External funding

External funding is money awarded from grant giving organisations like the EU, the National Lottery, local or national trusts and central government, either directly, or through an agency. Awards are usually made via competitive bidding.

Funding is usually for specific projects or work programmes which need to fit the funder's criteria. Applications should demonstrate a specific need that will be met by their project. The project should always be achievable.

Funding bodies are keen to see evidence of partnership working between the voluntary, community, statutory, and private sectors to avoid the duplication of work.

Sources of funding

Sources include charitable trusts, European funds, UK government funds as well as the National Lottery.

GRANTnet offer a database of funding opportunities. The database holds eligibility criteria, funders' priorities and contact details.

Funding Central is a free smart website for the whole voluntary and community sector, providing access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities.

How we can help

If you are having difficulty using GRANTnet we can help you find potential funding for your project. This will take us up to 10 days. You can then approach the funding organisation and complete the application.

We also provide a bid critique service giving advice on whether your bid meets the priorities of the funder and general tips on bidding to improve your chance of success.

You can contact us by the methods below, although email is preferable.