Do you have a project such as a film, training course, TV series or other arts project for which you are applying for funding?

This page is your gateway to hints and tips on:

• Writing a prospectus

  • Designing the document

  • Evaluating your past record

  • Setting the objectives for your project

  • Laying out the budget

  • Designing the evaluation

• Maintaining a prospectus on your website

• A note about OBET

• Checklist for reporting the evaluation of a learning programme

When you apply for funds, you normally have to write an application with the parameters as stated by the funder.  These can vary from a few headings to parameters that are extremely detailed.  Remember, always give the funder the application format the funder requests.

Designing your document

However, if the funder only specifies a few headings, or is the funding application format is not specified, then try these hints:

Keep it as short as possible.  No funder is impressed with hundreds of pages.

Use these headings to the paragraphs: Executive summary: how much money we are asking for and what we want to achieve with it, in no more than ten lines. Our mission and vision What we have achieved in the past, stating how we evaluated and what results we achieved. What we want to do now, a brief description of the outcomes. What we will do to achieve the outcomes. How we will evaluate how well we have achieved our outcomes A logical framework matrix summary. Budget How the money will be administered, how we account for expenditure and how often we will report.

Evaluating your past record

It is not enough to say what you have done.  You have to show how well you have done those past projects.  For instance, you may do it in the form of a four-column table, like this:

If the funder to whom you are applying wants to know more, you can then supply more details.  If they are interested, they will want to know more.

If you are a training institution, then remember that your CV or your pedigree is ONLY (and nothing more) than the success of your past students.

Your evaluation may be as simple as this:

Setting the Objectives of your project

Your objectives are statements of what you want to achieve.  They differ from outcomes.  Objectives are only objectives when they are accompanied by standards of achievement.  There can only be four types of standards:

	Quality
	Quantity
	Time
	Cost

An outcome is completely different.  it is stated in something in terms of a skill or achievement that is measurable in itself, and does not necessarily need a standard.  You can put all of them together in a  matrix like this:

These are not hard and fast in their format, but please never set an objective without standards.  What the distinction really amounts to are:

• Objectives often state principles, which have to be made concrete through their standards.
• Outcomes describe what you will be able to SEE at a certain date.

Laying out the budget

Your budget in the prospectus should be a list of the items on which you will spend money.  But you should have ready a Cash Flow Plan, which shows how much of the budget will be spent in each month of the project.  This gives the funder an indication of how much you will need and when.

Designing your evaluation

In your prospectus, you will tell the prospective funder how much money you will ask for; how you will account for the spending; and how often you will tell the funder how well you are doing.

Unless you have established how you will MEASURE how well you are doing, then you can feed the funder any old rubbish every week and he will be none the wiser.

Funders know this, and they are always keen to see what you are going to measure and how you will measure it.

The easiest way of doing this is through a logical framework matrix.  This is simply some columns and rows.  Starting off in the left column of the opt row, you will state:

Your ultimate goal, which is a statement of the sum total of your objectives.  Running across the columns, you will then state the data you will use to measure it, and then the principle under which you will measure it.  The last column states what has to be in place for it to happen that is usually outside of your control.

The next row down states your purpose, which details the reasons why you are doing this.  For instance, if your goal is to create 10 new SMME companies, then the purpose is to create jobs and to increase taxable turnover.  Once again, you need the data you will use to measure it (OVI), and then the principle under which you will measure it (MOV).  Again, in the last column you state what has to be in place for it to happen that is usually outside of your control.  In this case it is probably that the demand for products remains the same with the distributors (you can't expect a new SMME to make TV programmes if the broadcaster has gone bankrupt.

Moving a row down, we come to the outputs.  These are what you will put out (or produce) in order for the Purpose to take effect.  In the case of a training course, it maybe something like "85% of all learners assessed competent"

The last row down states your inputs, such as training course materials, assessment guides, trainers, venues etc.  Once again their are OVI and MOV details which you often find by asking yourself " What are the standards in terms of quality, quantity, time and cost?"

Again, there are assumptions at every level.  Don't get too liberal with your assumptions, you may make it look like you are blaming everyone else even if you fail because of your own fault!

Maintaining a prospectus on your website

Often applicants refer to pages on their website in their letters of application.  Why make it so difficult for the funder that he has to keep on referring to a different page online? 

Why not write out a generic prospectus in your website, and then just refer funders to one single page?  It costs you nothing, and it makes it easier for the funder. 

You can hyperlink to more detail from the prospectus, so as to keep the body of the prospectus page short, but why not let the funder get his information "one-stop-shopping"?

A note about OBET

Funding for training projects in South Africa always requires that it be SAQA and OBET compliant.  Remember also that coaching and mentoring are only another form of SAQA compliant training courses.  (for more on this, CLICK HERE).

The nice thing about the OBET structure is that it makes you go through the whole process.  It makes you supply training to meet a need, and at the end it makes you account for its success.

Always make sure that you include assessment, as this leads you to the next stage in the Kirkpatrick process towards Return on Investment.

Checklist: Reporting the evaluation of a training project