Highlights from our Wiltshire Grant Writing Workshop

On 26 February, we were delighted to host our latest Fundraisers Coffee Morning (in partnership with Sarah from Wiltshire Treehouse and Heather from Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation) all about the art of grant writing. We welcomed 16 representatives from a fantastic mix of groups and charities from across Wiltshire for a relaxed, friendly morning of shared learning, practical tips and good conversation.

It was great to see so many people in the room, all focused on strengthening their funding bids and supporting their communities.

What’s your need?

We kicked things off by looking at some of the core questions that come up time and time again in funding applications:

• What’s the need for your group or project?
• What are you aiming to do?
• How will you deliver it?
• How will you measure success?

Using a simple project proforma, everyone had the chance to step back and get clear about what they’re offering. This sparked some really useful discussion about how funders phrase their questions and how small tweaks in wording can make a big difference to how clearly and confidently you respond.

Top Tips from the Experts

We were very pleased to be joined by Heather Kiel from Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation, who, alongside Sarah, shared some brilliant, practical advice.

Some of the key tips included:

• Keep a clear focus. Rather than trying to squeeze everything your organisation does into one application, choose one theme (for example, tackling social exclusion) and shape your bid around it.
• Bring in the user voice. Quotes, feedback and examples of co-design show that you truly understand and listen to your beneficiaries.
• Work together internally. Involving frontline staff helps make sure your application reflects real needs and realistic delivery.
• Match the funder’s language. If they use specific terms like “inequity,” mirror that wording in your answers.

Feedback and Connections

The feedback from the morning was incredibly encouraging. People described the session as “extremely relevant” and “excellent,” which was lovely to hear.

One attendee shared that they had picked up helpful tips about clearly demonstrating need, backing up their case with facts and statistics, and strengthening applications through user voice. Others told us they found the funding proforma especially useful as a practical tool to help them shape and structure their project ideas more confidently.

“I understand the complexities of grant writing between different funders. I have picked up tips about showing our needs, providing facts and/or user voice. Check eligibility before application and reflect wording used.”

“Lots of food for thought that will assist us to actively implement effective change when completing future bids.”

“Excellent training and very relevant to my area of work.”

The networking element was another real highlight. Many participants enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other grant applicants, swap experiences and share good practice.

Looking Ahead

Although the morning gave everyone lots of food for thought, several people mentioned they’d love more time for questions and networking. We’ve taken that on board and our next session in June will focus on peer reviewing answers to grant questions – with plenty time for discussion and questions.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and contributed to such an open and supportive session. Together, we’re helping to build a stronger, more resilient voluntary sector across Wiltshire.

If you’d like to join us at a future workshop or coffee morning, make sure to keep an eye on our Events page, our sign up to our mailing list to get all the info straight to your inbox!