Funding and finance

Funding

Funding is one of the most important and most challenging areas for voluntary and community organisations to deal with.

Support Cambridgeshire aims to help everyone involved in voluntary, community organisations and social enterprises across the whole of Cambridgeshire to gain the funds to achieve their vision.

We offer:

A free self-service website: Support Cambridgeshire 4 Community which enables voluntary and community organisations to browse, search and apply for grants to support your work and receive tailored email funding alerts.
Training workshops to support your fundraising. Check out Training and events for upcoming training.
A fundraiser’s network – A group that provides opportunities for voluntary sector fundraisers to learn from each other and explore the challenges faced by fundraisers.

One-to-one support for our members, including:

- - help to identify possible sources of funding and critical friend review of applications prior to submission
  - help to ensure your organisation is fit for funding, with advice on the most appropriate governance structures and must-have practices and policies for funding opportunities, and
  - developing a funding strategy.

Remember that it’s not all about grant applications. Organisations can also raise funds through contracts, sponsorship, digital fundraising and direct fundraising activities.

Finance

Good financial management helps groups manage money, plan ahead, demonstrate accountability, and continue delivering services effectively. Despite financial challenges such as limited budgets, volunteer-led staffing, and a lack of financial expertise, clear financial information supports good decision-making and long-term sustainability.

Support Cambridgeshire can help.