Where to Look for Trusts and Foundations

There are around 8,800 trusts and foundations in the UK that give grants to charities that have projects and activities that match the trust's objectives. Some have very specific, even geographically defined, areas of giving, whereas others will have much broader aims. Some will provide project funding over a number of years, others capital funding or 'start-up' funding. When looking for trusts to apply to, often it is best to start close to home - look for foundations that are specifically for your local community or your region, as they will have a special interest in funding your work. For more innovative projects, expand your net to include trusts that fund projects nationally - these tend towards capital funding or project funding rather than running costs. Smaller organisations like day centres may sometimes struggle to compete for funds from the larger trusts and foundations. Ultimately, however, if your organisation has good outcomes monitoring to show the impact of the work you are doing and how it fits with a trust's goals, you should be able to compete with the largest, most well-established organisations, so don't forget to check out our Monitoring and Evaluation resource for information as to how to collect data about your work.

Homeless Link has also put together a Short List of Trusts and Foundations selected specifically for their relevance to small homelessness day centres nationally or regionally. This lists is updated monthly to include more and more trusts. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it might give you a few ideas. We also have a Short List of Statutory Grant Programmes. Before applying, though, don't forget to read the tips below!

Featured Trust of the Month

Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities Grant Programme

Awarding department: Department for Culture, Media and Sport Maximum grant value: £500,000

While this may not be a trust as such, it is a grant programme that fits very well with the theme of Homeless Link's annual conference, 'Connecting with Communities', which is taking place this month. The Reaching Communities programme aims to improve communities and the lives of people most in need. The four main outcomes of the programme are: people having better chances in life, stronger communities, improved rural and urban environments, healthier and more active people and communities. Day centres can argue a substantial contribution to giving people better chances in life and making stronger communities and, depending on the project, also to healthier and more active people and communities.

This programme also adheres to the Big Lottery outcomes framework, and is highly competitive as well as highly rewarding for those whose applications finally make it. You can apply for capital funding as well as project or revenue funding, but you have to be able to demonstrate how your project will impact the people most in need in the community - which will require you to provide solid outcomes information. Find out more about the Big Lottery outcomes approach, or visit our monitoring and evaluation resource to find out how you can start measuring the impact of your day centre today.

Find out more about last month's trust of the month, Help the Homeless.

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Tips for applying to Trusts and Foundations

Remember that when you are applying for funding from a trust you are soliciting an investor, so you have to demonstrate how investing in your work will fulfill the foundation's funding goals. Trusts tend to prefer a specific proposal where they can see that their support will make a real difference. It will not be sufficient to simply demonstrate that the work you are doing is charitable or philanthropic - it must fill a demonstrable need, be efficient and effective and make a sustainable change. Putting together solid financial and budgeting information will be a very important part of your application as well, so don't neglect it. There is also full cost recovery to consider.

Trusts and foundations receive hundreds and sometimes thousands of applications for a particular pot of money - all from worthwhile organiations. In order to make sure that yours comes out on top, make sure that you check it thoroughly for presentation, argumentation, spelling and grammar. While these may seem superficial compared to the objectives of your work, it could make the difference for someone who has to decide between funding your centre and funding another project. If you think you need help with your funding proposals, see the section below on Getting Help.

Some more basic tips for applying for trust funding:

• Make sure your application is tailored to the criteria set out by the funder and the funders objectives. Do your research thoroughly!
• Ask the right foundation for the right thing: if you think that your centre's work really fits with a funder's objectives and guidelines, don't be afraid to ask for multi-year funding. If, on the other hand, the foundation is interested mostly in making small grants for equipment, or is only interested in a small part of your work, it would be better to make a very specific application for money to purchase goods or to fund that smaller objective.
• Include full details of the project you are proposing and double check that you have provided all the required information. If you want to send extra material, make sure that they are willing to accept it or it could actually damage your application.
• If your application is successful make sure to thank the funder and take your responsibility in terms of reporting seriously - funders do talk to each other and you want to make sure that your funder has a positive experience of your work.

In order to make an effective proposal, you could use the following type of structure (unless there is an application form to fill out):

1. A summary of the project that gives a brief but clear picture of the proposal.
2. Background of your organisation including its mission, aims, structure and track record.
3. Outline the problem your proposal is looking to solve. What exactly is the problem your project will be trying to change? What caused the problem? Where is it a problem and for whom? It is especially convincing if you can offer any data to support your case.
4. Offer the solution to this problem, including the outcomes of the project and the specific, measurable objectives you wish to achieve.
5. Monitoring and evaluation for the project to show how you will make sure you are achieving your objectives.
6. The budget for the project, including how much it will cost, when you need the money and whoever else is involved in funding or delivering the work.
7. Future funding - how you intend to continue to fund the project (unless it is a one-off piece of work).

For more tips and specialised guidance on how to work grant funding into your funding plan, check out our Further Information and Resources page for links to download the NCVO's sustainable funding guides.

The Association of Charitable Foundations also has some excellent guidance on making applications to trusts and foundations.

The Community Development Foundation also has a useful factsheet entitled Applying for funding - charitable trusts and foundations .

Getting Help

If you think you need help with fundraising from Trusts and Foundations, feel free to contact Janis Ridsdel for more information.

You can also visit our Further Information and Resources page for information about training courses in fundraising.

Back to Funding for Day Centres.