Home | writing-successful-funding-bids

About this course

Writing Successful Funding Bids is a practical e-learning course designed to help charities and social enterprises write clearer, more persuasive funding applications and decide which opportunities are really worth pursuing.

Through short video explanations, real examples and interactive activities, the course guides you step-by-step through the bid-writing process -from preparing for funding opportunities and deciding whether to apply, to structuring a strong and compelling proposal.

Based on Selinger Consultants’ popular in-person training delivered to over 3,500 participants, this course draws on more than 20 years’ experience supporting charities to secure funding and improve their fundraising practice.

Whether you’re new to fundraising or looking to refresh your approach, this course will give you practical tools to help you write stronger bids with greater confidence.

What you will learn

By the end of this course, you will:

Know how to prepare effectively for writing a proposal so you are able to respond to opportunities quickly and efficiently
Write in an effective style that speaks to different funders
Know exactly what funders and commissioners are looking for in a strong application
Be confident deciding whether or not to apply for funding from a particular source

What you will take away

Four 'Golden Rules' to help you with your application writing
A tool to help you develop a strong case for support
An understanding of the Full Cost Recovery and how to apply this to your application or bid writing

Who is this course for?

This course is for you if you:

Work or volunteer with a charity or social enterprise in the UK
Are interested in improving your fundraising skills and want to understand what makes a good application
Are new to fundraising and application writing - and have never written a bid

Are currently involved with writing funding applications, tenders or bids to grant-makers and/or commissioners and want a refresher or to pick up some new ideas

Course content

What previous participants say

" The level of detail in advice was excellent, and [there was a ] good variety of reading, watching clips and interactive parts to complete which kept the learning interesting and varied."

Sarah Keen, Fundraising Manager, Youth Scotland

"I liked the interactivity, the range of examples and the fact that the learning could be applied to any level of funding from any organisation."

Kate Little, Deputy CEO, CVS Cheshire East

"The course had a helpful structure and ended with practical applications. I loved the simple charts and the steps that were laid out. It was logical and clear in it's presentation".

Jo Aston, CEO, Footsteps Walking With You

"The course has been really valuable and I can take a lot away from it. It was easy to follow and dip in and out of ... with a mix of videos, activities, written text and examples."

Danielle Smith, Rightlines UK CIC

"It’s been one of the most interesting and engaging courses I’ve done online"

Nicole Hume, Beyond Earlston

"The videos helped break down the information clearly, and the examples helped give me ideas of what works and doesn't work. I will be using the information learned from this course to complete a funding bid that I have been working on."

Hannah Turner, Project Officer, Oases

Ready to learn?

Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question? See if it's answered here - but if not, feel free to contact us on hello@selingerconsultants.co.uk

How long does the course take?

Around three hours in total - but you don't have to do it in one go! You can take a break at any time and come back to the course and restart where you left off.

Is there a limit to how long the course is available to me?

After you purchase the course, you will have one month to complete it. Once completed, you can continue to access the lessons and resources until your access expires. If you have any problems with access, please email us at hello@selingerconsultants.co.uk. In exceptional circumstances, we are able to extend access.

I have never done any fundraising before - is this course OK for me?

Yes! The course breaks down the process into easy steps, with clear and accessible language. Concepts are clearly explained throughout.

I already do a bit of fundraising or bid writing - will I learn anything new?

Yes - you should. We have trained lots of experienced fundraisers, and they always tell us they learn something new, some top-tips to help them or something that re-invigorates their approach.

I can't pay by credit or debit card - is there another way to pay?

Please email hello@selingerconsultants.co.uk if you would rather pay via invoice and we can help you with this.

Will I get any information to keep?

Yes. There are downloads throughout the course which you can save and keep for future reference.

Writing Successful Funding Bids