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Large grant full application guidelines

This guide is designed to help you with completing the application form.  We appreciate that it takes a lot of time to fill out applications for funding and we hope that this guide may help you complete the form with the information we need to assess your application.

Before you start, it may be helpful for you to read this guide first so that you have an idea of what we are looking for in your application.

Top tips

• Try writing out the application in Word and then copying into the application form. This will make it easier to edit and come back to, but please take note of the character limit for each question.
• Keep it simple and include the key points, avoid jargon and please explain acronyms the first time you use them. You could ask someone who doesn’t know your organisation to read your application – does it make sense and do they pick up the key messages?
• You don’t have to use all of the word count. Remember, we read lots of applications and the best ones are usually concise and avoid repetition.
• Even if you have applied to us before, please write your application as if it is for a new audience.
• Please don’t rely on supporting documents. You can upload documents to support your application, for example: evaluation reports, impact report, annual report and case studies. However, if you choose to upload a document, please reference its purpose in your application.
• Upon submission you will be sent a copy of your completed application. Please double check this copy and contact us as soon as possible if you notice any issues.
• Our application form is compatible with assistive technology. However, please contact us if you have any accessibility issues relating to submitting your application.

If you are applying as a branch using the head office’s registered charity number, please also ensure that you have:

• The latest published accounts together with the independent examiner’s/auditor’s report that were submitted to the Charity Commission under the registered charity number.
• If you have your own accounts, please submit these as supporting information to help us understand your particular branch.
• Written permission from head office to use the main charity registration number to apply.

We are only able to accept one application per charity number and re-application rules will apply to that number, regardless of whether a different branch of the charity or head office has applied under that same registration number.

Application Questions

About the charity

When was your charity established?

This is the year that the charity was formed e.g. 1980.

Please provide a brief overview of who you support and the charity’s purpose (max 700 characters, approx. 100 words)

We’re just looking for a concise overview; there’ll be space to go into more detail later in the application.

Financial information

Please use your latest PUBLISHED accounts to complete this section, as per the Charity Commission website. These can be downloaded from the Charity Commission website and should contain the information needed to complete this section, or it may be helpful for you to ask for assistance from your charity’s finance staff or accountant.

Please note that any unpublished account information will not be assessed and your application will be considered incomplete.

You will be asked to provide a breakdown of the charity’s income, expenditure and reserves according to the categories below. Information to complete this section is commonly found in the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet, and any associated notes in the accounts.

Income

Voluntary – all ‘gifts’ made on a voluntary basis, e.g. grants from trusts and foundations, legacies, and individuals (excluding lottery income).

Lottery – e.g. National Lottery Community Fund, People’s Postcode Lottery, Health Lottery etc.

Statutory – income generated from any statutory source, e.g. Local Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group, Central Government, NHS, Crime Commissioner etc.

Charitable Activities – Income earned from the supply of goods or services or performance related contractual income (excluding those from statutory sources).

Other Trading Income – e.g. fundraising events, charity shops, letting and licencing arrangements.

Investments – returns from any investments the organisation may have, including bank interest.

Expenditure

Charitable Purposes – any funds spent on providing services directly to the beneficiaries, such as therapists’ salary costs, rent of premises to provide services, cost of equipment etc.

Management / Administration – costs not involved with delivery of services but that are required to keep the charity running, such as salaries for support and admin staff, governance, legal costs, etc.

Fundraising / Publicity – any funds spent on efforts to raise funds or publicise the charity and its services.

Reserves

Restricted –  funds set aside to be used for a specific purpose set by the grantor of the funds, e.g. project funding or donation made towards a particular purpose (not including fixed assets).

Fixed Assets –  includes the value of land, buildings and equipment. Commonly the annual accounts include these in either the restricted or unrestricted reserves – for this application please separate fixed assets.

Designated – reserves that the organisation’s trustees have put aside for a specific purpose, e.g. a particular project or winding up costs, or essential future spending. Commonly the annual accounts include these in the unrestricted reserves – for this application please separate designated reserves.

Unrestricted – these are the reserves that are ‘free’, that can be used for any purpose (not including designated reserves or fixed assets).

Please provide a brief summary of the charity’s main sources of income, and whether these are likely to change significantly in the foreseeable future. (Max 700 characters, approx. 100 words).

This helps us understand how a potential MCF grant would fit alongside other income sources.

About the project

What is the title of your project?

This will be used to identify the project in future communications.

When will the project start and end?

When picking a start date please note that it may take up to six months for a decision, and the MCF does not provide retrospective funding. If this is an existing service, enter the date when MCF funding is required.

Where in England and/or Wales will the project take place? (Max. 350 characters, approx. 50 words)

Specify any relevant focus or catchment area(s), e.g. towns, counties.

Is this a new or existing service?

This is not assessed, but used for monitoring purposes.

Please describe your overall project and the issue(s) your organisation is trying to address (Max 2100 characters, approx. 300 words)

Please provide a summary of the project’s goal(s), and include any supporting evidence to support and illustrate the issue(s) you’re addressing. This may be statistics from local or national data (e.g. Census, Index of Multiple Deprivation, Local Authority), other charities, or you may have gathered your own data. Is there demand for the service (e.g. waiting lists)? Please include information relevant to your delivery area if possible.

