Funding Support FAQ
Common questions, answered plainly.
These answers set out exactly what we do, what we do not do, and where responsibility sits at each point in the process.
Does Crescent Covenant CIC award grants or distribute funding?
No. Crescent Covenant CIC provides independent advisory and consultancy services. We are not a grant-making body, funding organisation or public authority. We hold no funding pot and make no funding decisions.
Can you guarantee that our application will be successful?
No. We do not guarantee funding outcomes. Funding decisions are made solely by the relevant grant-making organisation, against its own criteria and available budget. Our role is to help you improve readiness, strengthen the application and navigate the process.
Do you have relationships or influence with funders?
We work from funders' published criteria and guidance, which are available to any applicant. We do not claim preferential access, inside relationships or influence over assessment, and we would treat any such claim as improper.
What does 'authorised representative' mean?
Where a funding programme allows an application to be submitted by an adviser, we can lodge it for you once you have given written authority. We act only within that authority. The application, its content and its declarations remain the responsibility of the applicant organisation.
Who is responsible for the accuracy of the application?
The applicant organisation. We draft, review and challenge, but your board or authorised officer approves the final content and makes the declarations required by the funder.
Can you confirm whether we are eligible for a particular grant?
We can set out what a programme's published criteria say and how your organisation appears to compare. Eligibility is determined by the funder, and some programmes assess it case by case. We do not confirm eligibility on a funder's behalf.
How are your fees charged, and are they contingent on success?
Fees are charged for advisory work on a fixed-scope or day-rate basis and are agreed in writing before work starts. We do not charge success fees or commission linked to funding awarded, and fees are payable whether or not an application succeeds.
Can advisory costs be included in a grant application?
Sometimes. A number of programmes allow capacity-building or professional support costs. Whether they may be included is set by each funder's rules, and we will tell you plainly when they may not.
How long does the process usually take?
A readiness assessment typically takes two to three weeks. Strategy work runs four to six weeks. Application support depends on the programme, but most funders expect four to eight weeks of preparation for a substantial bid.
What happens if an application is unsuccessful?
We review the funder's feedback with you, record what to change, and reposition the project for the next appropriate opportunity. Unsuccessful applications are common across the sector and are part of a working pipeline.
Do you handle funds on our behalf?
No. We never receive, hold or administer grant funds. Funding is paid by the funder directly to the applicant organisation.
How do you handle our data and confidential documents?
Documents are handled under a written engagement agreement with confidentiality terms, processed in line with UK GDPR, and shared only with people you have named.
