Top tips 

1. Read the guidelines: We receive many more applications than we are able to fund and so usually only support work which most closely measures up to our priorities and criteria. Please do read these thoroughly before you fill out your application.

2. Be professional: An untidy, poorly presented or incomplete form won’t reflect well on your organisation. Make sure that every question has been fully answered and checked for spelling mistakes, all the figures add up, and the last page is signed and dated.

3. Make your case: Question 15 of the application form is the most important section. It’s vital that you include three key things: what you are going to do, what difference you hope it will make and how your project meets our programme outcomes.

4. Be clear: Avoid acronyms and jargon and write in plain English. Get someone who doesn’t know about your work to read your application and ask them to highlight anything they don’t understand.

5. Send what we ask for: When you submit your application make sure that you include all the additional documents we need. Also, if the request is for more than £25,000 in total, you must provide a fuller proposal.