We were tasked with supporting and writing a technical application for innovative development funding from a travel and communications start up. Initial planning involved registering the client on the funding portal, downloading all relevant documentation and viewing the Q&A webinar. This planning was part of the initial fact finding, to establish which category would be appropriate, along with establishing all the requirements, spotting any gaps which needed client input and drawing up a timeline for delivery.
It is important with this type of application to go through all the technical and mandatory requirements as it can make the difference between achieving funding or not. As such, clients who are not familiar with this type of application find it overwhelming. This is where we come in, to strip out the gobbledygook and summarise how to approach the application in a clear, concise manner.
We met with the client again, once we had all the information in front of us, with each section of the application broken down in manageable parts and agreed responsibilities. We explained certain elements of the requirements to ensure the client had the appropriate evidence to support their responses. With some clients, this could lead to a stop work situation as our role is also to ensure that applications are realistic and that they have all the background information requested. If a client is showing signs of being unable to evidence the necessary details, their chances of achieving funding would be very low and as such, we feel it only right to suggest waiting until in a better position to apply.
With the facts in place and supporting materials provided, we set to work on the response, delivering sections for review to the client by agreed dates. With the timeline and milestones in place, this enabled us to work toward the application’s deadline without any last minute panics, letting the client contribute without worrying they would miss the closing date.
With the application successfully submitted on time, our support enabled the client to go for funding which previously had seemed out of their reach due to the complexity of the application. We look forward to hearing about the next stage of their business development in the future.
