How to access funding streams TLC College and Black Country ICT Gateway Experience

1. How to access funding streamsTLC College and Black Country ICT Gateway Experience

2. Mahmood Khan - TLC College, Wolverhampton Marilyn Burrill - Digital Inclusion Manager The Black Country Consortium andMicrosoft are just completing a 3 year project : The Black Country ICT Gateway.

3. Achievements What has The Black Country ICT Gateway achieved ? We have established a Voluntary Sector Consortium – arranged on a ‘Hub & Spoke’ model - which can deliver digital inclusion programmes across the region and much more:

4. Hubs and Spokes Wolverhampton Dudley Walsall Hub Spoke Centres Sandwell

5. Research The Black Country ICT Gateway has carried out extensive research into digital inclusion and produced reports on : The Delivery of Effective Digital Inclusion Programmes in the Black Country An in depth study of the barriers which prevent people from using ICTandhow they can be overcome. Promoting Digital Inclusion in the Black Country looking into ways of engaging the digitally excluded – the people who don’t normally participate in training.

6. Community Involvement The Black Country ICT Gateway worked with 171 voluntary organisations across the region. 4 Hub organisations – who managed the project in their local authority area 16 Spoke organisations – who were directly involved in the research and piloting the Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum 151 ICT Centre - Voluntary and community sector organisations and groups who were involved in widening digital inclusion and received training and support

7. Software & Volunteers 53 organisations that are taking up the Microsoft Software Donations Offer We have set up a 4 Microsoft Academies - one in each Hub area • Workshops where Microsoft Volunteers provided advice on using latest packages most effectively with practical help to organisations. • We are developing a Website to act as the Black Country ICT Gateway communications Channel and resource Bank.

8. Communication The Black Country ICT Gateway has networked and promoted our work locally in each Hub area and regionally Used the Microsoft name to attract attention and also visited their other projects. Used our contacts through the Black Country Consortium. Made 24 presentations on the project and research findings to the sub-groups of the Local Strategic Partnership in each area. Took part in the National Consultations on Digital Inclusion. Met our regional ICT Champion. Worked with the local Digital Inclusion Task Force representative.

9. TLC College Wolverhampton Hub

10. TLC College Wolverhampton Hub TLC has worked with its spokes and ICT Centres and were possible make joint funding application TLC has representation on Wolverhampton Learning partnership TLC has representation on Wolverhampton Economic partnership TLC is one of the Hubs in the Learning Platform in Wolverhampton TLC work with the local Learning Brokers and had success in getting some funding for basic ‘first step’ ICT provision - both as community learning and alongside employability programmes

11. The Black Country ICT Gateway Future • We have made a bid to Advantage West Midlands for ERDF funding for a project which will upgrade hardware and provide technical support to Centres • We have applied for an Eco-innovation EU grant to develop a social enterprise for e-Waste management and computer recycling • We have 4 Microsoft Academieswho can generate income • We have made a number of applications to other funders But the most important long-term step is the Partnerships that we have made which have put us on the strategic map and local developments!

12. Funding How can we get enough money ? There is NO SIMPLE SOLUTION BUT - one source of funding is dangerous ! Unfortunately we need to have a strategy to make sure we are in the game with what is happening in the area, and are making use of all potential sources of funding

13. Where do we go ? • Statutory agencies : get engaged with the tendering & commissioning processes • Develop your capacity for online tendering • Grants from charities • Donations & Sponsorship • Social enterprise – income generating activities which can subsidise our unfunded charitable work

14. Fundraising Strategy • Get known locally & regionally for what you can do !!! • Use contacts shamelessly to get to the right meetings • Identify your products / services and be able to describe them effectively • Be explicit in explaining the NEED and the IMPACT you can have – link to the potential funders targets • Be very clear on pricing – full cost recovery • Know the Added Value that you offer • Form Consortia & Partnerships “ THE RIGHT ONES”

15. 360 degree Organisation Review You are the supplier – who are your customers ? The clients ? The funder ? Are you giving them what they want ? Who else is involved ? The staff, Manager, Board /Trustees Are you giving them what they want / need ?

16. Stakeholders Ideally bring together a small group including representatives from all the stakeholders : • Client • Board • Staff & Manager • Funder – If not a critical Partner or Local Network/service Managers

17. 360 degree Organisation Review The whole group considers, from the perspective of each stakeholder in turn What do I want from this organisation ? Will I get it ?

18. The 360 degrees YOUR SERVICE Clients Staff & Managers Board & Trustees Funders & Income

19. What have you got to offer ? From the review you should have clear idea of • what your clients want • how it affects staff and Manager • what the Board wants • what a Funder will be looking to pay for Use this information to consider the range of services and products that you can offer and produce Fact Sheets for potential funding applications

20. Your Fact Sheets • Name of product / service : to distinguish it clearly from other things you do e.g. Membership of the WISH Team • A clear description of what it is : no jargon, who it is for (specify needs of target group and area you can cover ), what it does, what added value does your organisation bring. • How much it will cost to deliver per client – with a breakdown of how cost has been calculated – including % management & full service costs • Volume that you can deal with – consider partnership & consortium working • Outputs you can achieve ( back up with evidence of track record) • IMPACT that your work will have ( back up with Evaluation reports, case studies ) • Value for Money – why your organisation provides best value Use this information as the basis for your funding applications

21. Focus Focus Focus Final thoughts : • Control ‘Mission Drift’ • Local and specialist is best • Partnerships and consortia are “all the rage” • Make sure your prices include a contribution to Core Costs • Make sure that the work you take on raises your organisation’s profile and reputation • Don’t spread yourselves too thin

22. THANK YOU Contact Information Mahmood Khan mkhan@tlccollege.org.uk Marilyn Burrill marilyn@mburrill.co.uk