BIG LOTTERY FUND PRESENTATION

Transcription

1 BIG LOTTERY FUND PRESENTATION

2 Big Lottery Fund - Cheshire

3 What is the Big Lottery Fund? TRUE OR FALSE? BIG is part of Camelot? BIG mainly funds the voluntary and community sector BIG receives half of the good cause money from the Lottery? BIG only funds charities? BIG only funds projects in areas of deprivation?

4 What this session will cover Improve your understanding of how to evidence need Understand what BIG means by outcomes Have a better idea about what BIG expects from applicants

5 BIG s Mission Bringing improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need

6 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

7 What BIG expects from applicants Identify the need Develop an aim Develop project outcomes Work up activities Identify milestones Measure progress

8 Why is it important to evidence need? High demand for limited resources Provides a clear vision of what your project will tackle Keeps everyone involved in the project focused on the priorities 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

9 What sources can you use to evidence need? What sources of evidence can you think of?

10 What sources can you use to evidence need? Statistics and area or community profile Research (reports, surveys etc) Consultation and community involvement Consultations with stakeholders or partners Strategies - generic and specialist local/regional/national

11 Cont.What sources can you use to evidence need? Other existing services/current provision (or lack of) Evaluation of existing services/pilot project Letters of support (not to be used in isolation) Anecdotal evidence (not to be used in isolation)

12 Evidencing need things to consider Avoid using individual pieces of evidence in isolation Ask questions about the research data you re referencing to determine if it is a reliable source Try to ensure research is not biased Take care when wording questions and interpreting data Ensure surveys and statistics are representative Make sure consultations are inclusive of the whole community

13 How much evidence do you need to provide? First identify: the scale of the problem what capacity you have the size of your project As a minimum, you need to involve your stakeholders: stakeholder analysis - who are your key stakeholders? How do you involve them (incl. the hard to reach )?

14 Questions that BIG might ask on the application form What are the problems your project will deal with? How have you identified the need? consultation and research you have done How your project fits in with local, regional or national plans/strategies? How will your project address the need? Why is the project the best way of meeting the need? How is your project complimenting existing services or filling gaps?

15 Aim, Outcomes and Activities Project aim: The overall purpose of the project, described in simple language and in one sentence Project outcomes: The changes that will come about as a direct result of your project Project activities: What will your project do to bring about the intended outcomes? These are the tasks, services or activities that your project will provide

16 Outcomes Big Lottery Fund will ask projects to identify up to 4 outcomes for your project Not identifying project outcomes is the most common reason applications fail We will assess how well your outcomes are meeting an identified need, how likely you are to achieve them and how well they fit with the aims of our funding. Outcomes should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based

17 How to write Outcomes Who people or organisations who will benefit How - should relate to change or difference What what is changing Young people Lone parents People with mental health difficulties Older people who are experiencing loss of mobility. Improve Increase Reduce Expand Develop Sustain Confidence Skills Environment Access to services Relationships Opportunities 40 people with mental health difficulties report improved confidence by the end of the project

18 Outcomes questions to ask yourself Before you send us your application think about the following points: Are your outcomes relevant to the activity of the project? Do you know how you will measure your outcomes? Are your outcomes realistic? Can you achieve your outcomes within the lifetime of the grant? Is there a clear link between the evidence of need for the project and its outcomes

19 Measuring Outcomes Milestones are the targets that will help you report on the progress of your project. Your milestones will show us how you will measure the progress of your activities but also how well you are achieving your intended outcomes. You can use a variety of tools to measure outcomes, including questionnaires, surveys, focus groups, video diaries and one-to-one interviews. Measuring outcomes should be a continuous process and should be reflected in your milestones. Will help you understand what is and isn t working and enable you to adjust your project approach accordingly

20 Measuring Outcomes Outcomes Milestones - Progress of activities Milestones Outcomes Indicator 40 people with ongoing mental health difficulties report improved confidence by the end of the project. 40 service users attended discussion meetings by month people take part in shopping trips with befriender by month people able to take part in discussion. 20 people report feeling less nervous about going out in public.

21 Common reject reasons Outcomes - very little link between activities and outcomes Improve link to plans Not all project outcomes clearly identified Inadequate evidence of need Inadequate involvement of local community Inadequate link to local plans Measurable and achievable outcomes needed More evidence of need required More beneficary involvement No project outcomes clearly identified No involvement of local community No evidence of need

22 Contact us For funding information or general enquiries ring the Big Advice Line on For all things BIG: and subscribe to the monthly e-bulletin for updates at For Awards For All: Read Explaining the difference your project makes on BIG s website.

23 Questions?