ICAWC 2014 - What Makes a Good Grant Application - Dennis Treleaven

Dennis Treleaven BSc Econ, MBA, MCMIDirector of Grants and External Operations

Seafarers UK

International Companion Animal Welfare Conference –

Istanbul - Oct 2014

What Makes a Good Funding Application?

International Companion Animal Welfare Conference - Istanbul - Oct 2014

• location• type of organisation• size• project purpose

Dennis Treleaven, Director of Grants and External Operations, Seafarers UK

What are Funders Looking For?

Directory of Grant Making Trusts Survey

The most common mistakes when applying for funding?



• Why?- To meeting the FUNDER’S strategic

Objectives- To identify quality projects- To allocate Scarce Resources


Overview of the Grant Making Process


Why this funder?

• Understand your funder!• Most appropriate funder?• Are you within their priority areas?• Strategic funder?• Don’t ‘chase the money’.



Do your research

• Read funder guidelines/criteria.• Explore the funder’s website – eligibility?• Read their annual report & accounts - their

priorities/who else they fund.



• Matched Funding

To reach your funding target, it may be necessary to match fund costs by applying to more than one funding source, or to supplement grants by utilising your own budget or income



Other Factors:


• Developing an Outcomes approach to bidding for funding

Be Specific – OUTCOMES approach

• Be specific in what you need – including specifying how much £/€/$ is needed.

• Monitoring and evaluation – outcomes - identify at application stage.



Definitions:• Inputs are the activities you undertake to deliver the

services your project will provide.• Outputs are the services your project will provide.• Outcomes are the direct difference those services

will make to the people or organisations your project will benefit.

• Long term change is the longer term difference to people’s lives that the project will contribute to.

OUTCOMES Funding



• Inputs = Resources needed.• Outputs = Services provided.• Outcomes = Difference the Services

make to the people or organisations.

Now forget the previous slide….. And think of it this way:



Example 1: Telephone Animal Re-homing Service• Inputs: Set up telephone service• Outputs: 100 individuals contact the service asking for

their animal to be re-homed and 100 individuals contact the Service offering a new home for an animal.

• Outcomes: 100 animals at risk of being destroyed saved• Long term change: 100 animals are found new homes

Outcomes Funding Example



Example 2: Telephone Animal Re-homing Service• Inputs: Set up telephone service• Outputs: 100 individuals contact the service asking for

their animal to be re-homed and 100 individuals contact the Service offering a new home for an animal.

• Outcomes: reduced isolation for 100 people • Long term change: 100 individuals benefit from new

companion animals which improves their quality of life

Outcomes Funding – Same Example



To show impact we need information about beneficiaries• Before the project intervenes (“Baseline”)• During the Project (Data Collection)• Afterwards

Baselines and Tracking Outcomes – “Before and After”




(Organisation) Accounts Count!• DSC* research (2013) demonstrated that 53% of

grant makers check applicant’s accounts.• 17% would refuse an application if the applicants

accounts were overdue or not available• 83% would contact the applicant for an

explanation*Directory of Social Change


Final Tips• Have a clear organisational policy on writing to grant

making bodies.• Policy on Administration Costs / Overheads…• Know who has written to which funding body.• Multiple applications – avoid scattergun approach• Meet the application deadline!• Keep a copy of the letter/application



Don’t

• Ask vaguely for assistance.• Present a shopping list of needs.• Write a brief paper that refers to lots of other

papers.• Make emotional appeals

BUT: unless seeking grants from individuals.



Don’t / Avoid

• Use initials of organisations • Sector based acronyms• Lose the files referring to the application.• Hold back from making contact with the

organisation.



Finally:

ALWAYS contact them if you are unclear on anything relating to the grants process or you are unclear as to how your project may fit, or not, within their priorities.



Seafarers UK - General Advice

• Be SPECIFIC in how your project / service or activity meets the criteria or priorities of Seafarers UK.

• Be SPECIFIC about who benefits from the grant – remember it’s not what you do, its who you are doing it for - we are interested in the ‘outcome’ of the grant.



Seafarers UK - General Advice

• Be specific about the cost of your project, service or activity carefully.

• Include any matching funds – whether they are confirmed and be clear about any shortfall.

• Is this a new project? If not, who funded it previously and why / when did that funding end?



Not successful?

• Most applications fail due to lack of funds.– Is it worth it?– Are you chasing funding or is the proposed

project an integral element of, or development of the organisation?



And finally ……

If you are unsuccessful –

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS

ask for feedback!


Thank you and Good Luck!

Dennis Treleaven

Director of Grants and External Operations

Seafarers UK

• Email: [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

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ICAWC 2014 - What Makes a Good Grant Application - Dennis Treleaven

Government & Nonprofit

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