Training Programme

Tuesday 23rd March 2010 Funding Fair and Information Event - Leeds

This event is organised in partnership by the Leeds Community Foundation and the Leeds Infrastructure Consortium (LIC).
 Throughout the day there will be Workshops organized by Voluntary Action Leeds covering a range of topics from Environmental Sustainability, Marketing through to Commissioning and Funding.  

Date: Tuesday 23rd March 2010
Time: 9.30 – 12.30pm

Venue: Tiger 1, Hillside, Beeston Rd, Leeds, LS11 8DN

For further details and/or to book a place please contact: Siobhan Humphries at Leeds Community Foundation
Tel. 0113 242 2426 or email siobhan@leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk

Download flyer as an Acrobat pdf document

Wednesday 21st April 2010 Finding Funding - Leeds

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Leeds (VA-L)

Date: 21st April 2010
Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Booking: Contact: VA-L on 0113 2977920

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000

Wednesday 21st April 2010 Finding Funding - Wakefield

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

Venue: fit4funding - 93 Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, WF2 8SU

Date: 21st April 2010

Times: 10.00 - 1.00

Cost: Free to Voluntary and Community groups within West Yorkshire.
£50.00 to Voluntary and Community Groups outside of West Yorkshire
£50.00 to Statutory Organisations

Booking: Contact fit4funding-The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Thursday 22nd April 2010 6 Steps to Developing Fundraising Skills - Kirklees -Step 1

Six half-day sessions

This course is aimed at people from Voluntary and Community groups new to fundraising. It is designed to cover everything you need know in order to plan your fundraising and develop your skills in making good funding applications. You will be guided through all the stages needed to start applying for small grants. By the end of the sessions you will have developed your fundraising skills and produced a draft fundraising application and fundraising strategy. You will also have produced a portfolio of work that may be submitted for a formal OCN qualification at level 2 or 3 if you wish.

Step 1 - Packaging Projects for Bids -  22nd April  2010
This session will help you to plan and present appropriate projects and activities to attract funding, the session will cover:

• Checking that the organisation carrying out the project is ready for funding
• Prioritising and outlining appropriate projects and activities
• Key considerations when planning projects (e.g. need, outcomes, equal opportunities, user involvement)
• Putting your project across to funders effectively

Step 2 - Budgets for Bids -  29th April  2010
To help you budget for your project/activities the session will cover:

• Identifying resources needed to deliver your project
• Estimating costs
• Preparing a budget for a funding application
• Common budgeting mistakes and how to avoid them

Step 3 - Finding Funding -  6th May  2010
To help you identify appropriate funders for your projects, this session will cover:

• Types of funding, from grants to income generation
• Researching appropriate funders
• Getting the right funder for your project

Step 4 - How to Make a Successful Funding Application -  13th May  2010
To help you complete successful funding bids, the session will cover:

• What to include in a bid and how to present it
• Why some bids succeed where others fail
• Drafting bids, looking at key questions and presentation

Step 5 - Measuring Success -  20th May  2010
To help you plan to show what you have achieved and will cover:

• How to monitor the progress of your project
• How to prove your success
• Sorting out the jargon - outputs, outcomes, long term change etc
• Planning monitoring & evaluation systems for funding bids

Step 6 - Developing a Funding Strategy -  27th May  2010
To help you plan your fundraising effectively and sustain your organisation and will cover:

• Developing a fundraising strategy - how and what to include
• Planning strategically - looking at opportunities and threats
• Knowing what's going on - national and local strategies
• Developing your group's fundraising skills

Venue and times:

Each session will take place at Voluntary Action Kirklees. 15 Lord Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RG

Time : 10 am - 1 pm.

Charges:
Voluntary and community (VCS) groups in West Yorkshire: £25 per person, per step.

Non-VCS groups and VCS groups outside West Yorkshire: £50 per person, per step.

Booking and further information:

Booking: Contact fit4funding-The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk 

Priority will be given to learners who book on all 6 steps.

