Across the UK, non-profits are asking the same questions:
Why is accessing grant funding so hard?
Why do we spend hundreds of hours on applications that lead nowhere?
Why do I keep needing to repeat myself for each funder?
For decades, the funding model has relied on lengthy forms, repetitive information requests, and thousands of hours of administrative work. It’s well-intentioned, but it’s also deeply unfair. The system is geared towards organisations with the capacity, skill, or budget for professional bid writers. Those without these resources, often the ones closest to communities, are left behind.
Now, we are piloting a new approach. One that removes friction, reduces waste, and opens the door to thousands more charities who deserve access to funding.
Whether you’re a trust or foundation, a council, a community fund, a corporate, or a small business, this model is designed to remove everything slowing you down… and unlock a fairer, more accessible ecosystem.
The problem: a system built on paperwork instead of purpose
Billions of pounds is wasted applying for grants every year, imagine what the sector could achieve if that £900m was reinvested directly into frontline work?
The data speaks clearly:
- 🕒 19 hours per application
A full working day — just to apply. - 💷 £900 million wasted every year
Money spent drafting and submitting bids instead of delivering services. - 📉 66% failure rate
Most applications go nowhere. - 🚫 1 in 3 submissions are ineligible
They never stood a chance — a complete waste of time for both sides. - ⚖️ Up to 38% of grant income spent applying
For smaller charities, the cost of accessing money becomes a barrier in itself.
The result? A funding landscape where capacity outweighs impact.
Where the best-written bids win, not necessarily the organisations best placed to deliver impact.
This isn’t fairness.
It isn’t efficient.
And it definitely isn’t the best way to get money to the communities who need it.
The shift: funding based on evidence, not forms
Imagine a world where:
No application forms.
No repetitive questions.
No eligibility checks.
No wasted time.
No accidental exclusion of small organisations.
Just accurate data, verified organisational profiles, and direct connections between funders and the charities that genuinely fit their criteria.
By the end of 2025, over 10,000 charities will have fully populated Fundin Profiles – rich, standardised, and instantly understandable.
A Fundin Profile includes the same information you would normally request in an application, including:
- Governance & leadership
- Financial health and reserves
- Team structure & capacity
- Projects and delivery history
- Outcomes & impact
- Budgets and forecasts
It’s everything a funder needs without the burden of asking for it repeatedly.
How the new model works
1. Sign up to Fundin
Create a funder account for any funding type or size.
2. Tell us what you want to fund
Your focus areas, priorities, budget, geography, themes.
3. We match you to relevant charities
Our system identifies organisations that meet your criteria before they apply.
4. Charities can apply instantly using their Fundin Profile
No forms to write, no duplication, no administrative drain.
5. You start a direct conversation and make funding decisions
Relationship-first, human-led, and dramatically faster.
This shifts funding from “submit and wait” to “match and connect” making it fairer, quicker, and more accessible for everyone.
Ongoing updates: case studies, images, stories, and impact — standardised for funders
With Fundin, every organisation provides regular, structured updates that include:
- Case studies
- Photos and media
- Delivery updates
- Outcome data
- Impact stories
- Quantitative metrics
- Budget updates
This information is standardised, meaning:
- Charities don’t have to repeat themselves across multiple funders
- Funders get the consistent data they need to monitor progress
- Reporting becomes lighter for charities and more reliable for funders
- Updates flow automatically, reducing admin for everyone
It gives funders transparency without burdening organisations, exactly as it should be.
What this means for funders: less admin, more equity, more impact
This model changes everything:
- You only see eligible, relevant organisations
- You remove 100% of wasted application effort
- You widen access for grassroots and under-resourced groups
- You build relationships based on impact, not writing skill
- You move money faster and more fairly
- You reduce review workload without reducing quality
It’s a chance to level the playing field and reach organisations currently locked out of the system simply because they lack bid-writing capacity.
A system reset, not just a new tool
This isn’t about tweaking the process.
It’s about rethinking the entire structure of how funding flows.
A system where:
- Funding is proactive, not reactive
- Matches happen automatically based on evidence
- Organisations don’t burn out trying to compete on paperwork
- Small, community-led groups have equal access
- Funders spend time making decisions, not sifting through PDFs
- Money reaches frontline work rather than admin overhead
This is what a modern, equitable, efficient funding ecosystem should look like.
Want to help shape the future of funding?
We’re in the early stages of piloting this with a select number of partners and we’re refining it with every piece of feedback, every conversation, every lived experience.
If you’re a funder of any size and you want to:
- Reduce your admin burden
- Increase your reach
- Fund more fairly
- Unlock access for smaller charities
- Move money faster
- Be part of the next evolution of grantmaking
Get in touch to join the pilot and help shape what comes next.
