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www.solargeneration.org
2. ?? HOW
? TO FIND FUNDING
Making a profit is not the goal of an association, but it must
find funds for its survival and development as well as
fulfillment of its projects.
In addition to dues from its members, an association
can count on certain types of financial assistance to
ensure its continued existence.
1. THE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE
(a non-exhaustive list, of course!)
GOVERNMENT GRANTS
This is financial assistance granted by the State to certain declared
associations.
Think of local, national and even international institutions and organizations
for your grant requests:
European Union (for example, the « Youth in Action » program:
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11080.htm), Government, ministries
3. (Education, Youth and Sport), regional and departmental (population
clusters, towns, communities, universities…).
Available funding varies by region, so look for information at the local level!
WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY
Utilize the student network: the student affairs office, student life
division, other student associations on campus, etc. can provide you
with their assistance, particularly material assistance (provision of their
material, shared premises…)
Look for funds that exist in universities and schools, for instance
funds that are intended to improve students’ lives, through the develop-
ment of association-based activities. The board of directors of the
university makes the decision whether to bestow the grant and the
amount of the grant.
Some centers for university and academic works offer funding for
demonstrations, activities or one-time projects (most often based
on culture, but you can also use this angle to transmit your message).
PRIVATE FUNDING
An individual or a company can provide support to your
association to finance a project, for example for adver- self
your ur tners’
Ask ut yo l par
tising purposes: this type of partnership often involves
exchanges of displays and products. This is the bo ncia
a a
sponsor principle: a company with give part of its finhics
advertising budget to your project. By completely or et
partially financing your project, it assumes that the
advertising results generated will be equivalent to twice
the initial investment.
An individual or a company can also provide material, financial and
human support, and without compensation: this is patronage. Thing of
gifts and partnerships in kind: computer equipment, premises, free
printing… anything that saves money is good!
Private foundations can also provide you with substantial support.
Browse the internet for potential foundations.
For all private funding, consider specifying with your partners how they wish
to highlight their partnership (mandatory logo on your documents, distribu-
tion of promotional objects or documents…).
4. But be careful: ask yourself about your financial partners’ ethics. Others can
attack you on this ground. It is always better to associate with people or
structures which defend the same values you do!
THE RANGE WITHIN THE CAMPUS
Do not ignore the potential of activities you organize on your campus, in terms
of fundraising. Students and the general public are ready to help out, espe-
cially when they can receive something in return.
SOME IDEAS FOR EVENTS TO ORGANIZE:
raffle;
raffles with miscellaneous unsold items (think to
request prefectoral authorization);
collections;
support demonstrations, setting up stands to call for subscriptions;
quiz;
themed student party with drinks for sale / school
happy hour at the café;
solar bar: sale of fresh fruit juices mixed by the sun, at low prices;
sale of products or services;
auctions;
garage sale, flea market, secondhand trade;
workshops, paying games;
concerts;
theatrical productions;
athletic competitions;
photo exhibition competition with prints for sale;
exchange breakfast (coffee in return for donation).
For this type of event, choose partners with values which correspond to yours:
suppliers of organic products, committed artists, renewable energy
producers…
5. 2.STEPS FOR
PROJECT FINANCING
Finding funds requires getting organized. Distribute responsibilities
amongst yourselves and organize regular meetings.
ANALYSIS OF YOUR PROJECT / INVENTORY OF RESOURCES
AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
Prepare a report of accounts for your association and develop a future
budget: how much money do you need to carry out your project?
An increasing number of associations are requesting grants and find them-
selves in a competitive situation. Your application therefore must stand
out: the documentation must reflect your project in the best possible light and
emphasize its relevance, even its vital nature. The presentation must be
faultless, and the object of the request must be clear and precise.
THE SEARCH FOR POTENTIAL SOURCES OF FUNDING
Gather as much information as possible on their nature and the terms of the
grant. You can make a contact list in tree form: when you make a telephone
call, get the contact information for person called, and his or her connection
with other contacts if the contact directs you elsewhere.
There are a number of ways to learn about financers:
consult their communication tools (brochures, journals...);
read the press at the local, national and specialized levels: find
information on similar projects and contact them to ask what financial
resources they have at their disposal. By reading newspapers, it is
also possible to identify politically engaged individuals, networks,
potential donors, etc.;
also communication with networks of associations, consult their
communication tools and contact them to collect the necessary data;
surf the web! Potential suppliers probably have a web site, or are
mentioned on a documentary resource site…;
lastly, if your association has existed for some time, search the
archives or get back in touch with former members: they could have
a lead for you!
6. MAKING CONTACTS
It is ideal to telephone rather than sending a letter: making the contact
becomes more personal and more precise.
You can make a list of questions to ask before
”
calling: what are the financer’s concerns? ontact
ft a “ch the
Dra t wit
Limitations? act
shee s and cont
Making a contact makes it possible to collect as name mation of s.
much information as possible about the infor ion maker
financer and the terms of the request. What is decis
the application process? How are decisions
made? How often are meetings held? Time
frames?
Draft a “contact” sheet with the names and contact infor-
mation of decision makers. Make sure to obtain written information on the
terms for filing an application.
TIME NEEDED TO PREPARE THE APPLICATION
Prepare a clear and attractive application
(cf. Sheet – The major points of drafting a grant application).
The grant application must thoroughly meet the requirements of the
financer approached. It must enable the financer to know the association in
general, its activities, its projects and needs. You must then provide a close-
up of the activities or project for which you are requesting fund-
ing. Through the application, the financer must be able to
familiarize himself with your field of activity and be
informed on the project with regard to which he is
being approached.
This application must convince the financer.
The financer must support the project to want to
grant funds. Consequently, your application
must be well-developed and justified: show the
relevance of your project and precisely indi-
cate how the funds will be used. The financer
also needs to be reassured that your project is
serious to be able to support you.