Tuesday 27th April 2010 Planning a Fundable Project - Full day workshop - Kirklees

Planning a Fundable Project - Full day workshop

Poor planning is a major causeof applications being rejectedby funders. This session provides
an intensive, hands-on look at effective planning tools that can be used collaboratively within your group.

The session will cover:

• What makes a successful project
• Participative planning tools
• Basic risk assessment for planning
• Creating an action plan

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Kirklees (VA-K)

Date: 27th April 2010

Time: 10.00am - 4.30pm

Booking: Contact: VA-K on 01484 518457

Wednesday 28th April 2010 Commissioning and Contracting in the VCS in Wakefield

Full day workshop

Commissioning and Contracting are rapidly becoming a preferred way of funding the voluntary sector for many large funders. This session will give groups an overview into the processes involved in Commissioning and Contracting.  It also examines the advantages and disadvantages for VCS groups and outlines funding opportunities.. The session  includes input from Wakefield MDC Procurement  team..

The session will cover:

• What are procurement and commissioning?
• What are the pros and cons?
• How does it work in practice?
• Preparing for tenders

For details of location of venue and to book places, please use booking contact below.

Venue: fit4funding, 93 Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, WF2 8SU

Date: 28th April 2010

Times: 10.00 - 4.00

Cost: : £35.00 to Voluntary and Community groups within Wakefield district.
           £45.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside of Wakefield district but within West Yorkshire.
           £75.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside of West Yorkshire.
           £75.00 to  all Statuatory groups.

Booking: Contact fit4funding-The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Wednesday 28th April 2010 Fundraising for Trustees - Leeds

Half day workshop

This session will look at a trustees' responsibility for ensuring their group has adequate funds to meet identified needs and run activities and services.  It will look at how fundraising can be planned effecively and what information will be needed to apply successfully for small funding pots.

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Leeds (VA-L)

Date:   28th April 2010

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Booking: Contact: VA-L on 0113 2977920

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000

Monday 10th May 2010 Advising Voluntary and Community Groups on Funding Issues - On-line

fit4funding is offering their innovative online course for funding advisers. This course is the online translation of fit4funding's face to face OCN accredited course for giving Funding Advice. It is aimed at individuals whose work involves advising community and voluntary groups on funding and funding related issues. For example; specialist funding advisors, community or umbrella agency workers whose remit includes giving funding advice, or people new to giving funding advice.

Fit4funding has successfully delivered this Open College Network level 3 accredited course to learners face to face for over 8 years, training well over 1000 funding advisors in England and Wales. This version of the course will be delivered completely on-line with two very experienced and fully qualified f4f funding advice e-learning tutors, who will offer individual support and guidance throughout.

The courses run over an 8  week period   and requires learners to commit to approx 4 hours participation per week. Learners can work at their own pace and in their own time, and will engage in a range of inter-active experiences and networking opportunities with other learners.

The course will cover:

• The role of the funding advisor
• Good practice in giving funding advice
• Diagnosing groups' needs
• Clarifying complex funding criteria
• Giving feedback on draft applications
• Voluntary sector funding trends

Course starts 10th May 2010  for  8 weeks
Enrolment date 5th May 2010

Course cost - £250 for voluntary and community sector organisations.  
£350 for statutory organisations

Booking: Contact fit4funding on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Basic computer skills are necessary to successfully undertake this course e.g. word processing, email, internet. Broadband access is required.

Tuesday 18th May 2010 Finding Funding - Half day workshop - Kirklees

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

For details of location of venue and to book places, please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action Kirklees (VA-K)

Date:  18th May 2010

Times: 10.00 - 1.00

Booking: Contact VA-K on 01484 518457

Wednesday 19th May 2010 Identifying Needs and Outcomes for Funding Bids - Leeds

Half day session

Many funders, for example, BBC Children in Need or The Big Lottery state a lot of bids fail at the first stage of application because they are weak in these two areas.  Funders have identified a trend in applications showing a real lack of evidence of need and unclear outcomes for the project.  This session will look at methods of identifying and assessing the need for your project and clarifying your outcomes in order to make a successful application to funders.

