There are many ways to fundraise. A great deal depends on the concrete circumstances in each country, as well as on the character, experience and capacity of the organisation undertaking the task of organising human rights film screenings or festivals.
Below, you will find just a few tips on fundraising. Of course, there are many more and better tips and tricks. You can also check here and here for more input.
/// Project plan
First, you need to develop the goals and the set-up of the project and make an estimation of the costs. Make a project plan in which your ideas are clearly formulated. You can check entry forms on different websites to get some ideas what information should ideally be included (e.g.: goals, target groups, expected outcome, project description, planning, budget, etc.).
/// Suitable funds
You can search the web for granting programmes related to e.g.: human rights awareness building, the development of civil society and fostering dialogue and active citizenship. You could take a look at sponsor pages of catalogues of other film festivals to get some inspiration!
Depending on the political situation in your country or region, you can check whether your government has domestic funds for your project (e.g.; via a Ministry of Culture or Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
There are many (cultural) institutions, foundations and embassies worldwide that support projects. It is important to keep in mind is that many embassies and cultural institutions support projects which have a clear link to their country; so remember this when you define the budget. An advantage of the support of embassies is that their political support can help or even protect you when local authorities are not in favour of your project.
You can find a selection of granting programmes & funds below.
/// Diversify your sources
Donors tend to leave after a few years as they always seek for news projects to fund. Therefore, try to diversify your sources as much as possible in order to secure the continuity of your project.
Moreover, applying at different sources is well appreciated by the funds and might have a positive influence in the assessment of your proposal.
/// Criteria and planning
When you have found suitable organisations/ granting programmes you have to check very carefully what it is exactly this organisation subsidises and whether it is applicable to your project. Do you fit their profile? What are their criteria and general regulations?
Don’t start too late with sending in your applications! Keep in mind that most funds work with a limited number of granting rounds per year and that the selection procedure will also take some time. Check if this is in line with your planning and the execution of your project.
/// Application
Writing the application is a crucial step. First, check the donors’ guidelines and criteria and keep them in mind while writing. Some funds work with standard entry forms. If so, use them. It is essential that your application is readable so use the proper and the required language. When your knowledge of it is not sufficient, try to find someone who can check your application for mistakes.
You need to make a clear, realistic and detailed budget of the project. Estimate your costs as specific as possible. Specify the expenses versus the income; such as box office receipts, grants and sponsors and advertising profits so the donors know exactly what they subsidize. Use the required currency.
Concluding, donors want to see measurable results afterwards. Formulating clear indicators is essential because then positive and negative results can be identified later onwards.
/// Reporting and evaluation
In the final content report, the applicant presents as brief and detailed as possible an account of the activities undertaken and the results achieved with reference to the application that has been approved of.
Check if there are specific requirements for writing your report and also how much time you have after the event for sending in the report to your donor.
The report includes for instance a description of the event, exact outcomes of the project, like the number and background of visitors, media attention, role of partners in the event, effects of the event, what went well, what went wrong, lessons learned and possible follow-up plans of the event, published materials, photo’s and films. |
