The blog

Scroll through our blog to explore specific topics about fundings and project management.

After-work projects, like your own USE-IT map project, bring unique challenges and rewards.But balancing these projects with day jobs and personal commitments can be tricky. In this article, we’ll dive into five free online tools that can help team leaders and members work smarter together. So, if you’re looking to keep your after-work project on track, read on to discover tools that can save your team time, simplify coordination, and ultimately, make the process enjoyable and sustainable for everyone involved.

When thinking about how to introduce this web platform and let youth leaders practice the interview with possible sponsors during the conference, we came up with an idea of a city game. Mixing the city walk full of fun tasks related to the city’s hidden gems (in the USE-IT style, of course) with tasks related to their fundraising preparations proved to be a very efficient and entertaining experience. We are bringing an overview of the funding related exercises together with a photo report from the actual game. You can find here the links for the full game that you can play once you are in Prague or an inspiration for your own city game.

Project planning is like building the foundation of a house. Without a clear structure, the entire project can fall apart. One of the best tools to keep everything in order is the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). In this article, we’ll break down what WBS is, how to use it, and why it’s so valuable in organizing complex tasks.

If you haven’t read it yet, we recommend starting with our article on the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to see how it helps in organizing tasks. This foundational step makes the next one—scheduling those tasks—much smoother. Here’s where the Gantt Chart comes in: it provides a timeline for each task, showing start and finish dates and how tasks connect to one another.

It is always useful to try collecting small donations. It might be a tiny but sustainable source of income to cover some of the project expenses. Perhaps to be able to do a new fundraising run and to pay for printing some promo booklets for sponsors?

Here is a tip on how to craft a handy gadget to do so while distributing USE-IT maps. You only need access to the laser cutter and a bit of DIY experience.

If you’re looking for funding for your USE-IT map or any other impactful project, here’s something you should know about: ESG. These days, big businesses are under pressure to do better—and the EU is rolling out some rules to make sure they walk the talk. So why not start reaching out to businesses in your area? ESG might just be the key to bringing in more support for the causes you care about!

Creating a USE-IT map can be an exciting but challenging journey! From fundraising to community involvement, maintaining motivation requires focused strategies and a proactive mindset. Drawing inspiration directly from our extensive research on over a 100 initiatives within the USE-IT network, here are some tips for maintaining momentum, along with potential pitfalls that, if not addressed, can lead to a loss of motivation.

Securing funding for a USE-IT map requires careful planning, tailored communication, and a clear understanding of the sponsor’s needs. By following the advice from our Perfect Funder Guidebook, you can create a persuasive pitch that inspires funders to support your vision. With a compelling story and a solid plan, you’ll be well-equipped to bring your USE-IT map to life!

Welcome to “The Fun in Funding,” a podcast produced within the Erasmus Plus project. 

In this episode of The Fun in Funding, we discuss the exciting journey of creating the USE-IT Rotterdam map with Pascale Sebus, a PhD student and dedicated member of the project team.

Welcome to “The Fun in Funding,” a podcast created as part of the Erasmus Plus project.

This series highlights young locals striving to develop maps of their cities through crowdfunding and financial planning. In this episode, we speak with Irmina from Szczecin, Poland.

Welcome to The Fun in Funding, a podcast created within the Erasmus+ project FUND-IT. 

In this series, we talk to enthusiastic locals who want to create a unique map of their city, but who need funding to bring their vision to life. Today, we have Coen and Doris from Tilburg, Netherlands.

Welcome to The Fun in Funding, a podcast created within the Erasmus+ project FUND-IT. 

In this concluding episode of The Fun in Funding, we explore the captivating process behind making a USE-IT map with Sara from Rome. This conversation dives into the challenges and joys Sara has encountered in her mission to showcase Rome’s lesser-known neighborhoods to young travelers. The project’s progress, the unique qualities of Rome’s communities, and the strategic and creative decisions shaping the map has been discussed.

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