“Even your very first sentence can be crucial because that’s the first thing the grant body will read so it needs to pack a punch”. Rachel Hayward is talking about the common mistakes people make when making a grant application. Her advice is a little like taking an exam – give yourself enough time and read the question!
“Often people ignore the eligibility criteria – if it says you must have been trading for three years and you haven’t been, your application won’t be successful and you will annoy the person reading your form, which you don’t want to do. Other people don’t provide enough evidence or fail to answer the question, preferring to say what they want to say”. These will both result in a rejected application.
What will we cover?
We’ll look at two approaches to completing your bid. One is a systematic completion of the application form, making sure you answer all questions properly. If there is no application form, Rachel will give you another approach to work through. We’ll look at the evidence you should submit including profit and loss, future cash flows, good examples of what you do, client testimonials and so on. These sessions will NOT cover other forms of finance that are available. It will only cover grants.
Rachel will also discuss realistic approaches to applying for grants if it’s your first time, explaining why it’s better to start small and she’ll stress the importance of detailing how you’re going to spend the money. Other areas such as the importance of building and maintaining a relationship with the funding body, reporting on the impact of the grant and what to do if things change, will also be covered in this practical session. Rachel will use a grant that is live at the time of the session, to work through with you in a practical exercise.
Who should attend?
This event is aimed at small business owners who want to know which grants are available to them and how to write an application with the best chance of success.
What will you take away?
You will take away two workable approaches to making grant applications, that you can use straight away. The techniques you learn here, you can use to apply for new grants as they arise but they are also useful for writing business proposals because these often ask similar questions.
You can apply these skills across the whole of your business – from business plan to website, sales brochure and social media – to achieve more impact by being consistent in all your communications.
Our speaker and testimonials
Rachel Hayward is a professional bids and grant applications writer. She co-created the Swap Shop, is the Federation for Small Business Area Lead for D2N2 and has secured £12.5m in funding since 2015. She is also the current FSB West Midlands Micro Biz of Year.
Here’s what clients say about Rachel:
“I have recently had the pleasure of attending one of Rachel's courses on 'How and where to find and apply for Grants and Tenders.' Rachel's easy-going manner and complete mastery of the subject made for a fascinating workshop. Not only was the subject matter taught, much more detailed than I expected; it was delivered in a very clear and concise way. I had no trouble digesting and retaining the information Rachel presented; which considering the sheer volume of amazing advice and knowledge shared was some feat.”
“You can tell Rachel is an absolute expert in her field as no question was left unanswered and Rachel even came up with bespoke suggestions for us to try with our own businesses. My favourite part was the feedback and personal help we each received on a practical exercise, Rachel had us carry out. I hope to have the pleasure of attending any future courses Rachel has to offer and would highly recommend that if you have the opportunity to attend one of Rachel's workshops or courses, grab it with both hands.”
“I attended one of Rachel’s webinars and loved her down to earth, authentic approach, really engaging and lots of practical tips to take away. In a time of webinar overwhelm this was valuable, relevant and one that held my attention!"
This webinar is delivered by the Business Gateway Growth Hub and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Places are limited and priority will be given to trading SMEs based in Leicester and Leicestershire.