Gaining support for your project

Give your project an extra boost

Gaining support for your project can be as simple as reaching out to people in your local community – but if you want to give your project that extra boost, why not step it up a notch and get your local Councillor, MP or a celebrity on board? As well as helping to raise the profile of your project locally, their activity on social media might help you to make some important connections.

If you're in touch with local media, make sure you speak to a member of the Foundation team so we can give you all of the right information to support your project!

10 tips for writing a successful application

Writing a successful funding application is really like a good recipe… it just depends on a few ingredients coming together well! 10 Top tips here »

How to vote for a community project

How to vote for a Community Project...reading this easy step-by-step guide can make life so much easier, so don’t forget to take a look before you fill in your application »

How to spread the word locally

Spreading the word in your community - a key way to build awareness and gain votes for your project, people are more likely to vote for something that’s local to them. Get some help here »

Give your votes a power boost

Click here if you need some new ideas to keep those votes rolling in, our previous award winners have shared some of the techniques they used in the last round to lead them to victory »

Create a Facebook page

Create a Facebook page - this guide will show you how to set up a personal profile (if you don’t already have one) and how to create a specific page to promote your project »

Setting up a Twitter account

Twitter is a really useful tool for building your presence and reaching out to people who might not hear about your project otherwise. Need help setting up an account? »

Uploading a video on YouTube

You Tube - if you have a video that represents your project in any way, this is a fantastic piece of content to add to your project page and other places you’re promoting your application »

Blogging on your project page

Blogging...posting updates on your project page is a fantastic way to get people really involved in the project’s story, which in turn will make them more likely to vote for you »

Social media tips and tricks

This guide will show you some nifty tips and tricks to boosting your presence on social media »

How to create your own memes

Create your own memes - this guide will show you how they can be used to promote your project. Find out more here »

Boost your votes by organising a voting party

Throwing a voting party is a great way to boost your votes. Getting everyone together in one room can really help to ramp up enthusiasm for your project »

Vote for your favourite projects

The public vote for the 2017 Community Awards opens at midday on Wednesday 9th August, where you’ll be able to vote for the projects that mean the most to you

Want to get involved? Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Register on the Foundation website
• Activate your account (you’ll receive an email)
• Visit the project page(s) for the Community Awards entries
• Click the ‘Vote now’ button to cast your vote

Looking for inspiration?

We're pleased to fund the projects around the UK that you have voted for - from supporting young mothers through breastfeeding to donkey-assisted therapy for disabled riders, families nursing sick children and groups that support mental illness.

Take a minute to look through the details on some of the people and projects that have been helped through the Foundation. We are sure you will agree that there are some truly inspirational people and projects.

Winners' stories »

2015 Community Award winners video »

*Our telephone lines are open 9am - 7pm, Monday to Friday & 9am - 1pm Saturday. Calls may be recorded, monitored and used for training and compliance purposes. Calls to 0800 numbers are normally free from UK landlines and mobile phones.