OKAPENNY FIELD NOTES

How to find funding for a UK charity

Build a shortlist that is worth your time.

Start with the unfunded need

Describe who benefits, what changes and the costs that remain unfunded. Separate project delivery, equipment and buildings. A whole project budget is not automatically the amount to request.

Check the gates before the fit

Read the funder’s legal-status rules, geography, turnover or expenditure limits, beneficiary ages and exclusions. An attractive theme cannot override an eligibility restriction.

Treat the register as a starting point

A regulator record can help establish identity, charitable objects and accounts. It does not necessarily confirm that unsolicited applications are accepted. Follow the funder’s own current guidance.

Turn research into a next action

Save the funder, identify the point you need to resolve, and assign a date. Track enquiries, submissions, decisions and reporting separately.