Trust Fundraising Health Check - Money Tree Fundraising

Part one – fundamental questions

Are you registered with the Charity Commission/HMRC/other body?*

If yes, please give details

1. How are you constituted? (please choose as many as apply)

Charity
Company limited by guarantee
Community Interest Company
Company limited by shares
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Other
Unincorporated

If other, please give details

Have you been established for more than 2 years?*

What is your annual turnover?*

How do you make your money? (contracts/statutory grants/charitable grants/people/legacies etc.*

How many months of free reserves do you currently hold?*

Is this higher or lower than your stated Reserves Policy?*

Who else does similar work to you?*

How strong are your vision, mission, values as publicly expressed?*

Part two – organisation – do you have?

Latest set of signed accounts*

Annual report, if produced*

Governing documents*

Reserves policy*

Plan to reach agreed reserves level (reduce or increase)*

Organisational strategy/business plan*

Dates of the last three trustee meetings and last AGM (or next if it will be your first)*

Details of all trustees, their roles, skills, experience and how long they’ve been in post*

Details of CEO, time in office, skills and experience*

Number of volunteers you have, how you recruit and train and support volunteers*

Number of volunteer hours provided in the past year or six months*

If you work with vulnerable groups, details of how often vulnerable people protection training is undertaken, who delivers the training and who is the relevant person in the organisation responsible for this*

List of the charity’s key stakeholder groups*

Details of any partnership working you are involved in – who and how*

Details of any networks you are a part of*

Copies of any local or national strategies that your work helps to support*

Details of the finance systems in place for monitoring budgets*

Systems in place (if any) for managing charitable activities*

Facts and evidence to illustrate the need for the work the charity does*

Fundraising policies, procedures, protocols that enable the efficient management of donations etc.*

Part three – approach to fundraising – your views

Do you have prior experience of trust fundraising?*

Fundraising is speculative and offers no guarantees. Have you considered that this approach may not be successful?*

1. How comfortable are you with this investment and its risks?*

1. What return on investment do you expect from this fundraising activity over 12 months? e.g. for every £1 you spend you expect to return £5*

Do you understand that money raised in this way is likely to be restricted?*

Are you able to wait up to 12 months before starting the projects funded from grants?*

Do you understand the resources you will need to raise voluntary income/grants?*

Do you have the capacity/resources to work with the fundraiser to develop the strongest proposal(s)?*

Do you have the capacity/resources to deliver the grant-makers requirements – periodic reports, evaluations etc. – once the money has been received?*

Are you seeking funding for a clear “project” – something with a clear start/middle/end?*

Are you open to working with the fundraiser to transform your work into a clear “project”?*

Part four – project information needed

How much do you need to raise?*

Is this money for a specific project?*

Is it clear what problem this project solves, and how?*

Do you hold a quality standard relevant to your work? e.g. PQASSO, investors in people*

Case studies to tell your story*

Detailed budget over whole term of the project*

Details of any funding already secured*

Copies of any consultations or evaluations undertaken within the last two years*

Details of key stakeholders consulted about this project and why (name, job title, contact etc.)*

Job descriptions for any staff to be included in the proposal*

Details of your experience of delivering similar activities*

Project plan or framework*

Referees*

Fundraising Proposal matrix (separate document) completed (as best as possible)*

Please confirm your Organisation name*

Please confirm your Full Name

Please confim your Email Address*

Please confirm your telephone number*