Photos: Omar Lopez and (insert) Berkley Communications, on Unsplash
The material on this page is for beginners. If you have at least three years’ experience of trust fundraising, you may find more useful the research pages on the menu associated with page: https://goodgrantfundraising.org.uk/sources-of-information/.
It’s a big help to ring your target Trusts, especially the important ones. People can be reluctant to do this, so here are some benefits.
Get the timing right
Get the stage in the fundraising right
What to say (long/short, what to include, etc)
Very occasionally, it becomes clear it’s worth inviting people to meet
Firstly, I’d like to dismiss a misunderstanding. No, calling Trusts will actually very rarely annoy them and you don’t that often speak to a decision-maker, anyway. So, it’s safe to do. Frankly, it’s unreasonable of them to get that annoyed. That’s because: (a) they can only achieve their objectives by giving to someone, (b) you are supposed to be on the phone to ensure you don’t send things that don;t further their objectives, but only things that do, presented as clearly as possible in their terms and (c) it’s quicker to rebuff someone on the phone than to spend all the time processing the paperwork of an unwanted application.
If you’re unlucky and it does annoy someone, just leave it a few weeks before you apply and they will have forgotten you in the massive flood of applications. Anyway, the risks would be vastly outweighed by the benefits.
Calls needn’t be too worrying. Very few Trusts dislike it, they’re decent people who will either help or have clear policies that they won’t help and they’ll politely dismiss you.
They’re also usually pretty nice people. I’ve occasionally had lovely conversations with people, who’ve been fascinated by the work.
Quite a lot of the time, you won’t be talking to a decision maker, only to someone who can help by giving you information. It’s a good way to get your motivation up when you’re bored and tired.
New trust fundraisers can be a bit in awe/frightened by trusts staff. However, I’ve met a lot of Trusts at Association of Charitable Foundations events. Having seen them tottering drunkenly around the dance floor at conferences, it’s obvious to me that they’re just ordinary people (if generally good and talented people).
Personally, I like the following structure:
1. A list of questions – structured so that you get through them without going round the houses or asking much that’s irrelevant
2. 1 minute description of the project(s) covering:
* Location; Need
* Project
* Number of beneficiaries and key benefits
* Amount needed
* Timing
…which you’ll ask for feedback on
3. Asking for any advice about how to present this specific application. (Often this doesn’t produce results, but occasionally it does.)
Here’s an example:
”Hello, could I speak to someone about the John Smith Trust? … I am – great. I’m from a disability charity called [name] [We weren’t sure what to put to the Trust and] I had a few questions about the Trust’s interests. Is it okay to ask? … Thank you.
“The Trust says it is interested in the Lowlands of Scotland, one project we were thinking about is mainly based in Glasgow but includes 10% outreach into towns and villages in the Trossachs, is that a problem? … I found examples of the trust giving both to skills projects for disabled people and to projects addressing isolation for them – do you think the Trustees have tended to prefer skills work or reducing isolation? …
“Would you mind if I quickly describe a project and you tell me if it might be something the Trustees would be interested in?
”The project would be some new living skills training for people with spinal cord injuries at the main hospital in Glasgow, who would otherwise be struggling to adjust to their new injury. The work starts next February and will equip 40 people with independent living skills they will use for the rest of their lives. The cost would be [amount] and we were going to approach the Trust for £10,000. Does that sound like something you think might interest the Trustees? … Great.
“If we submitted something by next week and we were successful, when might the Trustees make the grant? …
“Is there any advice you can give on how to present the application? Length, content, anything you think they like to see? … Okay, you’ve been a great help. Thank you. Goodbye”