Funding advice

Preparing a Business Plan for a Community Project/Non-Commercial Venture

A Business Plan should include the following key sections:

Executive Summary
Background and description of the individual, group or organisation proposing the project
The proposed project activity
The need and demand for the project
The financial aspects: project cost, sources of funding, on-going funding
The management and staffing
Assessment of risks which could affect the success of the project

Executive Summary

First impressions count so make sure it is positive, realistic and well presented. Keep this to a maximum of two pages.
Summarise the key points from each section of the main report. Write it last after you have produced the main sections
Use tables to summarise the financial details
Try to capture the essential elements of your proposal and how you plan to make it a success
Outline what you are trying to achieve, what is the rationale for the project?

Background and Description

Briefly explain the background of who (i.e. Individual, group or organisation) is preparing the proposal (and grant application) and their interest/role
If the proposal is from a group or an organisation or a business how is it managed and what is its legal status, e.g. limited company, registered charity?
Describe any current activities (including where they are undertaken); where applicable, summarise the recent performance of the organisation in terms of what it has achieved and its viability (financial accounts should be submitted where these exist)
Who benefits from the current activities (of the individual, group, or organisation applying for grant)?
Which communities or groups are associated with this organisation and how many people have access to the organisation (e.g. is it related to one village or a wider group)?
Who will own the investments included in this project and where relevant, what arrangements will be made to ensure their long-term upkeep?
Explain how your group or your organisation has been funded (preferably over the last three years)

Proposed Project Activity

Describe your project i.e. what you are going to do (this needs to be additional to your day-to-day activities)
What benefits will be created, what difference will it make (e.g. a service to the community, or a community facility or asset)?
Who will benefit from the project? Where are they located? How many people will benefit?
Explain why you, or the organisation you represent, wish to undertake the project
Does this project require approval from the Local Authority (if so you should provide evidence of their approval)?

Need and Demand for the Project

Explain why your project is needed (e.g. is the community facility/service to be offered not available locally?)
How do you know there is a need? What surveys/research have you done to demonstrate there is a need and demand for the proposed facility/service?
How many potential users/customers of the facility/service are there?
What evidence do you have to show that the facility/service created as a result of the project will be used, or that any intangible benefits will be valued by the local community?
What is the likely level of use and what evidence do you have to support this level of use?
Is the proposed facility/service identified in any parish/community/village plan?
Do you have evidence of the support of the local community and relevant organisations, e.g. Parish Council, Rural Community Council, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee, etc?
The amount of information you provide should reflect the size and complexity of the project (e.g. a survey of members/users can be sufficient for a small project, whereas a large project may need more detailed analysis of need and options)

The Financial Aspects of the Project

Project Costs

Summarise the costs associated with setting up the new enterprise; list the main items of expenditure and ensure it is clear how they have been arrived at

Project Funding

On-going funding

How will the project’s community facilities or services be financed in the future, e.g. will local clubs and societies contribute a membership fee?
Provide expected annual income and expenditure projections for the service or facility to be created by the project

The management and staffing

Who will be responsible for managing the project?
What relevant training/qualifications/experience do they have?
Outline the key personnel involved, their roles, and their skills
If skills need to be developed, indicate the training or work experience you plan to undertake and when
What commitment do you have from those responsible for providing the facility or service? (e.g. a village hall committee may not be responsible for managing all activities in a village hall)

Assessment of risk

Outline any risks associated with this project (i.e. factors or events which could throw the project off course) and their potential impact on the project
Describe how you plan to overcome or minimise the impacts of these risks

This page was last updated on 10/29/2007