Introduction

Getting Funding and Planning Successful Projects: BIG's Guide to Outcomes

Big Lottery Fund is an outcomes funder and is driven by the difference its funding makes for individuals and communities.

We have recently revised our approach to outcomes and have produced Getting Funding and Planning Successful Projects for organisations applying for a Big Lottery Fund grant from 1st November 2010. It is a simple step-by-step introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles that you will need to know about if you are going to apply for funding from us. Please invest some time in exploring this resource - it will help you increase your chances of getting funding and of making a difference once you do.

Getting Funding and Planning Successful Projects is part of a set of essential materials for our applicants. If you are applying to us for funding you must also read:

  • The programme guidance - which will include specific details about programme outcomes
  • The application form - which will also set out clearly all the information you need to provide
  • Equality Matters – which will help you consider and manage the equality issues associated with your project before you apply to BIG

How to use BIG's guide to Outcomes

BIG's guide to Outcomes is designed to be flexible. You can move around the sections or work through them in sequence, depending on which topic you are interested in, how much information you require, or the size and complexity of your project or programme.

Section What it's about What's in it
Section 1: Need Identifying the need for your project
  • Summary: the key points
  • More about: further detail on this topic
  • What BIG will ask: BIG's specific requirements in relation to this topic
  • Examples: 8 illustrated examples of this topic
  • How to: some tips on how to approach this topic
Section 2: Aims and outcomes Explaining how your project will address need
Section 3: Tracking progress Tracking progress on meeting your outcomes
Section 4: Activities Identifying the tasks and actions of your project
Section 5: Learning Learning from the experience of running your project
Section 6: Resources Getting help from other sources Information about other resources and organisations that may be useful
Section 7: Examples Illustrating the concepts with examples Eight example projects showing all the topics from previous sections
Section 8: What BIG will ask BIG-specific requirements All the points from previous sections in one place about what BIG will ask