Write your application
Assessors read quickly and score every question. These are the points that most often separate a funded application from a near miss.
Read the full grant writing guide →
01
Weight it towards the solution
Roughly 20% problem, 80% solution. Funders invest in outcomes, not in the size of the problem.
02 Structure every answer Attention, Interest, Desire, Action: what's the situation, why does it matter, what will change, what are you asking the funder to do.
03
Make the first and last lines count
They carry the most weight with an assessor reading at speed.
04 Write with confidence Write "we are" and "we will", not "if" or "maybe". Frame the grant as an investment rather than a gift.
05
Answer the actual question
Every question is scored, so don't shortchange the small ones. Use the full word limit; it is there for a reason.
06 Be specific Real numbers, concrete examples and short case studies. Where it is genuine, show innovation and sustainability.
07
Attach the evidence
Budgets and letters of support for every claim you make. Check your figures add up and demonstrate value for money.
08 Treat AI drafts as a starting point Assessment processes increasingly detect copied or AI-generated text. Proofread, then submit on time and exactly as instructed.
[info] Need a letter of support?
If you need funding, or a letter of support from Allegra for an application, get in touch and we'll be glad to help. Contact our office, or email [email protected] directly.
[tip] If you're not successful
Not every application will succeed, sometimes simply because a round was heavily contested. Where feedback is offered, take it. It is the fastest way to a stronger application next time.
[tip] Managing a grant once you've won it
- Define what success looks like before you start.
- Gather evidence of impact as you go, rather than leaving evaluation to the end.
- Report and acquit on time. It shapes your relationship with the funder and every future application.
- Have a clear answer for what happens to the project when the funding runs out.
