Black Country ESF Community Grants
Application Form
· ESF Community Grants are part of the European Social Fund (ESF) Programme which is distributing £900,000 in small grants in the Black Country region between 2016 and 2018. The aim of the fund is to help unemployed people progress towards employment through access to learning opportunities. The community grant programme is jointly funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and ESF.
· Funded activities must be aimed at unemployed individuals aged 18 and over from the hardest to reach communities. Priority groups for the Black Country region are as follows:
People aged 50 and over
People from ethnic minorities
People with disability and/or health conditions
Females
Offenders/ex offenders
Applications will be considered from any community that can evidence disadvantaged people, for example homeless and lone parents.
· Grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 are available for small charities or not-for-profit community organisations based in and providing services in the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership area. Eligible applicants must have an annual turnover of less than £150,000.
· Please call the Community Grants Team at Walsall MBC before completing this form for advice on what kind of projects we can support. An information pack is available and guidance notes in the left-hand column of this document are there to help - please ensure that you have read them thoroughly before completing the application form.
· Please give accurate information on how much your project will cost and who will take part. If your application is successful, we will compare these figures with your project’s actual results and significant deviation could result in penalties, up to and including requiring your group to return the grant money.
· If there is not enough space on the form to answer any question, please use the continuation sheet at the back of the form and remember to detail the question number. If this is still not enough, please limit any additional information to one sheet of A4 paper.
· Remember to complete the checklist of supporting information carefully, as your application will be rejected if you do not supply all the necessary documents
· Please answer each question on the form. Include the information requested. Do not just refer to attached documents. Remember to keep a copy of your completed form and supporting information.
Your applications will be assessed by a Grants Assessment Panel (GAP) and decisions made by a Black Country Programme Advisory Board (PAB). The Board’s decision is final and your application is made on that understanding.
Guidelines / ApplicationSection 1 You and your organisation
1. Please tell us the name of your organisation or group as it appears on your governing documents. The name you give here must match that on your bank statement and accounts. / 1. Name of your organisation:
2. This is the person that is taking responsibility for the project, the person we will contact and the person that must sign section 5 of this form / 2. Main contact in organisation:
Title: Full Name:
Position:
Telephone Number:
Email:
3. What is your organisation main address- including postcode? We can only fund organisations based in and providing services in the Black Country LEP area. / 3. Full contact address for organisation:
Phone:
Email:
4. Please note that the grant is for third sector organisations. If you have any queries about this please get in touch. This includes charities, social enterprises, not-for-profit companies and community groups.
We will only accept bids from established groups, i.e. with a track record of more than one year. / 4. What kind of organisation are you?
Registered Charity (please provide number):
Company limited by guarantee (please provide number):
Is your organisation not for profit with social aims?
In which year were you set up?
5. This relates to direct funding from one of the stated agencies and not funding via a sub-contracting arrangement. / 5. Has your organisation received funding directly from the European Social Fund (ESF), Skills Funding Agency (SFA), or Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the last 12 months?
Yes No
If yes please provide details:
6. To help us assess your application, we would like to find out about your organisation, when it was established, what it does, the people or communities that it targets, how many members, how many volunteers etc. Refer to your constitution (which should be included with this application) – use bullet points and include brief aims and objectives. / 6. What are the main aims and activities of your organisation?
7. Show part-time staff as proportional to a full-time position e.g. someone working 2 days a week is 2/5.
A volunteer is someone who is not paid anything but expenses, and who gives at least 1 hour a month to your group.
Members will typically have filled in a form and possibly paid to join.
Public will be everyone else who, in a typical week, will access your services / 7. How many people are currently involved in your organisation?
Paid Staff
Volunteers
Members
Public
8.Please state whether your local group is complete in itself, or whether it is the local branch / 8. If your group is part of a larger organisation or a member of an umbrella body, please tell us which one:
9. List the names and positions of your management committee (e.g. Chair, Treasurer), and indicate the cheque signatories. You must have at least 3 people on your management committee, of whom at least one must be unrelated to the others by marriage or birth. Two unrelated committee members should sign cheques. Continue on a separate sheet of paper if necessary. / 9. Who is on your Management Committee and what positions do they hold and do they sign cheques?
