How to create a funding need that does the work for you
You've seen the impact of your work first-hand. You know the community you serve, the people behind the mahi, and exactly why it matters. That knowledge is your greatest asset when applying for funding - and it's also the very thing that makes Fundsorter work.
When you create a funding need, you're briefing the system on this knowledge. Fundsorter draws from both that Funding Need, and your Funding Profile every time it matches you with opportunities, or drafts an application. The richer the brief, the stronger every result that follows.
How the matching system works
Fundsorter analyses over 50 factors from your profile and funding need. The two you need to consider are hard filters, and language.
Hard filters are fixed parameters - location, minimum amount, timing, funding type - that determine whether an opportunity is in the running at all. You can specialise these filters for each funding need. If you're not seeing a match you expected, check that your hard filters aren’t excluding it.
Language is where your content does the work. The closer your funding needs language is to a funder's priorities and vocabulary, the stronger your matches. Small changes matter: Say "wages" instead of "admin support," "facilities" instead of "a space to work from." If your impact stretches across multiple demographics, list them all. If you plan to make your event low cost or free, say so.
Remember - every question you can answer at this stage will populate into your application draft answers later, saving you time.
The 10 questions funders most commonly ask
Across thousands of applications, these are the questions that come up the most. If your funding need already speaks to most of these, you're in good shape:
What is the purpose of this funding request?
What specific activities or outputs will this funding support?
Who will benefit, and how many people?
What difference will this make - what is the intended impact?
What is the total cost of the project, and how is it broken down?
What is the timeframe for this work?
Who will lead or deliver this work, and what is their experience?
Does your organisation have the capability to deliver this?
Have you received funding for this before, and from whom?
How will you measure and report on the outcomes?
Not sure where to start?
If your kaupapa is big and broad, try a few avenues - Keep a master funding need that describes projects in their entirety, and also break up those large projects into separate funding needs - one for each specific, fundable component. If a funder isn’t able to fund an entire project, they may be able to cover Individual grants that work together to fund the full picture.
Fundsorter's 'Help me create a request' feature is a helpful place to start. It draws on your Organisation Profile to suggest fundable ideas and shows you how they might be framed - giving you a feel for the kind of language and structure that tends to resonate with funders.
For larger, more complex programmes, it's also worth identifying relational funders in your matches - these are funders who prefer to build a relationship before receiving a formal application. Approaching them early, developing the relationship, and then presenting a fuller proposal is often the most effective path.
Top tips for a stronger funding need
Choose your location carefully the more specific the better
Set your minimum amount thoughtfully - setting your minimum lower than the NZ average ($5,600) opens up more opportunities
Set your timing as far out as possible - the wider your window, the more matches you'll see - we suggest three months as a minimum
Use funder language - "wages," "facilities," "equipment"
Be specific about who’s doing what, why, when, and how much it will cost
Give operational costs a timeline - frame them as a defined project or phase
Create separate funding needs for each component of a large programme
Upload supporting documents - job descriptions, budgets, project plans, past reports-and let the system do the work
Keep it updated - re-scan regularly - we’re adding new or updated funding opportunities every week
Use 'Help me create a request' if you're not sure where to start and our system can brainstorm with you
If you're seeking funding for wages, facilities, or core running costs check out our next blog, which focuses on this.
Happy funding!