Your fund description is the first thing non-profits see when they come across your fund on ActionFunder or are signposted to it. A clear, well-structured description helps the right organisations apply – and saves everyone time by setting expectations upfront.
The aims of your fund
Start with the “why”. Non-profits want to understand what you’re trying to achieve and whether your fund is a good fit for their work.
Explain what motivated you to create this fund, what change you’re hoping to see, and what kinds of communities or issues you care most about. Be specific – vague mission statements make it harder for applicants to self-select, which can lead to a mismatch between the projects you receive and the work you want to fund.
What you can fund
Be clear about the types of projects, activities, and costs you’re able to support. This might include:
- Project types – for example, community events, capital projects, service delivery, training programmes
- Eligible costs – such as staff time, materials, equipment, or venue hire
- Geography – if your fund is limited to a specific area, say so clearly
- Organisation types – for example, registered charities, CICs, community groups, or a combination
The more specific you are, the easier it is for non-profits to work out whether they should apply.
What you can’t fund
Being upfront about exclusions is just as important as explaining what you do fund. Common exclusions to consider include:
- Activities that have already taken place
- Statutory or public sector organisations
- Projects that don’t benefit the local community
- Endowments, loans, or deficit funding
- Political or religious activities
If you’ve had a recurring issue with ineligible applications, it’s worth addressing it directly here.
What a good application looks like
Help non-profits put their best foot forward by describing what you’re looking for. This could include:
- A clearly defined need or problem the project is responding to
- A realistic plan with measurable outcomes
- Evidence that the organisation has the capacity to deliver
- A budget that is proportionate and well-explained
- Genuine community involvement or co-design
You don’t need to write a rulebook — a short paragraph describing the qualities that stand out in strong applications is often enough.
Scoring criteria
If you use a scoring framework to assess applications, sharing it (or a summary of it) helps applicants understand what matters most. For example, you might weight criteria like:
- Impact – the difference the project is likely to make
- Reach – the number and diversity of people benefiting
- Value for money – how efficiently the funding will be used
- Organisational capacity – whether the team has the skills and experience to deliver
Even a high-level breakdown of your priorities gives applicants something to respond to directly.
The review process
Set clear expectations about what happens after an application is submitted. Non-profits appreciate knowing:
- When applications open and close
- How long decisions typically take, and how frequently if projects are being awarded on a rolling basis
- Who reviews applications (for example, an internal panel, an external committee, or both)
- Whether there is a shortlisting stage or interview process
- How and when applicants will hear the outcome
Transparency here builds trust and reduces the number of chasing emails you receive.
Examples:
Here are some examples of what a great fund description looks like:
- Brent Council – Wembley Housing Zone Project & Wates Residential – Community Chest 2025
- Better Futures Fund – South West Water
- The Better Luton Environment Fund
Need help?
If you’d like support writing or refining your fund description, get in touch with us at customersuccess@actionfunder.org.