Charity Commission Data Mining for Grant Leads: A Practical Playbook
The Charity Commission register is a goldmine for prospecting—if you know how to pull and interpret the data. This playbook shows you how to combine the register with 360Giving datasets, build a targeted lead list, and feed insights into Crafty.
TL;DR
- Use Charity Commission advanced search to filter funders by geography, income, and charitable objects.
- Overlay GrantNav (360Giving) exports to see historic awards and build warm introductions.
- Upload leads to Crafty to personalise narratives, budgets, and trust-based reporting assets.
Why mining Charity Commission data beats cold outreach
The register provides verified data on charity income, beneficiaries, trustees, and grant-making status. It’s updated daily and accessible via advanced search or API. Combine that with 360Giving grant awards to identify funders who already back work like yours. You’ll personalise outreach with evidence, not guesswork.
How do you filter the Charity Commission register efficiently?
Use advanced search filters: “What the charity does,” “Who the charity helps,” “How the charity helps,” and financial range. Export results as CSV. If you’re comfortable with APIs, use the Charity Commission API (2024) to automate updates.
| Data field | Why it matters | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Charity type | “Grant-making” status confirms funder potential | Filter to grant-making charities only |
| Area of operation | Ensure geographic alignment | Cross-check with your programme footprint |
| Income band | Signals grant size capacity | Match to your funding target |
| Trustees | Find warm introductions | Look for existing relationships |
| Objects | Align mission statements | Map to your readiness narrative |
How should you score and segment grant leads?
Score on three axes: strategic fit, financial capacity, and relationship warmth. Rank leads 1–5 on each, calculate totals, and segment into “Hot,” “Warm,” and “Monitor.” Attach scoring sheets to your modular answer library so messaging matches priorities.
Download the data mining template and next steps
Download the Google Sheet for API queries, scoring matrix, and Crafty import CSV. Schedule a data mining sprint with fundraising and programmes next week to populate new leads.
Next actions
- Pull Charity Commission data for your top programme area.
- Overlay GrantNav awards to identify warm funders and co-funders.
- Upload scored leads to Crafty and assign owners via the Notion pipeline.
Key takeaways
- Open data from Charity Commission and 360Giving reveals ready-to-move funders.
- Scoring leads by fit, capacity, and warmth keeps your pipeline strategic.
- Crafty personalises outreach using the intelligence you gather.
Summary and next steps
Prospecting doesn’t need to be guesswork. Mine the data, score leads, and let Crafty turn intelligence into winning narratives.
- Block 90 minutes each fortnight to update your lead dataset.
- Cross-reference new leads with your readiness and evidence banks.
- Use insights to tailor trust-based funder briefings and reports.