Tell us about the project’s beneficiaries and their needs? (max. 1400 characters, approx. 200 words)

Please include any relevant demographic information (e.g. age range, gender). Describe the specific challenges the beneficiaries face. How are they referred or targeted?

Describe how you will deliver the project. (Max 2100 characters, approx. 300 words)

Explain the specific activities / intervention and how it will work. How often and for how long will support be provided? What facilities / resources will you use? Are there any fees involved? Will beneficiaries need support to access your project?

Why is your charity best placed to deliver the project? (Max 2100 characters, approx. 300 words)

Please tell us what experience the charity and its staff have in this field? Are you working with any partners with specific expertise? Is there supporting evidence to demonstrate the positive outcomes / impact of this intervention on beneficiaries, either that you have measured if an existing service, or other organisations if a new project?

Please tell us how you involve service users in your development and delivery? (Max 1400 characters, approx. 200 words)

Have the project’s intended beneficiaries had the opportunity to input into how the project will be delivered? Do the project or charity staff have any lived experience?

How many staff and volunteers will be involved in the project?

Please include numbers for all staff and volunteers working on this project, not just those who would be funded using an MCF grant if part funding.

About the grant

What is the value of the grant you wish to apply for and over how many years?

• The maximum number of years funding available is 3. You will see that we have broken this down into: Amount requested Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3. This will make up the total of the amount you wish to apply.
• When you received an invitation to submit your final stage application there will have been a maximum grant amount included. If, in the process of creating your budget, the amount you would like to apply for has changed and exceeded this amount then please contact us before submitting your application.

Please explain how the MCF grant will be used, and if part funding explain any other project expenditure (Max 2100 characters, approx. 300 words)

Use this answer to provide more context to your budget sheet (uploaded later). Will an MCF grant be used to fund specific parts of the project, and will this change over the life of the project? Is the MCF grant a % contribution to the overall project cost? Please detail any project expenditure not covered by the MCF grant.

Will the MCF grant fully fund the project, or provide part funding?

This is not assessed, but used for monitoring purposes.

If applying for part funding, please give details of any other approached or confirmed project funders (Max 1400 characters, approx. 200 words)

List funder, amount requested / secured, and over what period.

How will the project be funded after the proposed grant period? (Max 1400 characters, approx. 200 words)

Will further funding be required, and if so what strategies / sources will you use to secure it? Will the project become more self-sustaining? Will the project end?

Risks and safeguarding

What are the risks associated with the project and how do you intend to minimise them? (Max 2100 characters; approximately 300 words)

List any risks you have identified in delivering the project (e.g. safeguarding, funding, staffing) and any mitigation in place to guard against them.

Please confirm that the charity has an up to date safeguarding policy

You will need to upload a copy of this policy at the end of your application.

Please confirm that the charity has obtained appropriate disclosure and barring checks/approval for all staff and volunteers who are working with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

If the answer to this is “no” or “not applicable”, please explain why.

Monitoring and evaluation

How many unique primary beneficiaries does your organisation directly help each year?

Primary beneficiaries are those who directly benefit from the service.

Please tell us how many secondary beneficiaries your organisation helps each year?

E.g. a family (secondary) indirectly benefitting from a child (primary) receiving mental health support.

Please explain how these figures have been calculated (max. 700 characters, approximately 100 words)

Do you already monitor beneficiary numbers for the service? If a new project, what information have you used to estimate beneficiary numbers?

Please list any other output goals that you want to deliver and how you plan to measure them? (Max 1400 characters, approx. 200 words)

Outputs are figures related to the activities, products and services that you will deliver (e.g. number of sessions delivered, % beneficiaries attending at least 6 sessions, number of qualifications achieved etc.)

Please define up to 4 specific outcomes that the project will aim to achieve.

Outcomes are the specific benefits of the project for the beneficiaries (e.g. increased self-confidence, reduced social isolation, improved physical health etc.). If your application is successful these will form part of the annual monitoring form.

How will you measure these outcomes? (Max 2100 characters, approx. 300 words).

Detail any monitoring methods / tools you will be using, e.g. Warwick Edinburgh scale, bespoke tools, surveys, case studies. When will these be conducted? Will you be working with any partners in this area? Optionally, if you want to provide any additional context to your defined outcomes please use this answer

Publicity

The MCF is funded entirely by Freemasons, their families and friends. Please summarise how you could work with our communications team to publicise the grant and our donors (Max 700 characters, approx. 100 words).

For example, facilitating any media coverage, inviting local Freemasons to visit the charity, promotion of the grant through social media or other publications. If there are limitations to publicity opportunities (e.g. safeguarding concerns) please let us know.

Additional information

Have you previously received funding from a Masonic organisation in the past? (Max. 700 characters, approx. 100 words)

This may include individual Lodges or Provincial Masonic charities. Please include the source and amount, if known. This will not impact on your application in any way.

Is there anything further you would like to add to your application? (Max. 700 characters, approx. 100 words)

Optionally, please include any information you think it is important for us to know that does not fit into the questions above.

In addition, you will also need your latest published charity accounts to upload and your most up to date safeguarding policy, as well as a project budget in Excel format. You can also upload up to two further documents to support your application, for example outcomes of a successful pilot or evidence of the success of an existing/previous programme.