“ to bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need”

1. “to bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need”

2. people having better chances in life with better access to training and development to improve their life skills • stronger communities with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems • improved rural and urban environments which communities are better able to access and enjoy • healthier and more active people and communities

3. We will look at: • Evidence of need • Extent to which desired outcomes will make a real difference • Project outcomes • Link with programme outcomes • Link between outcomes and activities • Beneficiary involvement • Amount of previous funding to local area • Other relevant funded projects

4. Value for Money How much should I apply for? • Current climate - fund fewer large projects • Grants of more than £300k - example of excellent practice and will clearly make a difference • Less likely to fund very large projects over a short period of time • We would like projects that request more than £100k p.a to have seriously considered a range of funding options. • Organisations should consider making a contribution and/or working collaboratively with other organisations to maximise resources available

5. Why do you need to evidence need? • High demand for limited resources • Prove your project will make a difference • Prove that you haven’t presumed what the community needs • Prove that your project is the best way of addressing the need identified – what are the alternatives? • Prove that you understand the community and their needs

6. Sources you could use to evidence the need for your project... • Consultation and community involvement • Strategies - generic and specialist • Statistics and area or community profiles • Research (reports, surveys )

7. Sources you could use to evidence the need for your project... • Other existing services/current provision (or lack of) • Evaluation of existing services • Letters of support • Anecdotal evidence

8. Presenting your case • Does the problem make sense? • Don’t assume that readers (funders and partners) will automatically see that there is a need. It is up to you to convince them. • Use statistics, anecdotes, etc. from reliable sources and cite those sources in the text. • Can you realistically address the problem with what you are proposing? • Provide evidence that is specific to the project and not to the organisation as a whole

9. Some useful websites- facts, figures and strategies • Census statistics: www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk • Community Health Profiles: www.communityhealthprofiles.info • Association of Public Health Observatories: www.apho.org.uk • Regional Observatories: www.regionalobservatories.org.uk • Government Offices: www.gos.gov.uk/national • 10 Downing Street: www.number-10.gov.uk • Government Directory: www.direct.gov.uk Big Lottery Fund is not responsible for the contents of external websites

10. Some useful websites- research and consultation • Community Toolbox: www.nps.gov/phso/rtcatoolbox • Consultation toolkit: http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/wcc-con-toolkit (type ‘consultation toolkit’ into Google and you will find a number of other similar toolkits) • National Association for Voluntary and Community Action: www.navca.org.uk • N.B. The Big Lottery Fund is not responsible for the content of external websites

11. Summary What grants officers are looking for • Is the need for your project supported by robust evidence or research? • Have you consulted with all relevant stakeholders? • Does the consultation support the identified need? • Do you have a good understanding of similar work already taking place? • Do other stakeholders know about your project and are they supportive of it? • Are you aware of relevant local, regional and/or national plans, and strategies? Can you explain how your project relates to them?

12. What is a project outcome? ‘The door’Imagine one of your beneficiaries walking through your door for the first time: • What are they doing when they first come in? • What are they doing differently at the end of the project?

13. 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training

14. Activities: • Drop in/coffee and chat • Accompanied walks to shops • Hill walking • IT training (games, surfing, music) • Expert speakers 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training

15. Activities: • Drop in/coffee and chat • Accompanied walks to shops • Hill walking • IT training (games, surfing, music) • Expert speakers • Project outcomes: • Feels less isolated • Increase in confidence • Increased self esteem • Increased understanding 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training

16. Activities: • Drop in/coffee and chat • Accompanied walks to shops • Hill walking • IT training (games, surfing, music, skills) • Expert speakers • Project outcomes: • Feels less isolated • Increase in confidence • Increased self esteem • Increased understanding 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training Link to • Programme outcomes: • Healthier and more active people • People having better chances in life

17. Activities: • Drop in/coffee and chat • Accompanied walks to shops • Hill walking • IT training (games, surfing, music, skills) • Expert speakers • Project outcomes: • Feels less isolated • Increase in confidence • Increased self esteem • Increased understanding 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training Link to • Programme outcomes: • Healthier and more active people • People having better chances in life

18. Outcomes the difference your project will make Your outcomes should answer the following questions: • Who will benefit? • How will you know your project is making a difference? • What is the change you intend to make? E.g. Minority ethnic older people report feeling less isolated as a result of accessing a range of social activities

19. “Clear understanding of impact and extent to which it is lasting” “A new approach and innovation – happy to take risk if planned benefit is clear.” “Bringing unlikely groups together” “Connections made with other grant holders and successful programmes”

20. “Playing back too many buzzwords and concepts they think we want to hear” “Reinventing the wheel” “Making grandiose claims” “Applications that aren’t specific, that don’t spell out clearly what the project intends to do”

21. Key points to note.... • Read the guidance – and tell us clearly what you intend to do • Actively involve beneficiaries in design and delivery • Evidence need – prove you understand the needs of the community and your project is the best way of addressing them • Plan your project well – don’t forget about monitoring

22. www.biglearningzone.org.uk

23. Awards for All • Grants of between £300 and £10,000 • Open to voluntary and community groups, schools, town/parish councils, some health bodies • New projects that start after funding awarded and finish within a 12-month period • Up to £10,000 in any one year • Won’t cover core costs

24. Awards for All can pay for... • equipment hire or purchase • information technology equipment • building and refurbishment work • updating equipment and premises (health and safety) • sessional workers • training • volunteer expenses • transport costs • venue hire

25. Application process You read our guidance You send us your application 30 working days We let you know our decision 20 working days You send the documents we ask for 10 working days We confirm the grant You start your project!

26. Improving your chances • show strong evidence of need • seek to involve a wide range of people • meet more than one of our outcomes • never received an Awards for All grant before • groups with a smaller annual income • smaller projects

27. Reaching Communities • Reaching Communities main programme • £10,000 to £500,000 for revenue projects capital projects of between £10,000 to £50,000 • Reaching Communities buildings • £100,000 to £500,000 for large capital projects

28. Reaching Communities • £10,000 to £500,000 • Revenue and capital costs • Up to five years funding • Associated organisation costs - full cost recovery • Will fund salaries • Existing projects as well as new • Total project cost (all sources of funding) must not be more than £750,000 • Capital element of the project must not be more than £200,000

29. Reaching Communities buildings • Between £100,000 and £500,000 of capital funding (max project size £750,000) • Voluntary and community groups, charities and parish and town councils can apply • Use postcode checker to check eligibility • Can include up to £15,000 of revenue funding • Two year grants available • Multi-purpose buildings

30. Future Funding Fresh thinking – The next chapter People Powered Change – the story in England Open programmes Targeted/Strategic Initiatives Flexible funding

31. Big Advice Line: 0845 4 10 20 30 Text phone: 0845 6 02 16 59 www.biglotteryfund.org.uk www.awardsforall.org.uk www.biglearningzone.org.uk www.villagesos.org.uk bigblog.org.uk Facebook: search for Fund South West Twitter: search for TeamBIGSW