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Leeds (VA-L)

Date:   19th May 2010

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Booking: Contact: VA-L on 0113 2977920

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000

Tuesday 25th May 2010 A Beginners Guide to Lottery Funding - Wakefield

Half day workshop
 
The National Lottery remains an important source of funding for voluntary and community groups.

This session will provide an update of funding available for good causes (Arts, Heritage, Sport and Community). We will look in particular at Reaching Communities and Awards for All. We will look at reasons why bids fail and at tips for making successful applications.

Venue:   fit4funding. 93 Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, WF2 8SU

Date:   25th May 2010

Times:   10.00am - 1.00pm

Cost:   Free to Voluntary and Community groups in Wakefield
                    £25.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside Wakefield but within West Yorkshire
                    £50.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside West Yorkshire
                    £50.00 to all Statutory groups

Booking: Contact fit4funding - The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or email - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Tuesday 8th June 2010 Applying for Small Grants - Wakefield

Half day workshop

This session is aimed at groups looking for small grants to help run and expand their activities and services. We will look at
identifying appropriate funds (such as local council pots, Awards for All and charitable trusts) and how best to approach them.

The session will cover:

• Identifying small and local funding sources
• What the funders want to know about your work
• Completing application forms
• What funders will expect from you if you get the money

For details of location of venue and to book places, please use booking contact below.

Venue: fit4funding, 93 Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, WF2 8SU

Date:  8th July  2010

Times: 10.00 - 1.00

Cost: Free to Voluntary and Community groups within Wakefield district.  
£25.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside of Wakefield district but within West Yorkshire
£50.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside West Yorkshire  
£50.00 to all Statutory Organisations

Booking: Contact fit4funding - The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or email - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Tuesday 8th June 2010 Finding Funding - Wakefield

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

Venue: fit4funding, 93 Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, WF2 8SU

Date: 8th June 2010

Times: 10.00 - 1.00

Cost:   Free to Voluntary and Community groups in Wakefield  district
£25.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside Wakefield district  but within West Yorkshire
£50.00 to Voluntary and Community groups outside West Yorkshire and to all Statutory Organisations

Booking: Contact fit4funding-The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Wednesday 9th June 2010 6 Steps to Developing Fundraising Skills - Leeds -Step 1

Six half-day sessions

This course is aimed at people from Voluntary and Community groups new to fundraising. It is designed to cover everything you need know in order to plan your fundraising and develop your skills in making good funding applications. You will be guided through all the stages needed to start applying for small grants. By the end of the sessions you will have developed your fundraising skills and produced a draft fundraising application and fundraising strategy. You will also have produced a portfolio of work that may be submitted for a formal OCN qualification at level 2 or 3 if you wish.

Step 1 - Packaging Projects for Bids - 9th June 2010
This session will help you to plan and present appropriate projects and activities to attract  funding, the session will cover:

• Checking that the organisation carrying out the project is ready for funding
• Prioritising and outlining appropriate projects and activities
• Key considerations when planning projects (e.g. need, outcomes, equal opportunities, user involvement)
• Putting your project across to funders effectively

Step 2 - Budgets for Bids - 16th June 2010
To help you budget for your project/activities the session will cover:

• Identifying resources needed to deliver your project
• Estimating costs
• Preparing a budget for a funding application
• Common budgeting mistakes and how to avoid them

Step 3 - Finding Funding - 23rd June 2010
To help you identify appropriate funders for your projects, this session will cover:

• Types of funding, from grants to income generation
• Researching appropriate funders
• Getting the right funder for your project

Step 4 - How to Make a Successful Funding Application - 30th June 2010
To help you complete successful funding bids, the session will cover:

• What to include in a bid and how to present it
• Why some bids succeed where others fail
• Drafting bids, looking at key questions and presentation

Step 5 - Measuring Success - 7th July 2010
To help you plan to show what you have achieved and will cover:

