Big Lottery Fund

1. Big Lottery Fund Islington Reaching Communities Briefing 01/12/2014

2. Introduction • Jane Sterland • Funding Officer • Early Contact Team • Based in Holborn, London • Supporting applicants and potential applicants • Raising BIG’s awareness of local needs and priorities

3. Overview of Big Lottery Fund

4. Big Lottery Fund Mission • “The Big Lottery Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need”

5. Big Lottery Fund • BIG is one of four distributors of Lottery funding • We are responsible for 40% of all the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery • We distribute £600 million in funding each year • 80-90% of our funding goes to community and voluntary organisations

6. BIG is an outcomes funder • Your project must meet at least one of these four outcomes: People having better chances in life Stronger communities Improved rural and urban environments Healthier and more active people and communities

7. Big’s Funding Principles • Partnership • User Informed • Local • Long Term • Evidence, Impact and Influence

8. BIG Funding – Three main themes • Demand led: • Awards for All (Small grants up to £10,000) • Reaching Communities (Larger grants upwards from £10,000) • Targeted: • Focusing on Early years children, Young people with mental health problems, Unemployed young people, People with multiple complex needs, Older people Social investment: • Building Capabilities, Social Investment

9. Awards for All Programme • Small grants scheme awarding £300-£10,000 • Applications from community & voluntary groups, schools, health bodies and parish / town councils • Single stage application process • BIG gives decision within 6 weeks of application • Project must be complete within one year of award

10. Reaching Communities Programme • Larger grants scheme awarding grants over £10,000 • Main programme: • Revenue projects funding from £10,000 (average £300,000) • Smaller capital projects funding from £10,000-£100,000 • Buildings programme: • Larger capital projects funding from £100,000 • Geographically targeted at most deprived areas

11. Reaching Communities Programme • Very competitive programme – success rate one in ten • Applications from community & voluntary groups, charities, statutory bodies, social enterprises, not-for-profit companies • Two-stage application process to identify fundable projects • BIG gives decision typically within 8-9 months of application • Project can take up to 5 years to complete

12. Reaching Communities Stage 1 • Stage One asks you to explain your project to us • Need to clearly state what you want to do, provide strong evidence of the need for your project and describe the changes that will result • We will then decide if your project is one we could fund, and if so we will send you a stage 2 application form • Time taken to give a decision is currently about ten weeks, depending on the complexity of your project and how much funding you are asking for

13. Reaching Communities Stage 2 • Stage Two asks you to explain your project in more detail • Opportunity for a telephone interview with a Funding officer to give advice on completing your application • We will want to know more about the need for your project, consultation carried out, difference your project will make and detailed budget • You will have up to 4 months to submit Stage 2 application • We will then about 8 weeks to assess your application and may contact you to clarify points • Decision will then be taken by a grant making panel which meets twice a month

14. Preparing to write your application

15. Read the Guidelines..... • Is your organisation eligible? • Do you have required governance in place? • Are you asking for funding for a project? • Are your project activities suitable for the programme? • Would the programme fund your project costs? • Can you start / complete your project in the required timescale?

16. Research services in your area • Is other work being done to support your beneficiaries? • Will your project fill a gap in service? • Does it support local priorities? • Are there any similar projects in your area? • What has BIG funded in your area already?

17. Gather information to support your case • Consult with project beneficiaries – include all groups who will benefit from your project • Involve stakeholders – e.g. schools, doctors, parents, community representatives, local Council • Build your evidence – e.g. surveys, focus groups, results of pilot projects • You will need to show that your project is needed, supported and will make a difference!

18. Making a strong case for funding

19. Now you are ready to start writing your application.....

20. Start by defining Need • Go back to basics – assume the Grant Officers assessing your application know nothing about the needs of the people you are trying to help • Quote your sources - make sure all sources of evidence are listed and dated, and all the information is up to date and relevant to your project • Make a strong case – use a broad range of information and if in doubt add more rather than less

21. Why is providing evidence of need so important? • High demand for limited resources • Prove that you understand the community and their needs • Prove that you haven’t made assumptions • Prove the scale of the need your project will address • Prove why your project is the best way of meeting the need you have identified

22. How much evidence do you need to provide? Depends on: • The scale of the problem • What capacity you have • How much funding you are • applying for ....... the important thing is to make a strong case

23. Sources of evidence • ‘Soft’ Information • ‘Hard’ Information • ‘Hard’ Information • Local statistics • Focus groups • Questionnaires • Interviews • Consultations • Local statistics • Focus groups • Census • Strategies and policies • Questionnaires Letters of support • Local & national priorities • Interviews • Research reports • ‘Before and after’ data • Deprivation Index • Waiting lists • Office for National Statistics

24. Defining Project Aim, Outcomes and Activities • Project aim – be clear about the purpose of your project – does it closely reflect the need identified? • Outcomes – strong and clear points to explain the change you want to make for the project beneficiaries • Project activities - together should add up to show how the outcomes and aim will be met

25. Developing a strong application Project Outcome • Project Aim • The overall point of your project • Project Need • Project Need • Project Outcomes • The difference you want to make or the change you want to bring about for your beneficiaries • Project Activities • The services and activities you will carry out • to meet the outcomes and achieve the project aim

26. What BIG is looking for in applications

27. What BIG is looking for in applications • Project is appropriate for the programme • A good fit with BIG outcomes • Strong evidence that your project is needed • Proof that your project will make a difference • Beneficiaries consulted and involved in all stages of the project

28. Real Unsuccessful Applications • ‘The outcomes need to focus on the difference that the project will make to the lives of the beneficiaries’ • ‘It is unclear from the activities as to what services they will provide to achieve the outcomes’ • ‘Evidence of need could be much stronger and is not dated so it is hard to establish how current it is’ • ‘The applicant lists the organisations and people they have consulted but does not provide any dates or findings’

29. Real Successful Applications • ‘Beneficiaries and their needs are clearly identified’ • ‘A full range of activities has been provided that will clearly deliver the project outcomes’ • ‘Varied and relevant external evidence confirms the issues identified and shows support for the project and gaps in current service’ • ‘Beneficiaries involved in management committee, user group, consultation, project planning and design, volunteering, recruitment and evaluation’

30. Tips for Success • Read the guidelines and use all other help available • Start by defining need – make it the core of your application • Focus on your beneficiaries and the difference that your project will make to them • Get a ‘critical friend’ to review your application before submission • If not successful first time, ask for feedback and try again!

31. Reaching Communities grants in Islington

32. Reaching Communities awards in Islington • 165 Stage 1 applications • 79 invited to Stage 2 • 18 Reaching Communities Grants • Success rate 11.5% • Total value £4,382,298 • Average grant £243,461 • Also 82 Multi borough awards

33. Reaching Communities projects in Islington examples • Project to assist adults with learning difficulties to manage their own health by providing health advocacy, training, support and one to one health facilitators • Project to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable older people including those with dementia by providing support to help them to address their own problems • Project to reduce social isolation and improve life skills of people with mental health problems to enable them to become more active and included in their community • Project to improve life chances for disabled people by providing information service, drop-in advice sessions, case work and home visits

34. Support and Guidance Available

35. Support and Guidance Available • Big Lottery Fund website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk • Programme Guidance Notes • Getting Funding & Planning Successful Projects • Good Practice Guides e.g.equalities, involving young people • Case studies of successful projects • BIG Advice Line: 0845 4 10 20 30 • Email enquiries: general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk

36. Reaching Communities websitehttp://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

37. Reaching Communities websitehttp://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

38. Questions and Comments?