Who / Position / Signatory
Are they related? (If so please specify)
10.To be eligible your turnover must be £150,000 or less
Turnover is money earned by a business before making any deductions for business expenses. The turnover includes receipts in cash or in kind for goods sold or work done, capital income, fees receivable, profits, and so on. / 10. What is your turnover for the last 12 months?
11.Your accounts should be enclosed with this application, and the amounts here should match them. / 11. Provide the following details from your latest accounts:
Account year end (date):
Total (gross) income (must be less than £150,000):
Total expenditure:
Balance at year end:
Savings (reserves etc):
If your savings are more than your annual expenditure, what are you planning to spend savings on?
12. If you have previously been awarded a Community Grant, please be aware that past performance may be taken into consideration when marking this application, together with any references you provide. / 12. Have you previously been awarded a Community Grant?
Yes No
If Yes can you confirm that targets were met and all paperwork was handed in on time for every month of your contract?
Yes No
If No please briefly state why
If Yes, was this grant awarded by Walsall MBC?
Yes No, grant was awarded by ......
Section 2 Your idea
13. Please note that all beneficiaries of this project must be either unemployed or economically inactive (Economically Inactive people refers to those people who are out of work, but who do not satisfy all of the International Labour Organisation criteria for unemployment. This is because they are either not seeking work or are unavailable to start work. An example of this could be a carer) and all beneficiaries must be aged 18 plus.
All participants must have a right to work in the UK and be able to provide evidence of this. / 13.How many people will this project assist?
Will all beneficiaries be unemployed or economically inactive?
Yes No
Will all beneficiaries be aged 18 or over
Yes No
Will all participants have a right to work in the UK?
Yes No
14. State the name of your project. / 14. What is the name of your project?
15. Specific start and end dates are required; please avoid words such as “ongoing” You can expect to receive approval around 4 weeks after the application deadline. You should complete the project no later than Dec 2017. / 15. When will the project start:
When will the project end:
16. Describe the overall aim of your project. Please avoid jargon. You can use bullet points. / 16. Please summarise in 100 words or less the aim of your project:
17.This should provide a detailed description of activity, in particular how the project will move people closer to the job market. This should be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1500. Please use continuation sheet. / 17. Please explain, as clearly as you can, what will happen during the project and what the grant will be used for:
18. The purpose of this question is to find out the locality where most of the participants of your project live. Please note that your project must be serving Black Country residents. / 18. Where do the majority of people who will participate in your project live? (Please tick as many as apply)
Dudley Borough
Sandwell Borough
Walsall Borough
Wolverhampton Borough
19. If your project takes place at more than one location please provide the addresses and explain why. / 19. Please give the full address of the venue where your project will take place
20. Your project may benefit more than one category or may benefit none.
If you tick the other category please specify who will benefit. / 20. Please indicate the approximate number of people that may benefit from the project from each of the categories below
Females
People with disabilities or health conditionsPeople from ethnic minorities
People aged 50 and over
Offenders/ex-offenders
Other e.g. lone parents(please state)
Total
Please confirm that you will check the eligibility of beneficiaries, this means that they must not be employed, they must be aged 18 and over, and they must have the right to work in the UK?
Yes No
21. Outcomes are the changes, benefits, learning or other effects that will happen as a result of your project. This might include:
· Initial help with basic skills
· Taster work experience including voluntary work
· Training advice and guidance
· Job search assistance
· Confidence building and personal development
· First contact engagement activities, e.g. to provide support to individuals
· Overcome barriers to learning and/or employment
(Please use continuation sheet)
Please note that Community Grants will not fund activity that your organisation already delivers, this funding MUST be for the delivery of new activities. / 21. Please give examples of how people will benefit from the project i.e. what outcomes do you expect to achieve and how will you both measure and demonstrate this?
Please confirm that this project is new/additional activity to that which you currently deliver
Yes No
22.
Explain how you know your project is needed. We will require proof of recent consultation, or evidence that you have identified beneficiaries who want to participate in your project. This could be surveys, questionnaires, waiting lists etc. / 22. How have you identified need for the project? Have you consulted people from your target group about the project and if so how?
23. Will you partner another organisation, or are you already in contact with your target group, for example, are they group members? / 23. How will you get participants to join the project?
