Where can I find a freelance grant?
Securing a freelance grant can really ease the financial burden of being a sole trader. There are many places offering financial support for freelancers in the form of freelance grants. They can be highly competitive so it’s important that you stand out from your competitors.
Here are our five tips to help you win your next freelance grant
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Make sure you’re eligible
Often, a freelance grant will require you to prove you’re a freelancer. This could be the following examples:
- Registering as a sole trader with a Unique Tax Reference (UTR)
- Director of a limited company where you are the only officer or employee.
Some freelance grants will require you to meet certain eligibility criteria. This could be from the area you specialise in, to the local area you are based in. You will need to meet all of the criteria in order to be eligible. This sounds basic, but you would be surprised how many people go for grants without reading the requirements.
Reading the grant documents carefully is the first thing you should do before you go ahead with an application. Make sure that you aren’t changing yourself or your business to fit the opportunity. If you try to make your business fit an opportunity, you might not be successful. You should be looking for one that aligns with you, not the other way around.
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Plan your response
Successful freelance grant applications are all in the planning. Where possible you should work back from the submission date. However, if the application is first-come, first-served, you better make haste.
Developing a checklist can help you keep on top of everything you need to submit. This could include:
- Submission date and time
- The format of the application
- How and where to submit (online, email, hardcopy, etc,)
- Total areas that need to be covered
- Any additional supporting documents
- Finances
A funder can tell if a proposal is rushed. Setting internal deadlines can help ease the stress. Factor in plenty of time for unexpected delays and technology malfunctions. Technology seems to find a way of failing at the most crucial of moments.
Planning can help avoid these or at least reduce the stress when it gets to submission day. It’s better to be over-prepared, than under-prepared.
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Include evidence
Including evidence can really strengthen your freelance grant application. Funders love it when you include facts and statistics backing up statements with evidence. Research is key here. Assess your competitors. Why are you better than them? Why are you catering to the market/solving an issue better than them?
Remember that most business grants will require you to provide a business plan. This may include providing a statement of your finances and balance sheet. If you’ve just started, you may be required to provide projections of your profits and losses. Funders want to know that their money is in safe hands.
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Demonstrate sustainability
Demonstrating sustainability and innovation can help you win your next freelance grant. Most funders want their money to go towards sustainable people who are providing a long-term solution. They could be looking to fund innovative solutions that will revolutionise your industry.
This is particularly the case for government business grants. They want to make sure their money isn’t just going towards a short-term solution. Sustainability is one of the government’s top priorities.
Demonstrating value for money will always get you into the funder’s good books. They want to know that they are getting the most out of the money they are putting in. Depending on the bid you are going for, winning bids will have innovative, sustainable and ground-breaking solutions.
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Proofread, then proofread again
Submitting an error-free freelance grant is crucial. You make to make sure you are avoiding any spelling or grammatical errors. These are easily avoidable mistakes that can lower your application. If you aren’t able to submit an error-free response, why should they give you their money?
You should check your proposal at least twice before your final submission. Along the way, you should be proofreading it and making revisions. You could get someone else to read over it. A fresh pair of eyes can pick up things you may have missed. You should be putting your all into your application, your competitors will be doing the same. Present the funder the best bid and secure that freelance grant for your business.
If you’re struggling with your grant application, a Grant Writing Consultant can help. They are experts in writing grant applications. They know how to present you in the best light to funders. Outsourcing your freelance grant proposal can take the pressure off. You can then continue on with the important things knowing your application is in safe hands.
Where can I find a freelance grant?
Finding the right freelance grant for your business can take a lot of time out of your day. There are so many places offering grants such as local councils, private companies, and the government. You’re busy enough as it is!
Luckily for you, we have made this process a whole lot easier.
Our Grant Tracker hosts over 1,700 live grants from 1,500 data points on one central system. You are able to filter the results via keyword, location and more. This streamlines the process, saving you time.
The best part – it’s free! All you have to do is register your details to sign up. Then you’ll have access to all business grants throughout the UK at your fingertips.
So, now you are five tips wiser on how to win a freelance grant and where to find them. Hopefully, this will set you on the course to winning your next grant. Remember not to be disheartened if at first you don’t succeed. Ask for feedback and try again.
Our ServiceÂ
Our Grant Writing Service is for businesses who want to start applying for grants, but don’t know where to begin. They can help win cash grants for small businesses that have been applying for grants but aren’t seeing success.
Our Grant Writing Consultants have over 60 years of experience in bidding for funding and grants. From start-up business grants to self-employed business grants. They can take care of the whole thing for you – they’ll even submit it on your behalf.
Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow!
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