10 Steps to Successful Environmental Grant Applications

Want to improve your green credentials?  There is significant support out there to help businesses become more environmentally friendly and to improve energy efficiency.  Follow our 10 funding tips to improve the quality of your funding applications:

  1. Is your business attractive to potential funders?
  2. Set up a project
  3. Find funding
  4. Is it the right funding opportunity for you?
  5. Really read the guidelines
  6. Mirror funder motivations
  7. Structuring your application
  8. Your writing style
  9. A fresh pair of eyes
  10. Avoiding failure

1. Is your business attractive to potential funders?

Is your business efficiently run? Do you have a long-term plan and are you committed to making the project a success? You need to demonstrate to funders that you will be responsible in spending their funds.

2. Set up a project

Rather than a collection of costs, funders want to see that you have given thought to an actual project which demonstrates the following qualities: it has a beginning, middle and end; it has clear activities and beneficiaries; and is made up of something old (experience of applying for funding), something new (an innovative approach); something borrowed (best practice from a project in a different region or sector); and  -most importantly for environmental funding - something green (showing sustainability).

3. Find funding

Websites like Green Grants Machine can help you identify funding opportunities that match your project’s aims. Register for business funding news now.

4. Is it the right funding opportunity for you?

If your project doesn’t meets the aims and objectives of the funding provider’s programme, they can’t support it – no matter how good it is! Make sure you apply to the right programme and demonstrate that you can deliver the funder’s aims well.

5. Really read the guidelines

Make a note of:

  • Key dates such as deadline and, if you’re successful, when the funder expects the project to start and when you should have spent the money by;
  • Required legal details such as accounts and policies;
  • Who is expected to sign the application and whether they will be available to approve sign off on the required day;
  • Any ‘hot’ words – words that the funder uses often that you should mirror back to them – e.g. the funder may be more familiar with the term ‘learner’ rather than ‘trainee’ or ‘delegate’.

6. Mirror funder motivations

Funders want to support those projects that help to deliver their own policy. And you need to know what that is! Published information such as annual reports and case studies can help you identify policy as can attending funding briefings and conferences which present an opportunity for you to meet funding providers.

7. Structuring your application

Make sure your application is easy to understand. Layout is important here: it’s good practice to include: a label – 1-sentence intro that will grab the reader’s attention; a chunk – introductory paragraph; a list – made up of bullet points and not too text heavy; and a drawing (if allowed) – e.g. a graph or photograph to get your point across in words.

8. Your writing style

Make sure you answer precisely the question that’s been asked, avoiding jargon and long words or sentences. Make sure your application comes across as credible – no spelling or grammar mistakes and accompanied by a budget that adds up and is realistic.

9. A fresh pair of eyes

Using a bid review service can give you access to a ‘critical friend’ who, using their specialist knowledge of different funding providers, can give you feedback on what works and what doesn’t work in your application.

Alternatively, pass your application to a friend or family member who knows little about the project. They will easily spot assumptions about knowledge and any poorly described areas.

10. Avoiding failure

Funding providers tell us that the majority of funding applications fail due to one or more of the following reasons: they simply weren’t eligible for support; the application was incomplete; there had been a lack of consultation with the people who were set to benefit from the funding; there were concerns about contingency; and there was a lack of dissemination demonstrated regarding project outcomes.

Whether you are looking for funding for staff training, equipment, taking on a new member of staff or to cover marketing costs, Green Grants Machine can help you identify suitable funding opportunities that match your project’s aims.

Register now to start searching for green funding for your business