Write Successful Trust & Foundation Applications

Overview:

A clear, practical 2-hour introduction to writing strong applications to charitable trusts and foundations.

The session focuses primarily on how to structure and write an application. You will learn what needs to go in a winning proposal, how to demonstrate need, describe your activities credibly, write meaningful outcomes, and create clear budgets. We will also cover some key tips on writing style, formatting and design to make your proposals clearer and more compelling and thus more likely to beat the competition.

Who is this for:

Designed for small charities, community organisations, and teams with limited time and capacity, this session shows you exactly what funders look for and how to present your work clearly and persuasively.

Ideal for:

• Staff or volunteers in small charities
• People new to trust & foundation fundraising
• Anyone who has to write grant applications but has had little formal training
• More experienced fundraisers who want a clear, structured refresher

No prior experience required.

You will learn how to:

• Structure an application clearly from start to finish
• Write a strong summary paragraph that anchors the bid
• Present need with evidence, emotional and urgency
• Share what you do in a way that demonstrates credibility
• Create clear, realistic and fundable outcomes
• Present a simple, credible budget
• Organise your supplementary material to support your proposal
• Write in a way that most appeals to funders
• Create well formatted and interestingly presented proposals that stand out from the crowd

You’ll have the chance to try a short writing exercise during the session, with a simple framework you can use for real applications straight away.

Format:

• 2-hour live online workshop
• Presentation, examples, live mini exercise + Q&A
• Access to all handouts included

After the session, you will also be sent a set of useful handouts to support the proposal writing process.

What you'll receive:

• Proposal structure with examples
• Aims vs outputs vs outcomes vs impact
• Need statement examples
• What funders really mean when they ask...
• Grant readiness checklist

What You’ll Learn:

By the end of the workshop, you’ll understand how to:

• Identify what information trusts and foundations expect to see
• Structure a clear, well-organised application
• Evidence the need for your work without overwhelming the reader
• Describe activities, outputs and timelines in a way funders trust
• Write meaningful outcomes and explain your intended impact
• Prepare a simple, credible budget linked to the work you’re proposing
• Present supplementary information effectively
• Improve clarity and flow so your application reads smoothly and professionally
• Get organised so writing becomes quicker and less stressful