Most groups should be able to get some free help and advice about funding and financial management, but what’s available and the quality will vary. There are two main approaches to looking for help, the bottom up approach and the top down approach.
The bottom up approach involves looking around your own area to see what sources of help and support are available (technically known as infrastructure support). Word of mouth is a valuable tool here, so talk to people who are doing similar things or who are run in the same way as your organisation. Local development agencies and council for voluntary service are the most commonly found local infrastructure networks from which to access advice, but they aren’t available everywhere and may have a different name in different parts of the country, so a bit of detective work may be called for before you find what you’re after. Don’t forget your public library at this point; it has superb resources to help you.
The top down approach involves finding organisations that act on behalf of a particular interest group. These are usually national and are technically known as umbrella organisations. They will have a range of resources such as publications, events and training to help you, but they should also be able to put you in touch with local connections. These types of organisations are excellent for providing the resources from which to build up your knowledge, and also your ability to run an organisation as a sustainable, well managed and accountable one.
A variation of the top down approach is relevant if you are either the branch of a national organisation or a member of one. In this case your starting point should be contacting the regional or national centre of your own umbrella organisation to check out what help you can get from them. You might also find that they have a fundraising policy, to which its constituent parts must adhere. Knowing this before you start work on a local initiative is always useful.
