About the DSC Funder Rating
1. What’s the funder rating for?
In short, the funder rating aims to provide an independent insight into what to expect from your funder.
Through researching and running the governmentfunding.org.uk site for nearly 6 years, DSC has developed a vast knowledge of government practice when funding the voluntary sector- some good, some bad. Either way we’ve learnt a lot about individual funders: what to expect, how to get the right information and the best way to approach them. These sorts of things can be really helpful if you’re thinking of applying for funding.
2. Who rates the funders?
Ratings are based on the information compiled by DSC researchers and their experience of dealing with funders.
There is also the opportunity for subscribers to tell us about their experiences of funders featured on the website, which will be used to contribute to our rating. If you would like to share yours, email us at enquiries@governmentfunding.org.uk (opens new window)
3. Which funders are covered?
Where applicable we’ve rated all of the funders featured on governmentfunding.org.uk which covers European, national, regional and local government funding:
- 16 Central Government Departments
- 23 Independent Grant Administrators used by government
- the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund
- 150 Local Authorities
4. What’s the star rating based on?
To be as objective and justified as possible about rating funders we’ve put together 5 indicators for our ratings to be based on.
Rating Indicators
All funders can be awarded between 1 and 5 stars. We’ve used 5 key areas to assess our ratings against:
Availability. Does the funder make available all the information you expect and need to know?
Considerations
- Is there a total fund value and the breakdown of how funding will be allocated?
- Is there accompanying guidance?
- Are they clear about the length of time funding will be awarded for?
- Where specific to region or area, is the relevant information available?
Contacts. Is there typically an appropriate person to talk to, with knowledge of the funding you’re interested in?
Considerations
- Is there a contact specifically for funding or the voluntary sector?
- Are they generally easy to get hold of or never there?
- Do they know what they should and is there any institutional memory?
Clarity. Is their information of funding clear and digestible to the average reader?
Considerations
- Is the information easy to understand or full of jargon?
- Is the website easy to navigate and access?
- Are there FAQs and/or help and advice available?
Relevance. Is it clear who the funding is aimed at and how the funder decides who receives funding?
Considerations
- Do they have funding that target the voluntary sector specifically?
- What proportion of their funding is likely to be or has been awarded to the voluntary sector?
- Are previously awarded funds generally available? (unless new funding)
Applications. Is the application procedure fair and clear?
Considerations
- Is the application procedure clear?
- Are the applications users friendly?
- Is there help available or suggested to discuss making an application?
- Are deadlines reasonable?
- Do they open to applications on time?
5. Why aren’t all funders rated?
We’ve rated all of the funders that directly administer funding. Some funders, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for example use Independent Grant Administrators (opens new window) to administer its funding programmes. In these cases we’ve rated the administrators.
