It is, of course, essential to demonstrate the financial viability of a given project, to satisfy both the project champion and any potential funders and financers.
There are two elements to this. Firstly De Facto can test the cost/value relationship of your proposed project. In other words, we can look at what it is going to cost in capital terms, and then consider what return on investment would be forthcoming. This can help you decide whether to invest in the project, and/or persuade funders there is a cost/value gap that needs plugging.
Secondly, detailed income and expenditure projections set out all lines of potential income and expenditure, helping to prove whether the project can be self-sustaining in the medium and long-term. These then provide the blueprint for the operation of the project once up and running, and set a budget against which real performance can be monitored.
We can include all the detail necessary to satisfy the requirements of potential public sector funders. Our business plans have withstood the scrutiny of funding assessors for European, Lottery and DTI grants.
Click below for some examples of our work in this area, or click here for a pdf containing more details of our experience:
This commission focused on the feasibility of establishing an ABEC (Architecture & Built Environment Centre) for the Milton Keynes sub-region. Having carried out a comprehensive consultation process with all stakeholders, we prepared a detailed business plan for the recommended option.
This was warmly received by the Partnership responsible for the urban agenda in the Milton Keynes / South Midlands Growth Area and, as a result of our report the Milton Keynes / South Midlands partnership was able to move forward with a positive and dynamic agenda for the built environment in this significant area of the UK.
The management team of the brewery were proposing to improve the viability of their brewing operation by extending its range of bottled beer and reducing the cost of production through the installation of a bottling line. In parallel, an investment was required in marketing and tasting facilities in order to improve customer awareness of the brands.
Without grant support, however, the company was unable to justify the required investment. We liaised closely with the company's accountants to produce financial projections and wrote a detailed business plan to accompany our application for funding. Our plan ensured that funding of £190,000 for the project was secured from the DTI's Selective Finance for Investment programme. Our business plan included the following elements:
Award-winning Pendennis Shipyard Ltd is one of the world leaders in the construction and refit of multi-million pound superyachts. Pendennis was planning a £7m expansion of its facilities to meet growing international demand for its boat-building and refit services, but it became clear to the management that the proposed project did not ‘stack up’ financially without grant funding assistance. That is when they approached us for help.
We worked with Pendennis to secure funding of £2.9 million towards the cost of the project from the DTI's Regional Selective Assistance scheme and from Finance Cornwall. Our application to the DTI included a supporting business plan covering the following elements:
We were asked to undertake a feasibility study to test the viability of a proposed Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Visitor/Heritage Centre for Weymouth.
Having carried out the study we incorporated all the information into a first business plan for the project, which the project team can use as a basis on which to progress the scheme, and on which to base future funding applications. The plan included the following elements: