We’ve all been there:
- Furiously rewriting the outcomes section.
- Trying to read a funder’s mind.
- Wondering if this time, bullet points might be more “impactful” than prose.
But here’s the truth: most funders aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for confidence… that your organisation is the right one to trust with their money.
So, what do they actually want to see? We’ve written hundreds of successful bids at Fundin, and we’ve noticed a few clear patterns in what makes funders say “yes.”
Let’s break it down.
1. A problem that’s real, specific, and yours to solve
Funders want to know:
- Is this a real, pressing issue?
- Is it clearly defined and locally grounded?
- Are you the right organisation to address it?
Vague problems like “youth isolation” or “community cohesion” don’t cut through. But when you say, “60% of LGBTQ+ young people in South Wales report feeling unsafe at school, and we’ve got the track record to change that”, now you’ve got their attention.
Tip: Use data and real-world insight. Numbers open the door. Stories seal the deal.
2. A clear, coherent plan (that’s not trying to solve world peace)
We’ve seen funders glaze over at beautifully worded proposals that are just… too much.
Ambition is good. Over-complexity is not.
Funders want to see:
- A logical flow from problem → intervention → outcome.
- A plan that feels doable, with clear roles and milestones.
- A budget that matches the scale of the work, not padded, not unrealistic.
Tip: Focus on clarity over cleverness. If someone can’t skim your proposal and “get it” in 90 seconds, you’re doing too much.
3. Evidence you know what you’re doing
This doesn’t mean academic citations or a 10-year RCT. It means proof.
- “We’ve run this programme before and here’s what happened.”
- “We piloted this approach last year and reached 150 people.”
- “Our team includes lived experience leaders who shaped the design.”
Show that you’re not guessing. You’ve tested, listened, and refined.
Tip: Your past doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be honest. Funders value learning just as much as success.
4. Impact you can actually measure
No one expects you to fix poverty. But funders do want to know how they’ll know if their money worked.
Tell them:
- What you’ll measure
- How you’ll measure it
- What “success” looks like
And yes, funders want to know your impact is sustainable. But they’re also tired of empty promises like “this project will fund itself after year one.” (It won’t. And that’s OK.)
Tip: Be proportionate. You don’t need a PhD in evaluation. But you do need a plan that makes sense.
5. A voice that feels like you (and feels human)
Here’s the curveball: tone matters more than you think.
Funders read hundreds of proposals. The ones that stand out? They sound like real people doing real work. They’re passionate, clear, and don’t hide behind waffle.
Tip: If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it. (“We are passionate about empowering synergies across stakeholder ecosystems”? Nope.)
Bonus: What funders don’t care about (as much as you think)
✨ Flashy design (unless it’s unreadable)
💯 Perfect grammar (good enough is good enough)
🧠 Academic language (funders are smart, but not all are specialists)
🏆 Big-name partners (unless they’re actually involved)
To summarise, funders want confidence, not perfection
They want to feel that:
✔️ The problem is real
✔️ Your plan is smart and doable
✔️ You’ve got the right people
✔️ You’ll learn, adapt, and tell them what happens
That’s it.
At Fundin, we help charities translate messy, brilliant work into clear, fundable plans. If you’re stuck on a bid, or want to stop writing the same thing 12 times in 12 formats, drop us a line. We’re here for the humans behind the fundraising.
