Getting the most out of your Funds Online searches

Ian Pembridge, Research Coordinator at DSC, shares his top tips to find funding fast

Those of you that already use Funds Online will know what a powerful tool it is when searching for funding. However, knowing how best to search, refine and use the information it holds can enhance its power even further.

This article brings together some practical tips from the DSC Research Team to help you use Funds Online more effectively, save time and build a stronger funding pipeline.

Be clear about your funding needs

Before starting a search, take some time to think about the work or project you’re looking to fund. Set out where your work takes place, who the beneficiaries are and what the funding is needed for. Then take a look at the Funds Online filters and criteria to see where your work fits in with them.

All these criteria can be searched for on Funds Online, so clarifying them at the outset will help you apply the filters more confidently and reduce the amount of time spent looking at unsuitable results.

Start wide

One of the most effective ways to search on Funds Online is by starting with a relatively wide search and narrowing it down gradually.

Start with only the essential filters such as areas of work and geography. At this stage try to avoid multiple beneficiary or funding type filters. This will allow you to see the widest possible range of potentially relevant funders and may help you spot opportunities you may otherwise miss.

Then narrow

Once you’ve reviewed the initial search results and moved on to shortlisting, start filtering by non-negotiable criteria. Many funders are very clear about what they will and won’t fund. If you are looking for core costs or salaries, it’s far more effective to focus on funders that explicitly support these costs rather than trying to adapt your work to fit in with a funder that only supports project costs.

We’d also recommend including general funding when filtering by funding type, as some funders don’t specify what type of costs they support. Far from indicating a restriction, it often means that they may be open to a wide range of requests and will assess each application on its individual merits.

Further filters can then be added once you’ve applied the essential criteria. Using a step-by-step approach reduces the likelihood of over-filtering and makes sure you don’t miss any funders with wider or more flexible funding priorities.

Expect funder language to differ from yours

Funders don’t always describe their work using the same language as the charities they support and their priorities don’t always fit into one single category.

While Funds Online uses clear terms to structure searches, these should be treated as a guide rather than strict definitions. Many funders work across multiple, overlapping areas or may describe their priorities in very broad terms, meaning that funders that initially seemed to sit outside your area of work could be a strong match.

If you rely on funding categories alone, it can be easy to miss opportunities, especially when funders support a wide range of charitable work or where their funding history is much broader than their main criteria suggest.

Bearing this in mind, it may be worth trying a few variations of the same search and using keyword searches to explore how funders describe the work they support. This can work well for organisations working across areas where priorities can often overlap.

Always search for general charitable purposes

A commonly overlooked opportunity when searching on Funds Online is funding listed under general charitable purposes. There are over 2,000 funders on Funds Online that give for general charitable purpose, making this a significant source of potential funding.

Many funders, particularly small or local grant-making charities, take a broad approach to funding rather than linking it to specific themes or beneficiary groups. Including general charitable purposes in your search can therefore open a wider range of opportunities, particularly at a local level.

This can be particularly helpful for organisations doing community-based or preventative work or work that spans more than one area and doesn’t fit neatly into a single box.

Use the keyword search to go beyond the filters

In addition to the standard search function, Funds Online includes a keyword search that allows you to explore the database in more flexible and targeted ways.

The keyword search is particularly useful for:

• Niche areas of work or emerging issues not listed in the standard filters
• Specialist terminology used within your sector
• Searching for named trustees
• Identifying organisations among the sample beneficiaries that are similar to yours and have previously received funding

 

Used alongside structured searches, keyword searching adds depth and nuance to your research and can help find funders that might otherwise be missed.

Save searches – and save more than one

Saving searches is one of the most useful features in Funds Online, especially when you use it regularly.

When you save a search, the funders included in that search are monitored for updates. You will receive an email whenever a funder’s information is updated and when new funders are added that meet the criteria of your search.

Rather than relying on a single saved search, we recommend saving multiple searches that reflect different funding needs or strands of your work. For example, you may save searches for core costs, project funding for a specific project or funders supporting particular beneficiary groups. This approach helps you stay informed without repeating your research.

Use AI to work smarter, not harder

When combined with your search results, AI can further enhance how you use Funds Online. A simple AI assistant can help summarise funder criteria, assess eligibility and draft enquiry emails.

DSC has published a practical guide explaining how Funds Online can be used alongside a simple AI assistant to save you hours of work. Used well, AI can deal with the routine work while you focus on the important tasks, like relationship building and decision making.

You can read the guide here.