Respect the instructions for drafting the
application
If the number of pages is not specified, do not prepare
a very long application. Reading 50 pages requires time
that the financer does not necessarily have: it is better to be
7. concise. Present your project as a well-justified
summary, go straight to the essentials. You can
always attach appendices to fill in information that
appears to you to be important and difficult to
summarize.
Do not hesitate to call on a third party to proof-
read the application: ask the reader what was
retained and analyze the responses to improve
your application.
A grant application must include:
Prepare
contact information for the requesters, or attract a clear an
ive app d
applicants, meaning your association; lication
an introduction to the project’s pioneers;
a one-page summary;
a more substantial presentation of the project.
You should precisely define your objectives and the resources
implemented to reach them: the application must also include a detailed,
item-by-item budget.
It is useful to present a list of medias supporting you (with letters proving this
support) and sponsors (specifying in what way you are making them visible:
logos on clothing, pamphlets, etc.).
How are you advertising your events? Indicate the url of your web site, include
annexes with visuals of posters, brochures, your logo, the contact information
and bio of the person responsible for communication and public relations. If
you wish to obtain funds to create an event, it is critical to attach a program
and the timeline for the operation.
FILING THE APPLICATION
The application must be complete: verify everything!
The application deadlines must be respected, like all other instructions
(sending the application with return receipt, for example). Be careful to ask
your contact to whom the application must be addressed: sometimes, sev-
eral participants are involved in the decision-making process.
You can append interesting documents: however, you must differentiate
between necessary appendices and “optional” ones, to be sure that the
essential information has been well studied by the financing body. If it is too
long, drafting a summary of your application can be useful.
Lastly, you must keep a copy of your application: this way, you can
respond more quickly to any requests for additional information which may be
8. made by the financer, and facilitate the transmission of information if the
project is passed on to future association managers.
FOLLOWING UP ON THE APPLICATION
Call several days after sending your application to ensure that it has
been received.
Choose, within your association, a designated contact person to be spec-
ified to the financer: this person must be able to be contacted easily and
quickly. S/he must be available and know your project inside out.
This person must also be ready to expressly respond to requests for
additional information from the potential financer relative to the application.
However, make sure not to harass the financer: once the application has
been sent, limit yourself to responding to these requests and remain
unobtrusive the rest of the time.
FOLLOWING UP ON THE RESPONSE
Following the response, you must perform an analysis. This phase is essen-
tial: your chances of obtaining a grant afterwards will multiply!
In the case of a refusal, you must ask the financer for the reasons for this
refusal: was it the form, the content, the budget, the requirements were not
respected, etc.
If you have obtained the grant: congratulations! You must now assess the
impact of this new funding on the management of your project.You have com-
pleted one step, you know for what this money will be used, you have support:
you must take advantage of this to go a step further!
If the grant is subject to an agreement with the financer, make sure you are
well-informed about the obligations which fall to you.
In any case, plan meetings to take stock of the situation with all members of
the association: you must provide reports on achievements by the associa-
tion in relation to the grant so as to produce a summary statement for the
financer on the progress of your project.
All of the information collected in the framework of your request for funding
(applications, catalog of assistance listed, contact sheets, methodology, let-
ters, obstacles…) must be compiled in a separate file: you will certainly
need it later. This information will also be very useful to future members of
your association.
9. FINAL ADVICE
You must consider various sources of funding so as to avoid
becoming dependent on just one supply!
Do not be intimidated by the technical jargon inherent to
grant applications.
Most importantly, do not become discouraged if your project
is not selected! A very large number of associations are competing
for funding. Look for the reasons for the refusal, and try your luck
elsewhere!
12. TESTIMONY
LAURA, UNIS-TERRE, EUROMED MARSEILLE .
« Where to find financing? At the start of the
project we decided to work on two fields of
action, each one having specific financing needs:
– reduction of energy consumption on campus
=> financing awareness
– installation of photovoltaic solar panels
=> financing the investment
Awareness: In order to involve the people on campus in our measures, we took part in
Sustainable Development Week. For this event, among other things, we needed to
produce posters.
We had a slight head start thanks to our own contributions, but that wasn’t enough to pay
for everything. So we organized bio-breakfasts (coffee, tea and bio-orange juice) over one
month, and that allowed us to earn almost €150! We did 4 x one hour sessions and it
was enough!
We tried out other plans to raise funds regularly, such as the resale of ecological
materials (e.g. recycled paper), and it works quite well in the long term.
Greenpeace International Ottho Heldringstraat 5 1066 AZ Amsterdam Netherlands
The other advantage of doing this is that it creates happy memories and a real team
spirit, and that’s quite something!
The technical part: Regarding the technical part of the project, first of all we financed a fea-
sibility study, carried out by the Tecsol consultancy firm. It cost €3,500 and the agency
for the environment and energy management (ADEME) could finance up to 70%. Then, we
took part in a Sustainable Development projects contest organized by Blue Initiative, in
which we won the missing €1,000.
Printed on 100% post consumer recycled chlorine-free paper
It was web surfers who were voting for the project of their choice and it’s thanks to Solar
Generation that we won!
Once the feasibility study was completed, we had to see how to finance the installation. So
we started to look for funding in order to “lighten” the bill for the University.
We took part in the request for proposal issued by the PACA region and the agency for
the environment and energy management (ADEME). We had to build an
www.solargeneration.org
application pack which took us quite a while.
But our application pack was rejected because of the technical part, written by the consul-
tancy firm, because it didn’t meet the selection criteria.
Since then, the new team set up a new application, and it has been accepted.The Renewable
Energy Agency will fund the project. Now, we can move on to the next step: install the solar
panels in 2008!!!
