Company Funding
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| What are they? | Raising support and income from companies is often a new and untried task for voluntary organisations or community groups. Many small and large organisations do successfully work with companies, and the number of companies who promote their links with charities is increasing. |
| Who can apply? | This varies according to the company. There is a genuine wish by most companies to contribute to charitable and community activity on an international, national or local basis. With some companies, this is organised and structured, sometimes with foundations independently set up disbursing a proportion of their profits through formal and accountable application procedures. The larger of these trusts will be covered in the section on funding from Trusts and Foundations. At the other end of the scale, it may be left to a marketing department or a whimsical process, dependent on furthering their company profile or the personal interest or inclination of board members. This does not mean that it is not worth pursuing contact with this sort of company. They may be able to be far more flexible in their giving and be very generous. You may be ideally placed to give a presentation to a board member or make an appointment with a local company manager or have an informal chat with an employee that could lead to the funding or other help you seek. If there is no formal plan for giving or precedence you can be more inventive in your approach. |
| What do they fund? | Most companies do not have published donation policies. Mostly they cover a wide range of good causes or attempt to deal with each appeal on its own merits. |
| How to apply? | Personal contact can help. Find out about the company and what they offer either by looking at their website or by phone. Applications are usually made in writing. Use a personal letter. Find out who you need to write to by name. |
| How much? | Companies vary considerably in the amount they will give. Some provide core funding of hundreds of thousands of pounds to national high-profile charities. Others only give small donations to projects in the communities where they have a presence. It is useful to know their funding patterns, so you avoid asking for an inappropriate amount. Do ask if it is not clear. |
What are they?
Raising support and income from companies is often a new and untried task for voluntary organisations or community groups. Many small and large organisations do successfully work with companies, and the number of companies who promote their links with charities is increasing.
Who can apply?
This varies according to the company. There is a genuine wish by most companies to contribute to charitable and community activity on an international, national or local basis. With some companies, this is organised and structured, sometimes with foundations independently set up disbursing a proportion of their profits through formal and accountable application procedures. The larger of these trusts will be covered in the section on funding from Trusts and Foundations.
At the other end of the scale, it may be left to a marketing department or a whimsical process, dependent on furthering their company profile or the personal interest or inclination of board members. This does not mean that it is not worth pursuing contact with this sort of company. They may be able to be far more flexible in their giving and be very generous. You may be ideally placed to give a presentation to a board member or make an appointment with a local company manager or have an informal chat with an employee that could lead to the funding or other help you seek. If there is no formal plan for giving or precedence you can be more inventive in your approach.
What do they fund?
Most companies do not have published donation policies. Mostly they cover a wide range of good causes or attempt to deal with each appeal on its own merits.
How to apply?
Personal contact can help. Find out about the company and what they offer either by looking at their website or by phone. Applications are usually made in writing. Use a personal letter. Find out who you need to write to by name.
How much?
Companies vary considerably in the amount they will give. Some provide core funding of hundreds of thousands of pounds to national high-profile charities. Others only give small donations to projects in the communities where they have a presence. It is useful to know their funding patterns, so you avoid asking for an inappropriate amount. Do ask if it is not clear.
Pros
- • Little bureaucracy
- • Can often respond quite quickly
- • Secondees salaries can be used as match funding
- • Often prepared to fund something new and untried
- • Minimal monitoring required
Cons
- • May depend on personal contacts
- • Usually small amounts
- • Some causes more popular than others, e.g. children’s toy appeals do better than work with offenders
- • Some companies may not fit with the aims and ethos of your organisation due to various ethical issues
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