ATTENDEES

Do I need to book tickets?

Our events can get quite busy, which is why we introduced an option for people to make an up-front donation of £3.00 (via Ticket Tailor) to reserve their entry to Liverpool SOUP. We release the link to our mailing list 48 hours before publishing it on social media. This £3.00 is included in your overall donation so, in line with our ‘pay what you can’ policy, it’s not mandatory to make an additional donation on the door.

Making an up-front donation reserves you access until 6:50 pm (10 minutes before the pitches start). If you know you’ll be arriving later than this, we can hold your reservation if you let us know in advance. Email HQ@LiverpoolSOUP.co.uk.

How much does it cost to attend?

When you arrive, we ask you to make a donation. We operate on a ‘pay what you can’ basis. We appreciate that everyone’s situation is different so, although we suggest a donation of £10, some people pay more and others pay less. We hope that you'll donate the equivalent of what you'd spend on a typical night out - whether that's £5 on a oven pizza at your mates or £30 on a meal out with a glass of wine. A donation of any size entitles you to a vote and a bowl of soup.

How do the events run?

When you arrive, you’ll make your donation on the door. Then, we’ll give you a voting card (keep this safe!) The bar will be open for drinks, and you can sit anywhere - so get comfortable and say hello to others at your table. There’ll be printed booklets on the tables introducing the night’s pitchers and giving you an idea of how the evening will unfold. Feel free to flick through these, though you don’t need to do this, you’ll get loads of info from the pitches themselves.

The event starts at about 7.00 pm, and you’ll hear from the four pitchers. Pitches will last around four minutes, and you’ll be able to ask questions. If they didn’t answer your question during the pitch, you can find them for a chat afterwards! We’ll announce where each pitcher is sat so you can find them easily.

Then the soup is served! Eat, chat, and have a think about how to cast your vote. You’ll write your preferred project on the voting card (there’ll be pens on the table) and drop it into a ballot box.

While the votes are being counted, there is usually some live music. There’ll also be an opportunity for you to get on stage yourself. Tell us about upcoming events or opportunities for collaboration during our ‘Sixty Second Soapbox’.

Once the winner has been announced, there’ll be more live music and a chance to grab another drink. You’ll be able to chat and reflect on the projects you’ve learned about. You’ll leave knowing you’ve made a huge difference to some great community projects. Hopefully, you’ll have had fun and met a great community of people too!

APPLICANTS

When can I apply to pitch?

To ensure the pitches are super relevant, we open applications around a month before each event - and close them about three weeks before the event. You can join our mailing list to be notified when applications open.

How do you narrow down the applications?

To reduce bias, we have a Shortlisting Panel . This includes the Liverpool SOUP volunteers, representatives from community-based organisations in the Liverpool City Region and our previous winners. Our Shortlisting Panel reviews all the applications submitted and each person selects the four projects that would create their ideal Liverpool SOUP line-up. The panel rank these applications in order of preference - everyone’s scores have an equal weighting. The scores are collated, with the four highest-scoring applications invited to pitch.

What type of applications are most successful?

We use a Shortlisting Panel to reduce bias, as it captures such a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives from across Liverpool…but that also makes it really difficult to know which types of application will be successful as different causes will resonate differently with each person on the Shortlisting Panel.

If you submit an application which is clear and concise, making sure to outline why you’re passionate about your idea or project and how having £1,000–£1,500 will help you make more of an impact, you’ll be in with a good chance of capturing the Panel’s attention.

If I’ve missed the deadline, can I still apply?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications after the deadline. We want to give our pitchers at least two weekends to prepare, so our Shortlisting Panel has a tight timeline. It’s worth keeping an eye on our social media pages. They’ll give you plenty of warning so you don’t miss the deadline.

PITCHERS

How long should my pitch be?

