Funding Ready - Establishing the Need

Funders don’t just want a good idea — they want clear evidence that a project is needed, shaped by the community, and likely to make a difference.

This interactive online workshop is designed to support community groups, charities, faith groups and Community Interest Companies (CICs) in Lincolnshire to clearly identify, evidence and explain the need for their project as part of a strong funding application.

You’ll explore how to build a convincing case for funding using consultation, co‑design, statistics and evaluation, helping you move beyond “we know this is needed” to a clear, evidence‑based explanation that funders expect.

What the session will cover:

• What funders mean by “need” and why it matters
• How to gather meaningful consultation and engagement evidence
• Practical methods for involving beneficiaries through co‑design
• Using local and national data and statistics to support your case
• How to analyse what people tell you and turn it into clear statements of need
• Linking need to outcomes, outputs and evaluation
• Practical exercises to help you start building your own evidence and case for funding

By the end of the session, you will:

• Be able to clearly explain why your project is needed
• Understand different consultation and co‑design approaches
• Know how to use evidence and data to support funding bids
• Feel more confident demonstrating outcomes and impact

Who the session is for

This session is ideal for:

• Community groups, charities, faith groups and CICs in Lincolnshire
• Organisations developing a new project or reviewing an existing one
• Trustees, committee members and directors involved in funding decisions
• Staff and volunteers who contribute to funding applications or project design
• Groups that need stronger evidence, consultation or impact data to support funding bids
• Organisations wanting to involve beneficiaries more meaningfully in shaping projects

No specialist knowledge is required — the session is suitable for those new to funding as well as groups looking to strengthen their approach.

Who the session is not for

This session may not be suitable for:

• Organisations looking for specific funding programmes or live grant opportunities
• Groups seeking one‑to‑one help to write a funding application
• Individuals applying for personal funding
• Organisations that already have extensive consultation data and established evaluation frameworks
• Commercial businesses that are not CICs or social enterprises

If you need help demonstrating why your project matters and who it will benefit, this session will be particularly valuable.

Other Funding Ready Sessions

This session forms part of a series of short bite-size courses around funding which are available to book on. The others in the series include:

• Key Requirements Explained
• Planning Your Project
• Identifying Funding Streams
• What Makes a Good Funding Application - Tips and Tricks