Funding Cycle Tool
Funders typically go through a cyclical process when fulfilling their purpose. They strategise and make key decisions about what should be funded and how, to what end. Then, those who choose to be transparent communicate about this strategy and the process that enables it, for example with a call for applications or a page on their website explaining their funding approach and who is eligible. Potential partner organisations then typically signal their interest via a defined process, and what they were asked to submit or do is reviewed and a decision on what to fund is taken. This decision is then communicated and the collaboration is co-initiated, usually with some type of contracting. The collaboration takes its course and is typically closed with some type of evaluation process. The learnings from this and other collaborations flow into the next strategy process of the foundation, and the cycle begins again.
Funding cycle miniature:
Of course, many versions of this cycle are unfolding within a foundation at any given time, with different projects being in different stages. Additionally, each team or project holder within a foundation may have a slightly, or potentially vastly different design of their funding mechanisms. To reflect on different funding mechanisms, this spiderweb tool can be used.
Nora Wilhelm is the Co-Founder and Catalyst of collaboratio helvetica. She has a background in youth engagement and active citizenship (European Youth Parliament) and specialised in collaboration, self-organisation, ecosystem leadership, systemic change and social innovation. Beyond facilitating multi-stakeholder processes and social innovation labs as well as promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she is a renowned young leader, advocate and speaker, recognised for her work by the Swiss government, UNESCO, Forbes 30 under 30 and other institutions.
