What fundraising applications actually ask for

Welcome to the last of our three-part series, looking at making effective grant applications. Our thanks to Lakhbir Bhandal, our Charity Development Manager in Spelthorne, for her work and insights from supporting charities to make applications over the last two years.

In this last article, we will look at the questions funders are most likely to want answered.

Most grant applications follow a similar pattern. Understanding what funders want to know – and why – helps you craft convincing answers.

About your organisation

What does your organisation do? This seems simple, but be clear and concise. Explain your mission and main activities in language anyone could understand. Avoid jargon.

What need are you addressing? Funders want to know why your work matters. Use the evidence you’ve gathered – data, testimonials, gap analysis – to paint a picture of the problem you’re tackling. Make it specific and local where possible.

Where do you work and who do you help? Be specific about your geographic area and who benefits from your work. Use numbers: how many people do you reach? Who are they? What difference does your work make to them?

About your project (for project grants)

What will you do? Describe your project clearly with concrete details:

What activities will take place?
Where will they happen?
Who will deliver them? Include partners if relevant
What’s the timeline? Include key milestones

What will change? This is about outcomes, not activities. Don’t just say “we’ll run 10 workshops.” Say “50 young people will gain confidence and employability skills, with 70% moving into education or employment within six months.”

Think short-term and long-term: immediate benefits and lasting impact.

How will you know it worked? Funders want to see you’ve thought about evaluation. What will you measure? How will you collect data? What monitoring tools will you use? Be realistic about what you can track.

What happens when the funding ends? Sustainability matters. Will the project continue? How? Will you seek other funding? Will it become self-sustaining? Have a plan, even if it’s still developing.

Your finances

The budget This needs to be detailed, realistic, and accurate. Double-check that everything adds up. Common cost categories include:

Salaries (the bulk of most budgets)
Training
Programme costs (materials, equipment)
Office costs
Rent and utilities
Core costs/overheads (if allowed)

If applying for multi-year funding, provide projected budgets for each year.

Remember: Many funders allow you to include core costs. Use the proportional allocation model from the resource document – if your project uses 25% of your staff time and space, allocate 25% of those costs. Always justify why these costs are necessary.

Strengthening your application

Your approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion

Increasingly, funders want to know how EDI informs your work. Do you have special projects reaching underrepresented groups? Is your board diverse? How many trustees have lived experience of the issue you’re addressing?

Risk assessment

Identify potential challenges and explain how you’ll manage them. This shows you’ve thought things through.

Bring it to life

Include case studies showing your impact
Add quotes from beneficiaries (with names or marked as anonymous)
Provide photos or video links that illustrate your work
Mention awards or notable successes
Highlight key partnerships

The extras that impress

Letters of support from partners
Evidence that some funding is already secured
A clear governance structure with engaged trustees
Strong monitoring and evaluation plans
Final checks

Before submitting:

Have you answered every question?
Does your budget add up?
Have you proofread for errors?
Have you included all required documents?
Does everything align with the funder’s priorities?

Remember: you’re not just asking for money. You’re inviting a funder to partner with you in creating positive change. Make it easy for them to say yes.

Also in this series:

Part 1: Understanding Types of Funding to learn more about the different types of grants available.

Part 2: Getting Ready to Apply to understand what preparation you should do ahead of making an application.