This article has been published by Charity Digital as part of the fundraising topic, helping non-profits to discover new tools available to them to support their mission.

We explore how charities can simplify the process of discovering new grants that align with their funding requirements, allowing them to focus more time and resources on delivering core services.

In today’s challenging climate amid the cost-of-living crisis, charities face the daunting task of securing funds. Grants are a crucial part of any charity’s fundraising strategy, as insights from the 2023 Status of UK Fundraising report reveals. As individual donations have become less predictable due to the pressures facing donors, grants not only provide financial stability but also ensure that charities are able to deliver the essential services that their beneficiaries need.

However, the grant application process is not always smooth sailing. Brevio, a social enterprise matching non-profits to grant-makers, reports that two thirds of grant applications fail every year, despite the sector spending more than £1 billion annually writing them. Little wonder that 80% of charities feel as though grant funds aren’t distributed on an even playing field.

Fortunately, there are simple and effective ways that charities can improve their rates of success when applying for grants.

Matching what charities need with funders looking to support them

To improve success rates, charities should adopt a very targeted approach to grant applications. Key to this is understanding the eligibility criteria used by grant-makers to ensure awards are made to applicants delivering services that align with the grant-makers mission and objectives.

For example, making sure your funding application meets eligibility criteria with respect to organisation type and income level, focus areas, beneficiary groups, and geographic location is a first and key step. With this understanding, a tailored approach can be adopted, as opposed to ‘one-size-fits-all’. This will ensure the best use of valuable time and resources and significantly increase the likelihood of success.

Of course, charities and non-profits will need to complete a full application, but starting off with a clear understanding of eligibility and confidence that you meet the relevant criteria is critical. This approach clearly demonstrates an effective and responsible use of resources and helps develop trust with the funder by showing the applicant organisation is well-run.

While grant research can be painstaking, it provides the foundation for successful applications. Brevio simplifies the research process by matching charities’ specific funding needs against a database of live grants from across the UK.

The Brevio platform could be a game-changer for organisations trying to find new funding. Leveraging advanced matching algorithms to align charities’ funding requirements with grants, the system goes beyond traditional search methods, uncovering opportunities that charities might otherwise have missed. Brevio represents a significant leap forward for charities looking to identify and secure grant funding, offering a more streamlined, efficient, and targeted grant-seeking process.

Finding funders

Finding appropriate funders is a significant challenge for charities. Brevio offers a solution by connecting non-profit organisations with funders that support their core mission and strategy.

Through Brevio’s funding need builder, charities can define their requirements, outlining key focus areas and beneficiaries that the funding will support. Grants are available for all types of funding, including core or capital costs or new projects and ideas. As new matches for grants become available, the charity is notified so that they can get to work preparing their application.

Brevio’s blog also provides a valuable resource to charities during the application process, from sharing tips for applications to answering questions about due diligence. Charities can use this expertise to avoid common pitfalls when applying for grants, saving time and resources and improving the likelihood of successful funding.

The essence of a successful funding relationship lies in transparency and impact. Funders want to understand where their money is going and the impact it will have. At a time when diversifying fundraising streams has become increasingly crucial for charities, grant funding can be a lifeline. Utilising tools like Brevio’s matching platform can ensure that valuable efforts in applying for grants are directed towards opportunities with the highest potential for success.

By taking advantage of this technology, charities can navigate the grant application process with greater ease, turning what once seemed like an uphill battle into a manageable and rewarding journey.

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