BLOG: Applying for a business grant? 5 things you MUST ask yourself

Sam Hawkins, our Business Support Lead, shares some tips

Does it meet the criteria?

All grant programmes have objectives they want to meet. Things they want to see happen because of the money they are giving out. Keep checking and double checking what you are proposing lines up with those goals. Better to stop and find a more appropriate source of funding for your idea, or think again, than try and square peg it into an unsuitably round funding hole.

Is it clear?

Getting ideas across clearly and neatly is always good practice. And easier said than done. But in funding proposals its extra important. Ambiguity or being open to interpretation are not features you want in your bids. You want your application to be understood on its own terms. Raising doubt or confusion will likely not end in the result you want.

Is it authentic?

This is a bit of a balancing act with #1 above. Is your proposal grounded in the reality of how you do business? Try not to overpromise. Avoid the temptation to declare you will go about your plans in the way you think the funder wants. You need to be confident the proposal is something you can deliver in your own way and will make your business, better, sharper, stronger in the longer term.

Is it good value?

Funding applications are always a competition. Someone else deserving out there is also looking to get the same money. Do you think your idea can deliver on the aims of the grant in cost-effective way? Funders like to see a good return on their investment. Don’t scrimp or be unrealistic, but make sure your application looks wisely and well costed out.

Does it add up?

Check your workings out! Are all the figures you’ve been asked for correct? Do the budgets balance? A surprising number of applications can be knocked back because of errors that could have been picked up relatively easily with a careful proof. Take some time to go through and make sure the numbers work. Any anomalies? Makes sure there’s a sound explanation for them.

Funded business support programmes:

always possible collaborates to design and deliver free or subsidised support for teams and individuals who need it most.

Click on any graphic below for full details and eligibility criteria.