Preparing a good application

1. Preparing a good application Community Associations Funding Programme

2. Are you eligible? Who can apply • Have a constitution (or a governing document ) • Be based in Manchester and accountable to the community that you are predominantly delivering services to • Be a not-for-profit third sector organisation – this includes voluntary and community organisations, co-operatives and mutual societies, non-governmental organisations which are value driven and which principally invest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives • Be representative of the community you are intending to work with

3. You must be able to provide the following • A copy of your organisations audited or independently verified accounts • A list of your board members, or directors, or trustees, or management committee members • A schedule of your board, trustee, directors or management committee meetings • A copy of your governing document (constitution / memorandum & articles)

4. You must provide the following • A copy of your business plan/strategic plan • A copy of your equalities policy • A copy of your child protection/safeguarding policy • A copy of your vulnerable adults policy • A copy of your data protection policy • A copy of your financial procedures

7. You must also demonstrate how your project will ……. • Involve local people, groups, and service-users in its design and delivery and where applicable encourage opportunities for volunteering • Become sustainable after the initial grant award has expired • Represent good value for money

8. How much can you apply for? The maximum amount any successful applicant can receive is £49,200 per year. Only revenue costs – no capital costs. Manchester city council propose to continue awarding funding for three years at a time.

9. Deadline Complete the form by midnight on 5th April 2013 - applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered. Return the form to the Business Improvement and Partnerships Team either by email on: voluntary.sector.grants@manchester.gov.uk or by mail to: Business Improvement and Partnerships Team, Manchester City Council, PO Box 532, Town Hall, Manchester M60 2LA

10. Criteria The application form requires you to show the types of activities your organisation undertakes as a local community resource in one or more of the following ways:

11. Provision of community centre premises available to local community groups and to support resident activities £10,500 to £15,500 • Direct delivery of services or activities from community centre premises to local residents £3,200 to £8,200 • Development, support or co-ordination of local groups through a forum or network £5,300 to £10,000 • Community regeneration activity where a centre or association is involved in work contributing to the Manchester Community Strategy on behalf of the local community £5,300 to £15,500

12. Applications will be assessed against the following: • How well your proposal meets the programme criteria • Good governance, leadership and management of your organisation • The financial sustainability of your organisation and evidence of appropriate financial controls in place.

13. Applications, queries, selection and appeals If you need further advice or information please contact the Third Sector Team on 0161 234 3033 or email: voluntary.sector.grants@manchester.gov.uk. Please note they cannot help complete your application form or offer advice on the likelihood of success for your application.

14. Application Form Section 1: Details of your organisation Section 2: How your application will support the fund priorities Section 3: Monitoring and evaluation Section 4: Management and governance of your organisation Section 5: Checklist Section 6: Declarations Section 7: Feedback

15. Monitoring and Evaluation

16. Monitoring and Evaluation Do you case manage your work? What recording systems are in place? What data are you collecting? Do you measure a baseline for service users? Do you establish outcomes with beneficiaries? Do you establish review points for your work and key indicators for any service outcome

17. Performance management How do you monitor your service against agreed outputs and outcomes and impact How do you evaluate your service, do you do sessional evaluation, in year mid term evaluation, annual evaluation; project lifetime evaluation What format is your data in, can it be used to create graphs, bar charts, spreadsheets, spidergrams Do you have a range of qualitative and quantative data

18. Performance management - service delivery Does your data enable you to build case studies What key performance indicators do you have in place to indicate progress towards outcomes How do use your data to inform the planning of the project

19. Some ways capturing data Baseline survey/initial assessment Interim survey (same questions) Self Assessment Satisfaction survey KPI Interviews Outcome stars Client records Output monitoring Hard and soft outcome measurement Recorded observations Triangulation, Convergence and counter factual analysis

20. Partnerships

21. Context for Partnership Voluntary organisations need to consider: Objects & beneficiaries Mission / purpose Quality of services Value for money Sustainability of services

22. The Partnership Spectrum 1. Shallow-End Partnership Working 2. Preparation for joint service delivery 3. Sharing resources (inputs) 4. Joint service delivery (outputs) 5. Organisational merger

23. Benefits of Partnership Working In-depth partnership working may produce: Improved services Economies of scale Risk-sharing (new / large projects) Improved co-ordination Greater influence Organisational security / sustainability

24. Risks of Partnership Working In-depth collaboration may produce: Loss of independence / flexibility Conflict due to cultural incompatibility Mission drift Reputational damage if unsuccessful Outcomes may fail to justify the time and resources invested

25. For more detailed information on partnership working visit: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/our-event-resources

26. Business Plan Have you got a business plan? Is it current and up to date? Do you need support? You need to submit your business plan with your application form Web: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org Tel: 0333 321 3021

27. Planning your project

29. Use the weekly matrix diagram to map out your project. Think about….. • What activities do you intend to run? • What resources / equipment do you need to run the activities • What staff / volunteers are required • Accomodation – what premises are you using / availability • Have you included management / networking time if neededActivity: take 5-10 minutes to map out your project using the templates.

30. Budgeting What is a budget? Why have a budget? Where do I start?

31. Useful Tip to help when budgeting Use the matrix to identify what costs are attached to the delivery of the sessions

32. Identify all the costs of the project Suggested budget headings: • salary costs • advertising for, recruiting and training staff and volunteers • buying equipment • promoting the project • training of staff and volunteers working on the project • materials and the day to day running costs of the project • items with a short life such as stationery or light bulbs • monitoring and evaluation of the project • raising funds for continuing the project after its current funding is over • professional and legal fees

33. Common Mistakes • Budgets don’t add up • Accurate costings have not been used • Not included all costs associated with the project • Be realistic – know your project

34. Finance - Don't forget • Applicants must enclose copies of signed and dated audited accounts for the last year. • For organisations exempt from providing audited accounts (turnover below £5.6million) - applicants must provide accounting information comprising of a balance sheet and income statement which must be signed and dated by company secretary or professional accountantwith your application.

35. What's Next Lets get writing! For resources to support you with your application form, visit: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org/resources-support-completing-community-associations-funding-programmes-applications

36. Frequently Asked Questions Queries / questions can be submitted directly to Manchester City Council Email:voluntary.sector.grants@manchester.gov.uk. Tel: 0161 234 3033 All questions and responses can be found in the Community Associations Funding Programme resources section

37. Membership of Macc • Right to involvement in Macc governance • Voluntary & Community Sector Assembly • Volunteer Centre Manchester • Policy forums • Online database • Funding search • Access to support from partner organisations • Access to resources, knowledge & influence AND IT’S FREE!