💰 3.5 – Funding Strategy
⏱ Total duration: 60 minutes
📍 Format: Individual activity—online or in person
👋 It is time to consider an essential part of bringing your project to life: funding.
You do not always need a large amount of money to get started. However, knowing where to look for support and how to adapt your proposal can make all the difference.
In this section, you will:
✅ Learn about accessible funding sources suitable for small businesses;
✅ Write a short proposal adapted to one of these funding sources;
✅ Reflect on which option might be the most realistic for you.
🧩 3.5.1 – Funding Sources: The Essentials
⏱ Duration: 10 minutes
📚 Read the summary below and select—using a form or a sheet of paper—the two funding sources that appear most suitable for your idea:
- Public grants and programmes, such as Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan—PRR—or Portugal Social Innovation;
- Microcredit, offered, for example, by Millennium BCP or Montepio;
- Crowdfunding, through platforms such as PPL or GoFundMe;
- Awards and competitions organised by regional institutions, schools, or associations;
- Personal resources or support from your network, such as friends, family, or income from a second job.
📥 Task
📝 Select two options and explain in one sentence why you think they would be suitable for you.
🧩 3.5.2 – Write Your Mini-Proposal
🎯 Different types of funders value different elements:
- Investors seek a financial return;
- Public programmes value social impact and alignment with their objectives;
- Crowdfunding campaigns need a clear and engaging story.
✍️ Activity
Choose one of the funding sources you selected previously and write a two- or three-sentence mini-proposal adapted to that particular context.
📌 Example:
“Our project promotes sustainable tourism in inland areas, creating new local employment opportunities. It is aligned with the social-impact criteria of the ABC programme.”
🧩 3.5.3 – Final Reflection
🧠 Questionnaire—short answers:
- What was the greatest difficulty you faced when developing your proposal?
- Do you think this funding source is genuinely realistic for you? Why?
💬 Closing Message
There is no single correct path. The important thing is to start somewhere with a clear proposal, even if it is small. You can always adapt it as you move forward!
📎 Included Materials—Attachments/Virtual Classroom
Additional Resource: Example Table for Mapping Funding Sources
| Source | Advantages | Challenges | What is required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public grant | Does not need to be repaid | Strong competition | A well-prepared application |
| Microcredit | Flexible and quick | Interest and guarantees | A financial plan |
| Investor | Access to more capital | Giving up some control | A scalable project |
| Crowdfunding | Validates the idea | Requires intensive promotion | Effective communication |
🚀 Ready to Move Forward?
Now that you have reflected on how to finance your idea, it is time for the next step: preparing your pitch and refining your value proposition.
This is where everything begins to take shape!
👉 Continue to 💡 3.6 – Your Pitch and Value Proposition.
