Perinatal Mental Health Community Support Fund Bid 2017-2019

Guidance notes

Prior to applying please read the guidance notes carefully.

If you wish to have an informal discussion about your please contact

Closing date for applications is: 12noon Monday 10th July 2017

Overview

This funding is being administered by Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCGs (BNSSG). BNSSG aim to improve and build on existing support services for families in our areas with a young child/children (under 5’s) who are experiencing perinatal mental health problems (antenatal and postnatal). This may include peer support, networks or groups to enable women with perinatal mental health problems to connect with and support each other. We encourage that the role of dads, partners and the wider family are considered in any bid.

The service delivered will need to be evidence based and evaluated to show the improved impact for local families. The successful bidder/bidders will need to work in partnership with existing services across the three CCG areas. Any new service will be expected to link with current services if appropriate, or work alongside or in partnership with them. We are also keen to encourage innovative practice and work that maximises, rather than duplicates the opportunities offered by early help support services.

Practitioners and volunteers working with families should have training that covers infant social and emotional development and perinatal mental health. They should understand how to identify safeguarding or mental health concerns and how to act on these concerns.

The total funding available is £200,000 over two years. There is no limit on the amount which any organisation can bid for, but we will ensure that the activities which are funded cover the whole of the BNSSG area and support the needs of a range of women and their families.

All funding proposals must be supported by a needs assessment which identifies the needs of the population which they are working with and demonstrates how they will address them.

It is expected that the successful applicant will know the needs of the population and inform us of any gaps and have a plan to reduce any gaps in current provision.

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Some things to consider before deciding to apply

  • Has your organisation the capacity and capability to deliver the work?
  • Does your organisation have an appropriate governance structure to apply for the funding? (not for profit- e.g. charity, CIC, CIO)
  • Are there any other not for profit organisations already providing activities/services that you could work with?
  • If appropriate, what contact have you had with other relevant community groups, charities or organisations and how this has helped to develop this service plan?
  • Do you have a demonstrable understanding of the current gaps in provision and how your proposal will address those gaps?
  • What you would like to do with the funding and how you will go about effectively providing your activity?
  • Who will coordinate and deliver the activity?
  • What expertise, experience, knowledge or resources your group has that will enable you to effectively provide the activity?
  • How you intend to record or measure the benefit of your activity (outputs and outcomes)
  • What is the evidence base? Demonstrate how your proposed activity will help improve perinatal mental health?

Who can apply?

BNSSG welcomes applications from voluntary sector and not for profit organisations based in our areas. Your organisation does not have to be a registered charity but must have charitable aims together with the following:

  • A management committee/board of trustees/board of directors with at least 3 unrelated people as members. Companies must have 3 directors registered with Companies House.
  • A written set of rules (articles) that set out the purpose of your organisation and how it is managed.
  • A copy of your most recent annual accounts or financial records that show your organisation’s balance of funds, income and expenditure. You must have been operating for at least 18 months.
  • A bank account in the name of the organisation
  • A reserves policy
  • A vulnerable Adult and Child safeguarding policy/ policies

If you are successful we will require copies of these documents for our records

Evidence of insurance

Organisations do not have to provide evidence of insurance for their activities at the application stage. However, your organisation must maintain adequate insurance for its activities at all times, and if asked, must supply copies of insurance confirmation.

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Size of income and financial reserves of applicant organisation

An organisation’s income and level of financial reserves will be taken into consideration. We would recommend that an applicant organisation holds enough reserves to cover a minimum of 3 months of the organisation’s annual expenditure. If for any reason your organisation has less than 3 months in financial reserves, you will need to make it clear in the application why the organisation’s reserves are at this level. A good reserves policy gives confidence that the organisation’s finances are being properly managed and will also provide an indicator of future funding needs and its overall resilience.

Full cost recovery

Full cost recovery means securing funding for all the costs involved in running a project/activity. BNSSG supports the principle of full cost recovery and where appropriate applicants can include management cost in their application proportionate to the activity being undertaken.

What won’t we fund

· Capital projects such as building works.

· Direct replacement of statutory funding.

References

Referees should know the work of the applicant organisation in a professional capacity but not be directly involved in delivery of the proposed project.

Could the funding be used to contribute toward a larger project involving other funders?

The funding could be used to add a work stream to a project that already exists. So the funding could be used to deliver an additional programme of work that maximises joined up thinking and positive outcomes for the beneficiaries.

The funding however cannot fund any activity retrospectively so you must ensure that you receive a decision before your activity begins.

Submitting your application

Applications should be made using the application form and emailed with supporting documents to

Who awards funding

A panel made up of commissioners from Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups.

The panel will consider all applications put before them. The recommendations of the panel are final and no appeal can be made against any decision made.

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Assessing your application

The panel will meet to assess applications during the week of 17th July 2017. It is anticipated that a decision will be made on the 21st July 2017.

When assessing an application, the panel will consider such matters as:

  • The management of the applicant organisation
  • Whether the proposed activity fits the criteria
  • Whether the activity fits well with exiting services/activities and is not duplicating existing services/activities
  • Whether the applicant demonstrates an understanding of the project and how it can be delivered
  • Whether the activity is value for money, and appropriately costed
  • Whether the outputs and outcomes are realistic and achievable
  • The financial position and sustainability of the applicant organisation
  • The organisation has appropriate safeguarding procedures in place

You will receive an email informing you of the decision. If your organisation is offered the funding you will be provided with a set of conditions and an acceptance form. If you are willing to accept the conditions, the acceptance form will need to be signed and returned, together with a copy of a recent bank statement, before the funding can be paid.

How will the funding be paid

The funding will be paid directly via BACS into the recipient’s bank account.

Spending the funding and reporting back (monitoring)

Once an offer has been made the recipient must return the acceptance form and start spending the funding within three months of the date of the offer letter. If you have been unable to start spending the funding within three months of receiving the offer letter, or it cannot be used for the purpose for which it was awarded, you must inform us of the situation as soon as possible.

The funding is for a period of up to two years from the date of the signed offer letter.

In signing the acceptance form the recipient agrees to use the funding only for the purposes described in the offer letter. If there is a change in your organisation’s circumstances that affects the way the funding can be spent, you must contact o discuss this. We will try to be as helpful as possible.

Monitoring reports will be required from recipients to confirm that the funding they received has been used appropriately and to assess the impact of the activity on the identified need. We will work with the successful organisation to agree the timescale for monitoring reports. These are likely to be quarterly.

Funding recipients must keep receipts and financial records of the way in which the funding is spent, as these may be needed in the future for audit purposes.

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