|
|
|
Company Solutions offers new trusts application service
Submitted by howardlake on 8 May, 2008 - 10:47.
Following a successful trial, fundraising consultancy Company Solutions has announced its trust application service. It is designed to help causes raise money from small and medium-sized trusts for general running costs or ongoing projects.
The applications are drawn up with the charity and will be signed by a charity representative, but all the research and administration would be handled by Company Solutions.
In the company's test, its application for general running costs to 100 trusts produced £5,950 in four months, and its second test to an additional 50 trusts produced £10,000 in the first week.
Gareth Edwards of Company Solutions said: "We specialise in finding many of the trusts that appear in none of the directories, CD roms or web services available".
The fees for the new service, including research, identification, drawing up of the approach, administration and postage, is £500 plus VAT for the first 50 applications, with additional applications for the same cause at £7 plus VAT each.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this page
- Printer friendly version
- 386 reads
Latest jobs
Active forum topics
New forum topics
Recent comments
- mau_wero
- Martin Davies
- galegould1
Bloggers
Latest events added
- 25/11/2008 - 13:30
- 18/11/2008 - 13:30
- 11/11/2008 - 13:30
- 04/11/2008 - 13:30
- 21/10/2008 - 13:30
Upcoming events
- Accredited Project Management (3 day course)(Training courses)(Now)
- Christian Aid Week 2008(Event)(Now)
- Institute of Fundraising Technology SIG One Day Conference(Event)(Now)
- The Institute of Fundraising Technology Group Conference 2008(Event)(Now)
- Event Fundraising Conference(Training courses)(22 hours)
From a trust funder's point of view ...
There is a good reason that many of us try to keep a low-ish profile. Small trusts or trusts that make a small number of grants don't want to be inundated. I am very nearly full-time, and physically unable to respond to everyone as it is - sure, we have the money to get more resource, but we'd rather spend it on grants. Many trusts don't have any staff resource - they run entirely with volunteers.
I have to say that I am extremely concerned at Gareth's statement that trusts being targeted are of the type that "doesn't merit" personal time/attention. How much would an individual have to give before they merit your personal time and attention? If you are asking for the same amount - or more - from a trust then it *does* merit your personal time and attention. Trusts' boards are made up of individuals ...
Gareth - can I ask for some clarification on "the application being drawn up with the charity"? Does this mean that you advise on content/write parts or all of it? If so, is this made clear on the application?
Sandre
-------
Personal time
The trusts that merit my personal time are every single one I apply for.
From a £30k over 3 year application down to a £50 one-off quick letter, all are useful if they pay out.
Just out of interest, how much personal time do other people spend on a trust (research, writing etc)?
Not really out of a job
I see the service as a complementary one to paid fundraisers. The more difficult to find trusts that we find are not going to be the larger trusts that merit your personal time and attention, the phone contact, the personal approaches. For those, a paid fundraiser is by far the better option. This is a service to add value to this for those trusts that it is not worth the time of the fundraiser to research.
It has been very interesting to profile the trusts that are willing to consider such general appeals for ongoing running costs, and we hope this service will attract fundraisers without any fear of job loss!
Out of a job
Must not show this to my boss.
I cost considerably more per application than £7 plus VAT.
Be nice if I could do an application an hour, more like an average of less than 1 per day (though larger ones tend to take me anything from days to weeks).
Looks like a cheap deal for charities. Whether its as cost effective as a paid or unpaid fundraiser is a different matter.
Martin