Tendering vs. Grant Funding: Which Is Right for Your Social Care Project?
Share
Tendering vs. Grant Funding: Which Is Right for Your Social Care Project?
As a social care provider, you’re always looking for sustainable ways to grow your services, secure income, and reach more people. But with so many funding routes available, one key question arises:
Should you tender for contracts or apply for grants?
While both can support your mission, they differ significantly in structure, expectations, and risk. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide which path fits best.
📜 What Is Tendering?
Tendering means bidding for a contract — usually from a local authority, NHS body, or other public sector organisation. These contracts often cover core services like supported living, domiciliary care, or mental health support.
You’ll usually need to:
- Register on procurement portals (e.g. Atamis, Proactis, Jaggaer)
- Pass compliance checks (e.g. policies, insurances, CQC registration)
- Answer detailed method statements or quality questions
- Offer a competitive price based on specifications
Tendering is competitive and can be time-consuming — but it often leads to longer-term, high-value contracts.
🎯 What Is Grant Funding?
Grants are often offered by local authorities, NHS systems, or charitable foundations to support innovation, community inclusion, or unmet needs.
Key features of grants include:
- Less formal than tenders — usually a proposal, budget, and outcomes plan
- Shorter-term and often lower in value (e.g. 6–12 months, £5k–£100k)
- More flexibility in delivery models
- Focused on pilots, early intervention, or niche needs
Grants are great for testing new ideas, launching pilot services, or engaging community groups — but they usually don’t fund core services long term.
✅ Which Is Right for You?
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Criteria | Tendering | Grant Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1–5 years (often renewable) | 6–12 months (sometimes renewable) |
| Value | High (£100k+ per year) | Low to moderate (£5k–£100k) |
| Complexity | High (detailed submissions) | Medium (narrative and budget) |
| Reporting | Ongoing KPIs and audits | Usually light-touch reports |
| Risk | High if awarded (contractual) | Low to medium |
Many organisations do both — using grants for innovation and tenders for scale and sustainability.
📥 Need Help Navigating Funding Options?
At Impact Guru Ltd, we support providers to write winning tender submissions and compelling grant proposals. Whether you’re scaling your core services or testing a new model, we can help you make your case with clarity and impact.
👉 Contact us to discuss your next funding bid
Written by Mike Harrison, Founder of Impact Guru Ltd — specialists in bid writing and strategy for social care providers
Visit impact-guru.co.uk to browse downloadable strategies, method statements, or get in touch about tender support.