Assuming that you, your participants and your partner have access to a device with an internet connection then the beauty of Virtual Exchange is that it costs very little in monetary terms. In the UK, we are fortunate that if you do not personally have easy access to the internet then most local libraries offer it free of charge and it is perfectly possible to design a project to account for limited online access. However, do remember that access to the internet may not be so simple in the country you are exchanging with, so your partner may have some costs to cover.
Depending on the design of your project, you may also wish to raise funds to pay for resources such as:
- Food – sharing a feast of foods from your partner country is a great way to kick off any cultural exchange
- Materials/resources – if you are planning to create something as part of your project
- Technology – for more technologically advanced projects, a one-off investment in software or devices such as laptops/tablets, video/photography equipment, VR headsets
- Gifts and postage – you may want to send something to your partners
- Travel – this is not at all necessary, but many people find that meeting their partners in person is a valuable and rewarding experience
- Evaluation – if you want to measure participants intercultural competence before and after the VE, to see if there has been a change, there are various validated surveys available to purchase online
Potential sources of funding
1. Your organisation
Your first source of potential funding will always be your organisation. Firstly, identify who you will need to convince – this might be your boss, treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, or a project manager. Secondly, check whether you have any internal processes for applying for funding, and make sure that you follow the application process, explaining clearly how your project will meet the criteria. If there is no application process and you are relying on your powers of persuasion then remember the following:
- Be specific about what you plan to do
- Write in plain English
- Link your project to the organisation’s priorities, or aims and objectives
- Provide evidence that this project is needed and has the potential for positive impact
- Include a budget that is as specific as possible
Whether you are looking internally or externally, many of the same rules apply when bidding for funds. You may find this ‘Writing a funding proposal’ guide from Civicus useful to help you prepare your application.
2. External funding
If there is no funding available within your organisation then you will need to look externally. Grants and donations can come from all manner of places, including the government, charities, foundations and trusts, as well as businesses. You will need to search for opportunities that you are eligible for. Eligibility is usually determined by:
- The type of organisation you are (e.g. individual, community group, registered charity, small business etc)
- Your location (country or locality)
- The people you serve (e.g. a specific age, or other demographic)
- The aim or topic of your project and how well it meets the aims of the funder
2.1 Potential sources of external funding
Turn2us
Turn2us is a charity that maintains a searchable database of charitable grants. After filling in a few details about your location and situation, Turn2us returns a list of charities that may be able to provide you with support.
National Lottery
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m a year to communities across the UK. National Lottery Funding Programmes are wide-ranging, so you can choose a fund to apply to that best fits your needs and criteria.
Government Grants
These grants are for: voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (for example, a charity); individuals; small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). You can browse or search grants at Find a grant.
Featured image by Fabian Blank on Unsplash
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