Pitches should be four minutes long. After you’re done pitching, the audience will be able to ask some follow-up questions. We’ll give you a signal so you know when you’re out of time, but don’t worry if you go over by a few seconds. However, please do keep in mind that if your pitch is much longer than four minutes, you won’t have as much time for questions - and it is important we keep the event on schedule!

Can I use PowerPoint?

We like to keep things simple at Liverpool SOUP and we don’t allow the use of PowerPoint slides. This means that you won’t be at a disadvantage if you’re not a tech-wiz. You’ll need to consider how to capture the audience’s attention and bring your project to life by sharing stories about any impact you’ve made so far - as well as any impact you hope to make in the future. You are welcome to bring along props, hand-held visual aids or flyers for people to read afterwards.

Can I use notes?

Absolutely, we want you to relax into your pitch, so if it helps to have a few notes you’re more than welcome to use those.

What should I include in my pitch?

Use your pitch time to inspire us! The audience will want to hear what the project is and what you’ll do with the prize money. Ultimately, pitching is simply about telling a story. Help us understand who you are, what you want to do, and why your project is important.

When planning your pitch, you might want to consider these questions:

Context: What is the project, and why is it important to you?
Current day: How long has the project been running? Who has it impacted so far, and how have they been impacted?
Potential: How would you spend the money if you won? How will this cash help you create more impact? Is there something unique about your project or idea?

You’re free to make your pitch your own, but we find that our audience particularly enjoys hearing about the successes you’ve had. If you can, bring your pitch to life with quotes or stories!

Can I bring somebody along to support me?

Of course! Lots of our pitchers bring along friends, family and colleagues for extra support. We’ll let you know how to reserve a space for them if your application is selected.

What questions will I be asked?

Our audience is friendly, interested, and want to know more. They might ask for more details about how you’d spend the prize money and how many people your project will impact. They might like to know more about you and your experiences. To ensure you’re prepared, think about: what, where, when, why, and how. What is your project? Where and when does it happen? Why is it important? And how will you make it possible?

How are events different for pitchers?

You’ll be asked to arrive about an hour before doors open to the public, so there’s a chance to rehearse your pitch and get settled. We'll also introduce you to the other pitchers.

The night starts with the pitches, so you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the rest of the event - with your pitch out of the way. During the break, people might chat to you about your project, to help them decide how to cast their vote.

When we announce the winner, we invite them back on stage to say a few words. You can say as much or as little as you’d like here. Some people just say something like, “thank you so much, I’ve had a great night, and I can’t wait to put the money to good use.”

Do I need to buy a ticket if I’m pitching?

No. We’ll contact you before the event to let you know what time to arrive. You’ll have plenty of time to get settled, have a go at using the microphone, and ask any final questions.

You’re not required to donate either, but if you don't donate you don't get a vote - and there’s nothing to stop you from voting for yourself! So we encourage pitchers to take part in the process by also donating to the prize pot.

So I’ve won the most votes, what next?

You’ll receive the money within ten working days of the event (it takes a few days for card payments to clear). We can pay funds into a personal account for projects that do not have their own bank account.

Liverpool SOUP offers ‘no-strings-attached’ funding, so there are no formal reporting requirements. However, our audience loves to hear updates from the projects they have helped fund. For this reason, we ask winning projects to provide us with an informal update to be included in our event booklet, and to come along to a future event. You’ll also be invited to join our Shortlisting Panel, helping us decide who pitches at future events. There’s no pressure to do this. We’ll contact you with shortlisting dates so you can decide if you have time.

What happens if I don’t receive the most votes?

Liverpool SOUP is about so much more than the money. You’ll be sharing your work with a room of local people and making new connections. We also produce a booklet at each event, so you can share any non-cash ways our audience can support you. In the past, audience members have been able to help pitchers out with everything from advice and social media support to cash and a free PA system!

We’re also fortunate enough to be able to gift every pitcher £250 to say 'thanks' for taking the time to prepare and get up on stage, with thanks to a local supporter who donates £1,000 to us per event.