To apply for funding on ActionFunder, you create a project. It takes three steps: Key details, The pitch and Delivery plan. When you publish it, ActionFunder submits it to every live fund it matches.
Before you start
- Complete your organisation profile. Funders read it alongside your project. Setting up your organisation profile
- Check the fund’s criteria if you have a particular fund in mind, especially the location, focus areas and the most it’ll give for one grant. Reading a fund page: criteria and key deadlines
- Get your materials ready: your costs, a landscape photo of your work and, if you’re pitching on video, your recording. You can draft your answers offline first. Preparing your project offline
Only team members with the Admin or Manager role can create projects. User roles and permissions
Start your project
- Sign in.
- Click Create at the top of the page and choose Project. Or go to your Projects page and click Create a project.
If you haven’t created a project yet, you can also click Create a project on your dashboard.
Step 1: Key details
- Project name: try a name that describes the outcome you want, for example “Fresh food for 40 families in Hartcliffe” rather than “Food project”.
- Funding required (Grant size, £): the amount you’re asking for. If you’re aiming at a particular fund, keep it within that fund’s individual grant limit, shown at the top of the fund page.
- Focus area: choose the categories that best describe your project’s activity. You can pick more than one.
- Location: where the main activity will take place.
Click Next to save this step and move on.
Step 2: The pitch
Choose Video pitch or Written pitch. Video pitches are twice as likely to win funding. Written or video pitch: which suits you?
Either way, you answer the same three questions:
- What’s the problem or need? Describe what’s behind your project and the specific problem it addresses. Include statistics and facts.
- What’s the solution? Say what the project’s goal is, how you’ll spend the funding and what activities you’ll deliver. Be as specific as you can.
- Why is your organisation best placed to deliver this project? Show the skills and experience that will make it work. Mention your most relevant achievements.
Written pitch: type your answers in the boxes. Each answer must be between 200 and 700 characters. A counter under each box shows how many characters you’ve used. Use as much of the space as you can.
Video pitch: drag and drop your video file, or click to select it. Aim for 90 seconds or less (about 30 seconds per question). The app accepts videos up to two minutes. Answer all three questions and get permission before filming anyone. Guide to video pitching
Then:
- Project image (written pitches only): upload a JPEG or PNG up to 5MB. It’s your cover photo, so a landscape picture works best. Video pitches don’t need one.
- Permissions: tick the box to confirm you have consent for any personal information in your pitch.
Click Next to save this step and move on.
Step 3: Delivery plan
Everything in this step appears on your public project page, so only include details you’re happy to share.
- Budget breakdown: add a Cost description and Amount for each cost. Click Add another cost for more rows. Your costs must add up to the grant size you’ve asked for. Writing your budget breakdown
- Delivery timeframe: how long, after you receive the funding, it’ll take to complete the project and be ready to submit your impact survey. Choose weeks or months, up to 50. Setting your delivery timeframe
- Beneficiaries: the Number of estimated direct beneficiaries, and Who will benefit from this project?
- Expected impact: who will be affected and what will change, in 200 to 1,000 characters. Include measurable targets wherever you can.
- Track record (optional): impact data, an outcome you achieved or a quote from someone you’ve worked with, in up to 1,000 characters.
Describing your beneficiaries and expected impact
Publish your project
Click Publish project. You’ll see “Project successfully published” and your project’s status changes to Live.
Not ready yet? Save it as a draft and come back later. Saving a draft and finishing later
What happens next
- ActionFunder checks your project against every live Classic fund. If it matches a fund’s criteria, it’s submitted automatically and you’ll get an email.
- Some funders ask extra questions. If so, you’ll see Complete application on your project. Answering extra questions from a funder
- Track where it’s been submitted by clicking Manage on your project. Tracking your applications
Your project stays live and keeps matching with new funds as they launch.
Volunteering is no longer part of projects. To host volunteers, create an opportunity in the separate Volunteering area.
Questions?
Our team is around Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Email: hello@actionfunder.org
- Phone: 020 3805 2835