Over 100 grant-making organisations are inviting charities and other forms of not-for-profit organisations to fill out a survey to influence how £800m of grants are made and managed.
The Funding Experience Survey, which has been co-produced by the Institute for Voluntary Research (IVAR) and over 100 more grant makers, asks how they can make the grant application process easier for charities.
The survey is looking to determine what can be done to reduce wasting time, effort and stress of applying for grants.
The grant-makers want to know what they can do to make the process more streamlined, and find out what matters the most to their grant recipients.
The survey takes up to 15 minutes to complete. Respondents to the survey will be in with the chance of entering a prize draw to win £100 for their organisation.
You are eligible to complete the survey if your organisation is one of the following:
o Charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
o Community Interest Organisation (CIO).
o An ‘Exempt Charity’ such as a school or church, and
o A Community Interest Company (limited by guarantee without share capital).
Ben Cairns, director of IVAR, said:
“This is a watershed moment for UK funding: over 100 grant-makers are committed to listening to applicants, and adapting how they work to reduce the wasted time, effort and stress of fundraising and funding relationships.
“We want to hear from at least 1,000 charities about what matters most to them, so that we can work with funders to change their practices and behaviours.”
Harriet Stranks, director of grants at Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, said:
“As funders our job is to support charities so that they can do what they do best. It’s important that we listen to charities, respond to feedback and adapt the way we work so that we can meet the needs of the charities we exist to serve. That’s one of the reasons why we signed up to IVAR’s Open and Trusting initiative and will be reviewing the responses to this survey to see where we can learn and improve.”
Although we can’t see a deadline for completion of the survey, the communications pack for funders states that the social media campaign will run until Thursday 10th June 2022, so we expect the survey to close on or around this date.
Further details about the survey and how to participate is available at this link to Survey Monkey.
Source: Civil Society News