Awards for All Glenn Austin Policy and Learning Officer

Today’s Learning ─ You will have a better understanding of the Big Lottery Fund, and of the current funding environment. ─ You will have a better understanding of Awards for All, and if it is the right programme for you. ─ You will have an increased understanding of how to strengthen your application, and greater confidence to apply.

How the Lottery pound is spent ─ Camelot (0.5 pence) ─ Prize money (50 pence) ─ Taxes (12 pence) ─ Retailer (5 pence) ─ Administration (4.5 pence) ─ Good causes (28 pence)

Understanding the Funder Big Lottery Fund: Mission Statement ‘Bringing about real change to communities and to the lives of those most in need’

Outcomes Funder Community learning and creating opportunity Promoting community safety and cohesion Promoting well being Outcome 1 People having better chances in life, with better access to training and development to improve their life skills Outcome 2 Stronger communities, with more active citizens, working together to tackle their problems Outcome 3 Improved rural and urban environments, which communities are better able to access and enjoy Outcome 4 Healthier and more active people and communities

Understanding: The Funding Environment Snapshot: South East Awards for All programme April 2009 to April 2012 ─ Requested £29,920,181 ─ Actual spend £15,284,375 ─ South East application success rate over life of programme 50% approx (currently better at 55%)

The Art Group With £4,260 from Awards for All, this group in Brighton ran art workshops for people suffering from arthritis who are often socially isolated as they have to give up work. The monthly sessions were led by local artists and covered everything from water colours to mosaics. At the end of the year, their artwork was displayed in the Brighton Festival.

Football for All The Dartford Ladies Football Club was awarded £4,898 from Awards for All to run football classes for young people with physical and/or learning disabilities. The sessions increase the confidence of the players, improve their skills and eventually get them to the point where they can play a full game of football.

Awards for All – Outcomes Awards for All projects must meet at least one of BIG’s outcomes: ─ 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

You can apply if... You have: ─ at least 3 unrelated people on your governing body ─ a UK bank account in the name of your organisation with at least two unrelated signatories You can: ─ send BIG an application at least three months before your project is planned to start ─ complete your project within one year of when BIG confirms your award Please see Good Governance Guide

Awards for All - How much you can apply for? ─ Between £300 and £10,000 ─ Only one application at a time ─ One Awards for All funded project needs to be completed and the End of Grant report approved before you can apply again ─ One organisation cannot receive more than £10,000 of Awards for All grants in any one year period. Change - £10,000 in one year period

What can Awards for All pay for? Examples of what a grant could pay for: ─ equipment hire or purchase ─ information technology equipment ─ building and refurbishment work ─ sessional workers ─ updating equipment and premises for health and safety reasons ─ training ─ volunteer expenses ─ transport costs ─ venue hire

VAT and buildings ─ BIG will only fund non-recoverable VAT. ─ Any planning permission needed must be in place before making an application. ─ For building projects, applicants must own their own freehold or hold a lease that will continue for at least five years. ─ Total costs of building works must not be more than £25,000 (including VAT).

Examples of what Awards for All cannot pay for: ─ Activities that happen or start before BIG confirms the grant ─ Day-to-day running costs ─ Existing activities and repeat or regular events (unless 3 years since taken place or delivered to new beneficiary types) ─ Items that mainly benefit an individual ─ Building and refurbishment work costing more than £25,000 (inc. VAT) Repeat activities (see guidance page 9)

Awards for All cannot pay for: (continued) ─ Salaries of permanent or fixed term staff ─ Projects or activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide ─ Political or religious activities ─ Routine repairs and maintenance ─ Fundraising activities ─ Used vehicles

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

Awards for All - Improving your chances BIG scores applications to help decide who should be funded. Applications will score higher if they: ─ show strong evidence of need ─ seek to involve as wide a range of people as possible ─ meet more than one of our outcomes ─ are from groups that have never received an Awards for All grant ─ are from groups with a smaller annual income ─ are for smaller projects The scoring guide used to assess Awards for All is on the website

Common Mistakes ─ Not understanding what Awards for All can fund ─ Applications incomplete on first submission ─ Not returning requested documents at conditional offer stage.

Common Reject Reasons ─ Outside programme remit - apply for things we do not fund (more suited to another lottery distributor) ─ Insufficient evidence of need ─ Does not make link between project’s outcomes and programme outcomes

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

What sources can you use to evidence need? ─ Strategies - generic and specialist ─ Statistics and area or community profile ─ Research (reports, surveys etc) ─ Consultation and community involvement ─ Other existing services/current provision (or lack of) ─ Evaluation of existing services ─ Letters of support ─ Anecdotal evidence

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

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

Explaining outcomes 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training 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 skills Increased understanding

Explaining outcomes 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training 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 skills Increased understanding Programme outcomes: Healthier and more active people People having better chances in life Links to

Explaining outcomes 18 years old, mental health issues, sits at home isolated from peers, lacks confidence, low self esteem, dropped out of education/training 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 skills Increased understanding Programme outcomes: Healthier and more active people People having better chances in life Links to

Things to double check: ─ Is the name of your organisation on your application form, bank account and governing document exactly the same? ─ Are you asking for an item or activities that Awards for All can fund? ─ Have you filled in all sections of the form? ─ Does your main contact know all about your project? ─ BIG has changed the rules on referees- no longed required at application form stage ─ Will your main contact be available during the assessment and grant confirmation period?

Make sure you allow enough time! ─ BIG will take up to six weeks to assess the application ─ If a conditional offer is made, additional documents will be requested ─ BIG will take up to two weeks to assess the additional documents ─ You must allow at least three months between submitting your application and when you need your grant

Further information and advice Website: Phone: BIG Advice Line Text phone: