This information is intended to provide help and information for those wishing to make a bid to the Foundation for financial support.
Please note all the following information MUST be given in the bid:
- Your name and address
- Whether you are a current or former pupil of Ormskirk School (please supply year and class details or dates when you attended the school)
- What are you requesting the Trustees to fund?
- Why do you need this funding? How will it make a difference to you?
- What is the educational or career benefit to you?
- What is the total cost of the item you wish the Foundation to fund or what do you personally need to pay towards it? Will anyone else contribute eg employer, scholarship etc
- What steps have you taken to raise funds and how much have you raised towards the goal
- What happens if you do not succeed in the bid? What is the consequence?
- If you are self employed or starting your own business have you applied for other funding such as The Prince’s Trust?
- Any additional information
What makes a good bid?
Good Applications:
- Have quality detail
- Explain why the money is needed
- Explain the difference it will make to you
- Are personal – explain why it will make a difference / why it is essential to you in a personal and exact way rather than a more general explanation
- Explain how you will fund the thing you are bidding for if you do not get a Foundation award or whether you will have to forego it totally or postpone it
- Use language appropriate to you
- Show that time, care and effort has been used to make the bid
- Explain the impact the award will have on your career/experience/life
“Red flags” which make us less likely to fund a bid are:
- Language which does not fit the person bidding (see below re AI)
- Very general
- No “voice” of the person in the application
- Missing basic information
- Lack of detail
- Lack of basic spellcheck
Use of AI
It is tempting to use AI to write your bid but if you do it is unlikely to be successful. However AI can be used to help structure a bid but YOUR voice must come through in the application. You must beware of over reliance on AI or producing a document which uses language clearly not of the kind which you would actually use. The bid must be personal to you and this must be apparent when it is read by trustees.
Additional information people under 25
- Please tell us whether you are a student or actually in work
- If a student please tell us if you are full time or part time and if you live at university or at home
- If you are in work please tell us if you work full time, are on an apprenticeship or training scheme etc
We hope that this information is of help and good luck with your bid!