Business Planning and Fundraising 19 November 2009

1. Business Planning and Fundraising 19 November 2009

2. Remember……. • Shout if there’s anything you don’t understand • Interrupt if needs be – I will stop talking! • Ask questions • Share experiences with colleagues • Don’t be afraid to appear stupid – we do it all the time!

3. Clare Wichbold MBE • Grants and Partnership Officer, Public Health Directorate, Herefordshire Primary Care Trust • 11 years experience of project development in Herefordshire • Background in archaeology – worked for English Heritage for several years • Also worked for NLCB prior to coming to Herefordshire as a grants officer

4. Why Public Health? • Herefordshire Council and Primary Care Trust have deep partnership working • Shared services across both organisations • Opportunity to integrate delivery of grants and project development advice • Currently two staff: myself; and • Dave Tristram – VCS advice

5. Contents of presentation • How do you get to a business plan? • Aims and objectives • Gathering information for identifying need • Work planning   • Monitoring and appraisal of work undertaken  • Money and marketing!  • Warning words….. • Questions

6. How to get to a business plan • Where are you starting from? Nothing – something – refreshing • Why do you need a business plan? Funding – future direction – changes in personnel or circumstances • Who’s going to do it? Everyone – Someone – No one!

7. Headings in a business plan • Not exhaustive, but a guide • Think carefully about what you need and which sections you need to major on • Some funders have guidance for business plans, use it if available! • Don’t panic – everyone has to start somewhere • Make use of the toolkit – excellent additional information guide

8. Business planning flowchart • Look at sheet • Need to think who’s involved • Remember – a camel is a horse • built by a committee • However, try to involve people wherever possible • Give deadlines for responses to keep things moving

9. Length of a business plan • Think about the plan in relation to the project or work required • Less can be more in some cases, but don’t scrimp on information • Tables are very useful • Don’t try to write War and Peace!

10. Aims and objectives • SMART • Don’t try to do too much in one go • Make use of your constitution which will have some useful pointers • Make sure you can measure your objectives as that is what funders will be looking for • You will have your own targets to meet as well • Some funders want outcomes rather than outputs – bear this in mind

11. Constitution Aim • The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of the Priory Church of St Peter and St Paul Leominster • “Promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church”

12. Constitution objectives • But goes on to say…. • Makes grants to organisations • Provides buildings / facilities / open space • Provides services • Other charitable activities

13. SMART objectives • Make 10 equipment and activity grants of up to £500 per year to 20 organisations • Provide one building of 400m2 for rent to 5 groups on 3-yearly contracts by December 2009 • Develop three drop in and outreach services for 250 beneficiaries of older people, children, and the homeless in Leominster by March 2010 • Run a voluntary youth club for 25 young people starting in April 2010

14. Outcomes • Some funders are looking for outcomes rather than outputs – around quality rather than quantity • Output: 50 older people are using the new drop in lunch service at St Martin’s church • Outcome: 50 older people have become less isolated and have improved social lives by coming to the drop in lunch service

15. Gathering information • Information gathering to prove that you should go ahead – you may think there is a need for what you want to do, but is there a demand? • Can use surveys, published information, own research • Questionnaires, telephone surveys • See guidance for setting questions • Make use of the local council’s Research Team for “stupid proofing” • Tracy’s workshop!

16. Work planning • Think about how you need to timetable what you are doing • Make use of Gantt charts or barcharts for plotting progress • Take into account: • school holidays, • staff/volunteer holidays, • bank holidays, consents, • funder’s deadlines, etc

17. Monitoring and evaluation • Frequency of meetings of groups and main committee • Link these meetings where possible – small group before main group • What are the feedback mechanisms for volunteers and staff? • Policies for staff and volunteers • Show how the management structure will work – on next slide

18. Thorpe PCC business planning group

19. Thorpe PCC

20. Monitoring and evaluation • May have a form to complete from funders • Need to keep good records and explain how you do this in the business plan • You must keep records of what you are doing, including minutes of meetings, timesheets, recruitment procedures, invoices and receipts • Be careful and don’t throw things away quickly • “Keep or Bin” – vital guide from Church of England Records Centre

21. Monitoring and evaluation • Some funders need records kept for seven years! • May be required to submit quarterly or yearly returns about the project • Remember – you may be audited • Example of a monitoring form to show you what might be expected • Different funders will have different forms so beware!

22. Money • Make sure your finances and budgets are in order and add up • Make use of spreadsheets or software to do this • Make sure any finance details in the business plan match with funding applications • Consider how the finances will work and be reported, with authority levels and decision making

23. More about money • Why are you wanting funding? • Need to decide what the money is for • Need to make sure project fits with local and other strategies and policies • Need to think about future fundraising and have a funding strategy as part of your plan • Think about grants, fundraising, loans, and sponsorship

24. Even more about money • Be realistic about how much you need • Are you looking for capital or revenue funding or both? – could influence where you go for help • Make use of local advice and support • Ensure you fit the criteria for funding • Need to think about exit strategy – what you will do after the funding has finished? • Avoid “shiny new building” syndrome at all costs

25. Marketing • Who do you want to use your facilities? • What is compatible with your overall aim? • How will you reach potential users? • What about “non-users”? • How much do you want to spend on marketing? • How much can you make from what you do to help your long term sustainability?

26. Writing your business plan • Remember – even if funders are human beings, they may be based far away and not know the circumstances under which you are operating - you must “sell” your project as if to a complete stranger

27. But also remember….. • Funders are not aliens – so make sure you do ask for advice • Make sure you get local advice as well for any specific issues

28. BIG WARNING!!!! Check that the business plan matches any applications you are submitting for funding – and use a fresh pair of eyes to do so!

29. More words of warning • Be prepared to work in partnership rather than as a single organisation • You may not be successful - ensure you receive feedback if not, to learn for future applications • You must be prepared to manage expectations if you are unsuccessful • Refresh your business plan regularly – don’t just leave it on the shelf once it’s done

30. Applying for Funding • Remember - getting the money is often easier than delivering the project! Once the offer letter is in your hands, the hard work really starts……

31. Any questions??