If you have ever looked for money from a funder, you will know that it takes time and effort to write a great grant application. So you might be surprised to know that quite a few groups submit great applications to BIG, then stumble or fall at the final hurdle.

When you apply to any of BIG’s small to medium-sized grant programmes in Scotland (like Awards for All, 2014 Communities, Young Start and others), your application form is the only thing we ask you to send us up front.

If we say YES to your application, we then offer you a grant on the condition that you supply further documents/information (so we can check a few things about your group). Only once we have completed these checks will we pay out your grant.

And it’s at this step that some groups get held up, or even miss out on their cash – either because they can’t provide the information we need, or they don’t fit our requirements. And no-one wants that to happen!

So – this video highlights the top 6 reasons that great projects don’t get their grants, and how to make sure you avoid this fate. If you are applying for a grant, follow these tips and you should be well prepared to accept any offers we make you!