Nfp co-Managing Director, Tim, writes:

Last week, I presented our 2024 report on Funder Plus at an excellent Yorkshire Funders webinar on the same topic. Broadly, we define Funder Plus as support in addition to the grant or grant-making process and can include organisational development, operational advice, networking, and many other types of support.

Many of the funders attending were offering additional support to grantees in either a formal or informal way, and there were interesting discussions about the challenges and opportunities. But what struck me, however, was that many of the recommendations from the report still hold. I wanted to share some of the themes from the discussion and five things funders should keep in mind if they’re designing (or already delivering) a Funder Plus offer.

1) The term Funder Plus is still not well-known

The report highlights that one of the main reasons charities are not taking up the offer of Funder Plus is that they haven’t heard of the term. One funder in the webinar last week said, “Turns out we are doing a lot of ‘Funder Plus’ work”. This was also the case in our recent research with applicants to the Mercers’ Company. One grantee said that they didn’t know what Funder Plus was, but had used additional support from funders on multiple occasions. If people don’t recognise the label, they may not spot what’s available to them.

2) A good relationship with a grantee is the bedrock of good Funder Plus – it has to be relational and bespoke

Our research reflects something that came through repeatedly in the webinar discussion: Funder Plus only really works when it grows out of a strong, trusting relationship. In the 2024 research, some respondents didn’t even talk about “support offers” at all: instead, they emphasised the importance of funders taking a more relational model of grant management – with more personal contact, more hands-on relationships, and a deeper understanding of what organisations are dealing with day-to-day.

What does relational and bespoke look like in practice? It could be a conversation-first approach focused on ambitions, gaps and priorities, not a pre-set menu of interventions. It’s important that the “plus” part feels like an asset rather than an obligation. The research also shows that when Funder Plus is done well, it strengthens relationships: organisations reported building “stronger and closer connections” with funders who offer support beyond the money. If Funder Plus becomes prescriptive, it can backfire – some charities described add-ons as negative when they were told who to work with or what to attend.

3) Start with what you can genuinely offer well

It’s important for funders to reflect on whether their organisation has any unique attributes or strengths that could be harnessed as an excellent Funder Plus offer. Grantees of the Lloyds Bank Foundation can access the skills of the Group's 65,000 employees. This includes specialised help in HR, communications, IT, website development, budget management, and even physical infrastructure (builders/refurbishment).

Some funders may have a particular specialism in a particular area that means their staff and trustees have a wealth of specialist knowledge they could bring to grantees. All of this has resource implications, but with the right planning could make a huge positive impact on charities.

Effective Funder Plus starts by being honest about what you can offer well — drawing on your organisation’s people, expertise and networks in ways that genuinely add value, rather than trying to replicate support that already exists elsewhere.

4) Capacity is a major constraint for charities

Our 2024 report showed that capacity is a major barrier for charities accessing Funder Plus – even when support is genuinely helpful, organisations may not have the time or headspace to engage. This was highlighted again in the webinar and the Mercers’ research. In the report, one grantee summed it up as the Funder Plus initiatives “work well but only if you have the time and dedication to commit to them”, and some charities have been “hugely stretched” and unable to take opportunities up.

This is a real challenge because the organisations most likely to benefit from governance support, planning support or specialist advice are often the ones least able to carve out time for workshops, cohort programmes or action learning sets. The research also highlights a real risk that “offers” can take more time/resources than they save, especially for the organisations that would benefit most. The implication and recommendation is that funders be flexible, explicit about time commitments and be open to multiple formats of support.

5) What about those who don’t receive funding from you

In many cases, Funder Plus is the icing on the cake for grantees. Receiving a grant is great, but then to have tailored and bespoke support to help you improve as an individual, team or organisation is fantastic. The vast majority of people we’ve surveyed and interviewed have had a positive experience with Funder Plus. But most charities that apply to funders are not successful, and don’t have a shot at accessing additional support. What more can funders do for organisations they don’t fund?

Our 2024 research suggests that even relatively light-touch interventions can make a difference. Some respondents pointed to the value of clearer guidance, better signposting to infrastructure organisations, and accessible resources such as recorded briefings, FAQs or examples of strong applications. Others highlighted the importance of meaningful feedback and opportunities to build rapport through conversations about applications, even where funding isn’t awarded.

There is also a wider, collective opportunity here. If funders are clearer about what support exists across a local or thematic funding ecosystem, and coordinate more effectively with each other and with infrastructure bodies, then unsuccessful applicants may still leave the process better informed, better connected and better equipped for future funding opportunities.

Thinking about Funder Plus in this broader way moves it beyond being an exclusive benefit for a small number of funded organisations, and towards being part of a more transparent, supportive and navigable funding environment for the sector as a whole.

What this means for funders

Taken together, the research and the Yorkshire Funders webinar suggest that effective Funder Plus is less about adding new programmes and more about using funders’ resources, relationships and influence more thoughtfully. For funders, this means starting with what each charity actually needs and shaping support around those priorities, rather than offering a fixed or funder-led menu. It also means ensuring that any additional support is relational rather than prescriptive, rooted in what funders are genuinely well placed to offer, and designed with charities’ capacity in mind. Finally, it requires looking beyond funded organisations alone, and considering how clearer communication, coordination and signposting can help create a more navigable and supportive funding environment for the wider sector – including those who never receive a grant.

If you're a funder looking to learn more about this kind of research, get in touch with tim.harrison-byrne@nfpResearch.com to organise a chat.