We’re not going to lie – fundraising is hard! There’s a lot of rejection and it’s difficult not to get discouraged. So in this section, we’ve pulled together information about local organisations who can help and support you – from funding workshops to help with writing bids. What funding you can apply for can depend on your organisation’s structure and how many people are involved. (See: Legal Structures for Community Groups – A Jargon-free Guide.)

Fundraising courses, local advice and support:

Whether you’re new to fundraising or already have experience, it can really help to do a workshop or training session. Many fundraising courses and workshops are advertised online, but they often cost, and it’s difficult to know if your time and money will be well spent. However, there are several places locally where you can do free, good quality training as well as access individual support.

East Sussex:

If you’re in East Sussex, Business and IP Centre Sussex works through the library service and you can book a 1:1 session online or in person with a fundraising expert, which is great for personalised advice. You can also access funding databases (which normally require a subscription) at certain libraries. Staff are friendly and helpful.

East Sussex County Council has a Funding Advice Team, who can help with training, advice and can help with your draft funding application. (Check with them in advance to ask how much time they’ll need). The East Sussex Funding News Service has a good, free database for funding searches and a monthly newsletter with funding opportunities.

Wealden, Eastbourne or Lewes District:

If you’re in Wealden, Eastbourne or Lewes District, 3VA run regular, online fundraising workshops. Get in touch with them for dates. 3VA can also help with fundraising applications although check in advance how much time they’ll need.

Havens: Seaford to Saltdean:

If you’re in the Havens area, Havens Community Hub might be able to help. It’s best to get in touch for an initial chat.

Adur & Worthing, Brighton & Hove:

If you’re in the above areas, you can get in touch with Community Works. Once you’ve become a member they can offer advice with funding.

Local funds:

You might have more success bidding for a local fund, where your work will directly benefit your community. Some of our councils and organisations also run regular funding programmes or can help with advice and support. We haven’t added links as funds change quickly, so we recommend checking directly on the organisation’s website or with council officers.

Lewes District Council has an annual community grants programme. The Lewes District Food Partnership has a separate annual small grants programme.

Seaford Town Council, Newhaven Town Council, Peacehaven Town Council, Telscombe Town Council and Lewes Town Council all have annual community grants programmes. Check their websites or contact their officers for more information. You can read minutes of the meetings where grants were previously awarded, and usually attend meetings and speak in support of your application.

The Brighton Resource Centre has a helpful section on how to organise yourself for fundraising, and a list of local funds. (Many of these are specific to Brighton and Hove, but some are applicable across East Sussex).

The Sussex Community Foundation has regular funding rounds for organisations in Sussex. Your group has to meet certain criteria to be eligible and you can check this on their website.