Essentials in Application Writing
Dates
28 Jan 2027 -4 Feb 2027
Course Type
OnlineLength
2 x half daysPrice
£82.50 + VATLevel
Suitable for all levels
Essentials in Application Writing
With increased competition in fundraising from Trusts and Foundations, there has never been a more important time to learn how to communicate your story to funders and stand out from the crowd.
Trusts and Foundations distribute over £120 million to the arts, culture and heritage sector annually, and strong funding applications can open significant doors for your organisation, projects and creative ambitions.
Delivered online by Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy, this practical course will give you the foundational skills and knowledge to approach trusts and foundations, with useful guidance on how to ‘make the case’ and generate ideas that maximise the potential of the support. We’ll examine useful language tips to strengthen proposals, how to budget your work, the potential of AI in developing proposals, and how to incorporate effective evaluation that produces impact assessment.
We’ll also cover how trusts and foundations assess proposals and methods to research potential funders – please note that this course will not cover applications to Arts Council England or NLHF.
The sessions will use practical exercises to help reinforce your learning and you are asked to come prepared with a project in mind that requires funds.
Who is this for?
This course is aimed at those new to fundraising; those looking to achieve multi-year funding support or launch a big project in a new area; or those just looking for a refresher in this important area of fundraising.
If you wish to create clear and concise bids, want to ensure you’re gathering the right evidence to make the strongest case for support and understand what questions funders ask themselves about your bids – this course is for you.
It will help you:
- Understand the latest trends in Trust fundraising
- Build an effective fundraising Case for Support
- Develop stronger funding proposals
- Clearly communicate your mission and impact
- Avoid common application writing mistakes
- Align your projects with funder priorities
- Write with clarity, confidence and purpose
- Learn how to prepare effective budgets that tell your story
This course will be delivered virtually via Zoom in two separate 3-hour sessions. The first of these will take place on Thursday 28th January 2027 from 10am to 1pm, and the second will take place on Thursday 4th February 2027 from 10am to 1pm. It is necessary to attend both sessions to complete the full training.
Alongside access to this live course, you will receive follow-up resources and guidance from Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy, as well as access to our alumni network, offering first-hand insights of new opportunities and discounts on future courses.
Price
The cost of this six-hour online course is £82.50 + VAT.
A concession rate of £55 + VAT is available for freelancers and organisations with a turnover of £500,000 or under. To access the concession rate, please email artsfundraising@cause4.co.uk
Package Deal! Book four courses for the price of three. Whether you are booking four places on one course or four separate courses, pay for three and get the fourth completely free! Just get in touch with us at artsfundraising@cause4.co.uk once you have booked and paid for your first three spaces to receive your free code!
Refund Policy
Please see https://artsfundraising.org.uk/courses/ for our refund policy
We believe everyone in the cultural sector deserves access to fundraising skills. That’s why we offer a low-cost entry point to our arts fundraising training programme via our £10 bursary tickets. If you’d like to receive a bursary ticket, please complete this form and we’ll be in touch with more details.
Trainer: Fern Potter
This course will be delivered by Fern Potter, an expert development consultant and mentor with a passion for providing the cultural sector with fundraising skills and knowledge. Fern is Co-Chair of Southend Creatives Network and Trustee of Acosta Dance Foundation. She was previously Director of Development with New English Ballet Theatre and has worked as Director of Development for Dance UK, Head of Development for Dance Umbrella, and Senior Development Manager with Index on Censorship.
Programme staff
