Like sleight of hand magic, the closer you look, the less you see
I once had someone come in to my office and the conversation went something like this:
Them: You’re the guy who gets money aren’t you?
Me: Yes, I am.
Them: Then can you get me a grant for a firewood processor?
Me: No.
Them: But you’re the guy who gets money for people, aren’t you?
Me: Yes, I am. But first tell me what you really want to do.
Them: Well, I sell firewood and I can’t keep up with demand as I fell the timber and chop the firewood by hand so a firewood processor would really help me out.
Me: And would you look after more woodland to get timber and employ people to help you out as the business grows?
Them: Yes, of course.
Me: Then I can get you money for managing woodland and creating employment and I suggest you spend that money on the firewood processor!
Another client came to me and asked if I could find them £250k to pay for building a respite centre for sick children. They’d been running small fund-raising events for some years and had raised £250k of their £500k target. So, instead of looking for money, I went looking for a building – which is what they ultimately wanted.
In a matter of weeks I’d found a competition run by a national house builder for a charity to win a £250k new house. The client entered, and won. And the housebuilder liked the cause so much they converted the home in to cash and is helping the charity build a £500k respite centre.
You see, funders and contracts pay for outcomes, not the means to achieve the outcome, which is the thing most of us do – and tend to look for. Funders have problems that they want solving. You provide that solution.
I’ve just submitted a proposal for £165k to transform the health and well-being of 20,000 children and parents and there was so much interest in it that I’ve decided to run a Funding Magic Circle so others can learn how to do the same. So, if you’re interested in winning more, the Funding Magic Circle will run over the coming 4 months. And during the Magic Circle as well as finding sources of contracts and funding, we’ll be putting together and submitting live bids for projects or contracts you’d like to do or can be involved in. Which can be anything from £5k to £100k+. For more details click here