Kingston Voluntary Sectory Forum presentation by Lillie Swift, Funding Officer (Local Team). England Directorate, Big Lottery Fund

1. Big Lottery Fund
Kingston Voluntary Sector Forum
30/06/2016

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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”

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. 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.

8. 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

9. Key features of projects we fund
─ Partnership
─ User Informed
─ Local
─ Long Term
─ Evidence and Impact

10. Funding Programmes

11. Our Funding – Three main themes
Demand 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

12. Demand Led Funding
Awards for All
Reaching 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

13. 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

14. 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 buildings
o Geographically targeted at most deprived areas

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. Things to consider before applying

20. 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?

21. Making a strong case for funding

22. 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?

23. 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!

24. 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

25. hat Big Lottery Fund is looking for
in applications…

26. 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

27. 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.

28. 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!

29. Support and Guidance Available

30. 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

31. Questions and Comments?