• How to monitor the progress of your project
• How to prove your success
• Sorting out the jargon - outputs, outcomes, long term change etc
• Planning monitoring & evaluation systems for funding bids

Step 6 - Developing a Funding Strategy - 14th July 2010
To help you plan your fundraising effectively and sustain your organisation and will cover:

• Developing a fundraising strategy - how and what to include
• Planning strategically - looking at opportunities and threats
• Knowing what's going on - national and local strategies
• Developing your group's fundraising skills

Venue and times:

Each session will take place at Voluntary Action Leeds. Stringer House, 34 Lupton Street, Hunslet, Leeds, LS10 2QW

Time : 10 am - 1 pm.

Charges:
Voluntary and community (VCS) groups in West Yorkshire: £25 per person, per step.

Non-VCS groups and VCS groups outside West Yorkshire: £50 per person, per step.

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds Courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000. Contact Tina Ashby at VA-L on 0113 2977920 for more information.

Booking and further information:

Booking: Contact fit4funding-The Charities Information Bureau on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk 

Priority will be given to learners who book on all 6 steps.

Tuesday 22nd June 2010 Introduction to Business Planning for small voluntary and community groups - Leeds

Half day session

This introductory session aimed at voluntary and community groups new to business planning will cover the need for a plan for both funder’s and for an organisation’s development. It will look at key terms, what should be included in a business plan, the process of putting one together and funders’ requirements

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Leeds (VA-L)

Date:   22nd June 2010

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Booking: Contact: VA-L on 0113 2977920

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000

Tuesday 29th June 2010 Finding Funding - Half day workshop - Kirklees

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

For details of location of venue and to book places, please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action Kirklees (VA-K)

Date:  29th June 2010

Times: 10.00 - 1.00

Booking: Contact VA-K on 01484 518457

Wednesday 21st July 2010 Finding Funding - Leeds

Half day workshop

Finding the right funder can seem an impossible task, but there are many free resources available to make it easier. This is a practical session, showing you how to use those resources to find the right funder quickly. Basic computer skills are helpful when attending this session.

• What tools are available
• How to use them effectively
• Guided practice using computer-based resources

For details of location of venue, cost and to book places please use booking contact below.

Venue: Voluntary Action - Leeds (VA-L)

Date: 21st July 2010
Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Booking: Contact: VA-L on 0113 2977920

Bursaries covering the full cost of Leeds courses are available to groups based in the Leeds District with an annual income of less than £20,000

Monday 13th September 2010 Advising Groups on Funding Issues - On-line course

fit4funding is offering their innovative online course for funding advisers. This course is the online translation of fit4funding's face to face OCN accredited course for giving Funding Advice. It is aimed at individuals whose work involves advising community and voluntary groups on funding and funding related issues. For example; specialist funding advisors, community or umbrella agency workers whose remit includes giving funding advice, or people new to giving funding advice.

Fit4funding has successfully delivered this Open College Network level 3 accredited course to learners face to face for over 8 years, training well over 1000 funding advisors in England and Wales. This version of the course will be delivered completely on-line with two very experienced and fully qualified f4f funding advice e-learning tutors, who will offer individual support and guidance throughout.

The courses run over an 8 week period and requires learners to commit to approx 4 hours participation per week. Learners can work at their own pace and in their own time, and will engage in a range of inter-active experiences and networking opportunities with other learners.

The course will cover:

• The role of the funding advisor
• Good practice in giving funding advice
• Diagnosing groups' needs
• Clarifying complex funding criteria
• Giving feedback on draft applications
• Voluntary sector funding trends

Course start date: 13th September for 8 weeks
Enrolment date: 8th September 2010

Course cost - £250 for voluntary and community sector organisations.  
£350 for statutory organisations

Booking: Contact fit4funding on 01924 239063 (between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm) or e-mail - info@fit4funding.org.uk

Basic computer skills are necessary to successfully undertake this course e.g. word processing, email, internet. Broadband access is required.