✍How to spend money?

When a potential applicant comes to me for consultation about a grant, I listen carefully to their idea, concept, wishes, and ask two most important questions:
➡️What is the money for?
➡️How much is needed?

In 95% of cases, my interlocutor is at a loss.
The remaining 5% are almost always active entrepreneurs who want to develop a socially significant direction in their business activities.

By the way, most often, when you start to figure out the budget, it suddenly turns out that money is almost not needed, since partners can cover most of the costs.

⭕️Different grant competitions assume different approaches to the budget. But usually there are standard conditions:

😥Not allowed:
— Major repairs, construction (some foundations allow), purchase of real estate
— Payment of debts, purchase of currency, purchase of goods with foreign currency
— Purchase of vehicles (some foundations allow)
— Cash prizes and cash certificates as gifts
— Gifts worth more than 4000 rubles
— In some competitions, for example, Rosmolodezh.Grants for individuals or the Melnichenko Foundation for initiative groups, salaries are not allowed

🙆‍♂️Allowed:
— Rent and purchase of equipment/machinery
— Payment for expert work
— Payment for transportation and hotels (not higher than economy class)
— Payment for advertising (but needs strong justification)
— Payment for designer, IT specialist services, etc.
— Payment for catering and purchase of products

Important BUT!
All expenses must be justified, have a realistic price, and be linked to the calendar plan.

Do you have experience writing a budget? And how do you write the justification?

Channel about grants, social design, and professional culture @citycodelab