Applying for funding - can anyone help me?

[FlamingoBingo]

Can anyone talk me through grants etc.? I want to start running groups for mums. They're quite a specific sort of group and I don't want to go into details here, but I feel that they meet a currently very unmet need.

However, I obviously can't afford to run them for free, but I don't want to charge mothers to come to something that I feel would be of very real help to them, so I want to find out if there's a way I can get funding.

From my very basic research, it appears that most grant-funding bodies won't give grants to individuals, so does that mean I need to get more people involved? I'm nowhere near a point at which I can think about doing that so I'm feeling a bit lost as to where to turn next.

Can anyone offer me any advice? I need to be able to run some groups in the first place so I know how much they cost to run etc., but how do I do that without charging money? I feel like I'm in a little bit of a catch-22 situation.

Have you spoken to your local surestart? They get funding to put on groups and courses, if you do a pitch to them they may offer it as a (for example) 6 week course initially, potentially with a view to it becoming a permanent thing.

Are you hoping to do it as a volunteer, or are you hoping to make a profit?

Yes, but they're currently out to tender and can't commit to anything. All the children's centres are interested, though, and that is definitely the ideal solution.

I need to be paid for my work, but I don't want to have a profit-making business. I am skilled and experienced in what I want to do.

Do you mean you simply want to cover your expenses? I'm sorry, I'm not too sure what you mean by wanting to be paid but not make a profit.

Can you set yourself up as a charity - get a couple of friends/family on board as trustees? The you legitimately claim your won expenses, get the benefot of no VAT on some expenses are a body not an individual.

Don't know anything about this but an idea!

Surely though there's not going to be much of an outlay for a running group? Can you not ask all who come along to contribute 50p or something to cover things like printing leaflets / advertising. I can't quite see what you would need a grant for.

Hi,

I give funding advice to charities / community groups, this would be my initial advice:

Legal structure

You don't need to be a charity but you do need to be a constituted body. I suggest that at the start you should consider a simple unincorporated association, governed by a constitution. In the ?purpose? section this is where you want to think about the reasons why you?re doing the project (education, community etc.) This will point you in the direction of future funding.

Committee

You will need a committee. Suggest that you start off with a committee of around five, which covers the main roles but is small enough for effective decision making.

Bank account

You will need a bank account in the name of your organisation. Most high street banks have a bank account suitable for community organisations, e.g. Cooperative. They can be quite restrictive in terms of the free services they offer so it?s worth considering one with a local presence.

Letters of support

If there are any key stakeholders that can support you it?s always good to get this in writing, e.g. a school, key community organisation.

Funding

Suggest that you start small ? Local Councillor / parish council / Community Foundation grants of under £500. Also asking local, related businesses to support (particularly in-kind donations) can provide useful resources.

CRB

If you are working with children you will need an up to date CRB check - your local volunteer infrastructure organisation will be able to do this for you.

HTH :)

I feel that I should be paid a fair wage for my skills and experience. I can't afford to run something without being paid.

A profit-making company aims to get richer and richer. A not-for-profit organisation simply aims to pay it's staff and meet expenses.

This is not simply a mother and baby group - this is more like a course...but it's not a course.

Titchy - good idea, but becoming a charity is a complete nightmare, and is not something I'm ready to do yet. You're right it would be easier to get funding, but I've been involved in setting up organisations as charities in the past, and there are so many rules and regulations. It's the sort of thing the project would need to become in a few years, after it's been up and running for a while.

UnexpectedItem - thank you so much! That seems like masses! Gah! I'm feeling a bit lost. This project needs to be small to start with and get larger...but I don't know how to do the starting bit, without asking people to pay at first...which I really don't want to do. But I can't afford to do months of work for no pay while I get to that point. Are there funds for small community start-ups? IE. really, really small ones? I'm starting to think the only answer is going to be waiting for the Children's Centres to be in a position to collaborate with.

You are welcome.

Yes, there are funds for small start ups, but much of the above applies as these are basic safeguards to make sure people don't personally profit without doing the work IYKWIM.

Have you looked at www.unltd.org.uk? It is competitive but might suit you. Or Prince's Trust?

I think you need to be clear if you are looking to work, self employed, in which case surely you would need a business plan and to find funding for business start ups, which, in my book is very different from setting up a community thing where you are offering to support Mums. That's why I was a bit confused.
Where I work, CC funding has been massively cut.

PS - if you PM me your email I can send you a guide to writing a constitution if you need it - although if you have done this before you might not.

Thank you, Unexpected. I'll do that.

BackforGood - I'll be continuing to work self-employed as I did as a BFC, but then I had the backing, registration etc. of the NCT. I don't want to be a BFC, now, though, but support all mothers with all parenting issues.

Just looked at UnLtd - looks ideal! Thank you.