Form filling

I am very grateful whenever one of my businesses receives some public funding, not that I have many businesses these days. I’m even grateful if I am offered a hint at some possible funding as all contributions are greatly appreciated. I used to be involved with funding from central government a lot when a director of UKC3 but less so now.

Things are on the up though, as we have the chance of both some public and some private money coming in to support our ventures. Who, what and how much aren’t for this blog as things are still in discussion yet I wanted to write about the differences in being offered funding from the two sectors.

The private sector is pretty straight forward. You ask them for some money, they tell you how much they are prepared to give, you ask them what they want in return, there is a discussion and agreement follows. The money follows shortly as well. This is understandable, it’s their money and they can do what they like with it, within the law.

The public sector is another kettle of fish. They tell you that there may be some money. You write a short proposal on how much you need and what you would do with it. This goes backwards and forwards a few time until it is eventually agreed what you will ask for. This goes forward for approval and, if you get it, you are then told when you will get the money and, more importantly, by when you have to spend it. 

There then follows a procession of forms you need to fill in about your company, its governance and repeating most of what you put into the original proposal in the first place. Thank heavens for cut and paste. This is understandable, it’s not their money and they need to be able to justify it and account for it.

I am more than comfortable with this approach from the public sector but for one thing, that is they assume you are a big company. The questions refer to HR and Finance departments as if there are armies of people able to support you in providing the information they want. There aren’t. We’re just a small bunch of enthusiastic people who all have things to do on top of this. 

I understand that this is a serious business and that a degree of sorting is required. Businesses taking public money must prove they have the capacity to deliver yet the majority of businesses are micro to medium in size. The funding process must include some consideration of the overhead for these businesses otherwise the public sector will end up always fishing in the same pond.