approach them? n Timescales – is it possible to achieve the project bid given the school year and the funding rounds (some funders meet every month, some once or twice a year)? Can you submit the information in time? This process helps me to be more
productive, save time and start with all the information I need. I hope it helps you too and wish you all the best with your bid writing this year!
Amanda Burgess has a part-time role as community liaison and income generating manager at Priory School, Lewes.
IMAGES: ALISARUT/
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