24. You will need to submit an equality and diversity policy with your application. In addition please describe how equality and diversity will be embedded into your project. For example how will you ensure equal access? Will you celebrate diversity? / 24. Explain how you have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into your project at all stages?
25. Describe how you will mitigate any negative effects on the environment e.g. recycling, shared travel, public transport, double-sided print etc / 25. How will you ensure your project does not have any negative effects on the local environment?
26. How much will your project cost?
Awards will be between £5,000 and £10,000. Please itemise your costs accurately. If your budget appears high compared to similar projects your award may be reduced or your application even rejected.
We can fund revenue costs related to the learning activity and capital expenditure up to £1,000 only.
We can fund staff costs including administration, tutor fees, travel, childcare for beneficiaries, learner resources, volunteer expenses, marketing etc
Small single items must not cost more that £1,000 plus VAT and with a lifetime of generally less than 1 year. These are items which you would typically not depreciate in your accounts e.g. staplers rather than computers.
We will make a contribution to overheads such as rent as long as they are calculated and proportional and have impact on the project.
We will not fund contingency.
All expenditure will have to be demonstrated through receipts, time sheets etc so your budget should be realistic and should include time spent on managing project documentation.
Continue on a separate sheet of paper if necessary. / 26.Tell us how much money your project will need
Spend Profile; / Please provide a breakdown of costs under the following headings (inclusive of VAT where applicable)
Staff Costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Volunteer Costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Operational/activity costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Office, overheads, premises costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Capital costs (Equipment)
Maximum total £999.99 / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Publicity costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
Other costs / Requested Amount
£ / Breakdown of costs;
TOTAL COST:
27. The funding must be for the total cost of the project. Please note that Community Grants cannot be used to fund projects retrospectively. Expenditure cannot begin until approval has been given and after the agreed start date. If the full amount of the grant has not been spent within the period of the project, or if the grant has not been spent in accordance with the details provided on the application form, we will require the return of these amounts. / 27. Will the community grant fund the entire project costs?
Yes No
Please confirm that you understand that this grant cannot be used as match funding or to fund activities elsewhere?
Section 4 Financial Information
28.You must have an independent bank account that the grant can be paid into.
You must include a copy of your latest accounts / financial statements and a copy of a recent bank statement with your application. / 28. Bank Account details
Group’s Account Name:
Bank/Building Society Name:
Bank/Building Society address:
Sort Code:
Account Number:
Building Society roll number (if applicable):
29. How many people have to sign each cheque or withdrawal from this account?
Please list all the people who are authorised to sign cheques on this account:
Name / Position in organisation
Section 5 Independent Referee Certification
30.This should be someone who knows the group in a professional capacity, but does not work for your organisation
Your referee must be a person with a professional or public position whose status we can check. / Name:
Organisation:
Position held:
Address:
Telephone Number:
How long have you known this organisation?
In what capacity do you know this organisation?
Why are you supporting this application?
Are you confident the group will be able to efficiently manage the paperwork and monitoring requirements of the ESF grant?
31. You need to have assessed any risks to beneficiaries and ensure that you are providing a safe, healthy and supportive environment that meets the need of learners. Please note that you are required to send a copy of your Health and Safety Policy as part of the application process. / 31. Tell us about the steps you have taken to identify and mitigate risks to beneficiaries, for example, under your health and safety policies and procedures.
32. Your project will need to follow RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995). For more details go to www.hse.gov.uk/riddor / 32. What is the name of the person responsible for reporting any major accidents that happen during the project to the Community Foundation in accordance with RIDDOR regulations?
33. Describe trainer qualifications. / 33. If there is training, who delivers it, how was the trainer selected, and are they appropriately qualified?
34. It is important that the form is signed on behalf of your group. Please note that the date of signature is not proof of the receipt of the application form by the due deadline. / 34. Declaration
a. As far as I know the information in this application is correct.
b. If the information should change WMBC will be notified immediately.
This box should be signed by the main contact in question 2
Signed for the applicant
This should be the signature by the main contact in question 2.
Signed: Full name: Date: ______
Position of Authority: ______
This should be the signature of the chairperson or another member of the management committee or Board of Directors.
Signed: Full name: Date: ______
Position of Authority: ______
When submitting your completed application please remember to enclose copies of the following: