Funding Advice Bureau SYFAB guide to... Organising your fundraising information Fundraising is something that most organisations have to do regularly and since it takes a considerable amount of time and effort, it is well worth trying to make the task easier for yourself. For each funding bid you write, you will have to present your case and provide information to back it up. Gathering relevant information and keeping it organised will ensure that you have what you need to hand. In this way, you’ll avoid having to work from scratch each time you write a funding application. Although it can seem like a chore to get your information organised in the first place, you’ll find that once you’ve set up your systems, some of your other tasks, like monitoring and budgeting, might get a lot easier as well. You should keep your records up to date as you go along, it’s quicker than having a backlog of notes to sort through. Using a computer to work on and store your group’s information will make it much easier to put together funding bids but you can choose to store it in a paper fi ling system as well. Whichever storage method you use, you should make sure that everyone on your committee has access to all of the information so that: • Everyone in the group can keep up with and be involved in the fundraising process • The work can quickly be picked up by someone else if one of your fundraisers leaves or is ill • You avoid two people in your group applying to the same funder • You can use and adapt your previous applications in future fundraising • New employees or management committee members can easily see where you’re up to. Good file management tips Whether you use a computer or a paper filing system, you should have: • A clear system for naming files and folders, this is essential so that other members of your group can fi nd information in your system • A clear structure for folders, just like your files, you should give your folders clear, meaningful names in plain language. You also need to give some thought to how your folders are structured, what categories will you use to organise your information – for example, sort by funder first, or sort by year first, then funder? Or something else? • Consistency – once you have devised a folder structure and standard conventions for naming files, make sure you stick to them • Use your system, even the most beautifully constructed system will fail if you and whoever else uses the system doesn’t follow it, so make sure that everyone in your group knows how it works, and follows it. Using computers and the Internet If you like using computers then there’s a range of clever tools you can use to help keep all of your information organised. Some of these tools also make it easier to share information. Here’s a very brief summary: Bookmarking This is a way of keeping track of all the websites that you want to refer to again. The most straightforward way is to bookmark them using your web browser. You can also use your browser to organise and manage your bookmarks. Another option is to use a shared or social bookmarking system so that you can access all your bookmarks online from any computer with an internet connection. There are lots of options for keeping your bookmarks online. Online office applications There are now various office software applications around that allow you to work on things like word procesors, spreadsheets and databases online. There are various free options around for storing and sharing your files online. The main uses are: • Sending files that are too big to email • Backing up your files • Sharing files with people you choose. If you are familiar with common desktop-based office applications like Microsoft Office, you will find that the online applications function in a fairly similar way. It is also easy enough to import and export your existing files between your computer and the online application. What sort of information should I keep? You need to collect and keep information about: • Your group • Your community • Funders. Your group 1) Keep copies of key basic details and documents about your group in one place so you can have them to hand when you write a funding application. Here’s a list of what to include: • Your constitution • Your annual reports • Your audited accounts • A copy of your written aims and objectives • Your legal status (eg registered charity, company limited by guarantee, informal group) • Your mission statement. • Your policies (eg equal opportunities policy) • People involved in your group (paid staff, volunteers, committee, members) • Your previous funding applications. 2) You should write a concise history of your group and what you do, so you have a framework to use as a basis for your funding applications. If you’re a big organisation with lots of projects, you might want to have several versions where a different aspect of your work is emphasised each time. Here are some ideas for what you could include: • Why was your group set up? • How long have you been going? • What have you achieved so far? • How far have you met the needs you have identifi ed? • What are your strengths? • What do your users think of you? 3) Keep copies of anything positive that has been written about your group, you can use this information in your funding applications. For example: • Press releases • Annual reports • User surveys • Letters of thanks or praise • Statistical evidence of your achievements. You could also get comments and commendations from supporters such as funders and other agencies or experts you have worked with. 4) You should already be keeping detailed information on your income and expenditure. Make sure your budget is updated regularly to take account of any changes. 5) Keep copies of all the monitoring you do, this information can be used to back up a funding application. Your community 1) This can be an area or a community of interest. Keep up to date information about your community. This can be statistical information from reports and surveys or articles from journals and websites that talk about what your area is like or the particular problems faced by the people you work with. 2) Keep information about the users or beneficiaries of your service and the evidence of need for your service, you’ll need this to present your case to funders. 3) You should write concise summaries of your previous projects and what your group has already achieved. Funders 1) You can build a picture of your current and previous fundraising by keeping a record of your fundraising progress. This can help to inform any future developments in your group and any potential new areas of work. You should include: • All the funders you’ve applied to • What you applied to them for and when • How much you applied to them for • If you were successful, how much you raised • If you were unsuccessful, a brief analysis of the reasons • Funders you have considered applying to but have decided against (include brief details about why each one wasn’t suitable) • Funders you plan to apply to for future projects. 2) You should keep up to date with potential funders for your project. SYFAB provide free online funding information services to help you find sources of funding for your organisation easily and quickly. You can keep up to date with the latest funding opportunities using our Funding News website and email service, and you can find possible funders for your activities with our funding search website. Go to www.syfab.org.uk for more information and to sign up. If you don’t use the internet, then our Funding News is available monthly by post and our Information Service can help you identify appropriate sources of funding by doing a free funding search for your group. Contact SYFAB for more details. You can also do your own research by networking with other groups and using the internet. 3) Keep copies of all correspondence between your group and funders. South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau The Workstation 15 Paternoster Row Sheffield S1 2BX Tel: 0114 249 4343 Email: enquiries@syfab.org.uk Website: www.syfab.org.uk We can provide this information in other formats on request. Please get in touch to discuss your needs. Our information is produced for local community and voluntary groups. No permission is needed for limited reproduction if SYFAB is acknowledged. Large scale reproduction or inclusion in publications for sale must have written permission from SYFAB. SYFAB welcomes your comments and criticism. 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