New LGB&T funder finder now available

The Consortium of LGBT Voluntary and Community Organisations has produced a LGB&T funder finder, which you can use to search for non-statutory funders which have a history of funding LGB&T services, including nearly 40 who have funded LGB&T projects in London. Visit www.lgbtconsortium.org.uk/funderfinder to use the tool.

Top funding tips from well-funded LGB&T charities:

1. Get to know different agencies in your area so that you can try to find ways to work in partnership on some bids. Yorkshire MESMAC
2. You have to know where your agency is going; your aims, objectives and future plans so that you can look at pockets of funding and think of innovative ways that you can fit their conditions whilst also sticking to your aims and objectives. Yorkshire MESMAC 
3. It’s really important to demonstrate that you are in touch with the communities you aim to work with. Therefore, demonstrating local need (through a survey, for example) can be very beneficial, and will complement any national statistics. The Lesbian and Gay Foundation 
4. Be conscious of the size of your organisation – some funders will not provide funding for large organisations and specialise in funding smaller groups. This can be beneficial to small groups & newly formed groups. LGBT Youth Scotland 
5. Try to have face to face or at least phone contact with funders. Explain that the lack of evidence [of need] is as a direct result of the marginalisation of LGBT communities. Broken Rainbow 
6. Local groups may be able to tap into local funders – some trust funds only fund activity in their own geographic area (these can be located via Council funder-finder facilities in some areas). LGBT Youth Scotland 
7. Equality, diversity & inclusion should be a high priority with all organisations. The work LGBT groups carry out will fit into many cross cutting strands of government policy and it can be useful to be aware of the government policy that your work supports.LGBT Youth Scotland 
8. Most CVS will have details on local funders and the guides produced by the Directory of Social Change can also be really helpful. The Lesbian and Gay Foundation 
9. [Read] between the lines to see whether they have previously funded “challenging” areas (such as ex-offenders, drug projects etc). Broken Rainbow
And finally...
10. Please don’t forget that many funders are happy to talk through your ideas in advance and if at first you don’t succeed then don’t be disheartened – often one of the unmentioned stages of fundraising applications is a rejection first time round. The Lesbian and Gay Foundation