Big Lottery FundKingston Voluntary Sector Forum30/06/2016

Introduction

Lillie Swift

─ Local Funding Officer for West London─ London Local Team─ Supporting applicants and potential applicants─ Raising Big Lottery Fund’s awareness of local

needs and priorities

Aims of the presentation

─ Overview of Big Lottery Fund

─ New Strategic Framework 2015-2021

─ Current Funding Programmes

─ How to make a strong case for funding

─ Question & Answers

Big Lottery Fund

─ Big Lottery Fund 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 are the biggest community funder in the UK  ─ 80-90% of our funding goes to community and

voluntary organisations─ Most of the local organisations we support receive

little or no government funding

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”

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 environment

s

Healthier and more

active people and communitie

s

Our new Strategic Framework – 2015-2021

People in the Lead We believe people should be in the lead in improving

their lives and communities. Our approach will focus on the skills, assets and

energy that people can draw upon and the potential of their ideas.

Our new principles

─ Confidence not control─ Simple processes, good judgements─ The strengths people bring─ A catalyst for others─ Shared direction, diverse

approaches─ Using resources well

Key features of projects we fund

─ Partnership─ User Informed─ Local─ Long Term─ Evidence and Impact

Funding Programmes

Our Funding – Three main themesDemand led:—Awards for All (Small grants up to £10,000) —Reaching Communities (Larger grants upwards from £10,000)

Targeted large programmes:─ Women and Girls, Help Through Crisis, Early years children,

Unemployed young people, People with multiple complex needs, Older people

Social investment:─ Big Potential, Social Investment Bonds

Demand Led Funding

Awards for AllReaching Communities─ Rolling grant programmes so no closing date

─ Open to a wide range of ideas that meet our outcomes

─ Aim to give communities what they need to address issues

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 8 weeks of application

─ Project must be complete within one year of award

Reaching Communities Programme─ Larger grants scheme awarding grants over £10,000

─ Main programme:o Revenue projects funding from £10,000 (average

£275,000)o Smaller capital projects funding from £10,000-£100,000

─ Buildings programme:o Larger capital projects funding from £100,000 for

community buildingso Geographically targeted at most deprived areas

Reaching Communities Programme─ Very competitive programme

─ Applications from community & voluntary groups, charities, statutory bodies, social enterprises, not-for-profit companies

─ Two-stage application process to identify fundable projects

─ Final decision typically within 8-9 months of application

─ Project can take up to 5 years to complete

Reaching Communities Stage 1―Stage 1 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

―Stage 1 has become more difficult so only the strongest projects get through to Stage 2

―Time taken to give a decision is around ten weeks

Reaching Communities Stage 2

─ Stage 2 asks you to explain your project in more detail

─ Requires more information about your project including detailed budget

─ You will have up to 4 months to submit Stage 2 application

─ We will then about 8 weeks to assess your

─ Decision will then be taken by a grant making panel which meets monthly

New programme…When was the last time your community came together? #BigCelebration

Things to consider before applying

Read the Guidelines..... ─ Is Big Lottery Fund the right funder?─ 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?

Making a strong case for funding

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?

Gather evidence of need 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!

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─ Show why your project is the best way of meeting

the need you have identified

hat Big Lottery Fund is looking for in applications…

What Big Lottery Fund is looking for in applications

─ Project is appropriate for the programme─ A good fit with Big Lottery Fund outcomes ─ Strong evidence that your project is needed─ Filling a gap in services and not duplicating─ Proof that your project will make a difference─ Beneficiaries consulted and involved in all stages of

the project

Evidencing need

─ Go back to basics – assume the Funding 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.

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!

Support and Guidance Available

Support and Guidance Available─ Big Lottery Fund website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk─ Programme Guidance Notes─ Good Practice Guides e.g. equalities, involving young people─ Case studies of successful projects─ Online courses –

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/englandwebinars─ BIG Advice Line: 0845 4 10 20 30 ─ Email enquiries: general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Questions and Comments?