[WiLT] Capacitybuilders National Support Services

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Capacitybuilders National Support Services

Funding area: England
Next Application Deadline: 07/11/2007

Start date: 26/09/2007
End date: 31/03/2011

The aim of the National Support Services funding programme is to raise
the skills and effectiveness of sector support services in key areas
of need where there are significant current gaps, potential for
improved services, and where growth in demand is likely. The key
outcome of the National Support Services programme is that by 2011,
more sector support providers are delivering high quality support
which is relevant to the needs of diverse frontline organisations. The
programme has been designed to ensure that a greater proportion of
available resources get to the organisations involved in direct
delivery.

Total Fund Value: £ 16,000,000

The figure shown is approximately what will be available under this
programme for the three-year period beginning April 2008.

The National Support Services are a key element of the continuing
ChangeUp investment programme supported by the Office of the Third
Sector at the Cabinet Office. The programme represents the result of
significant review and consultation regarding how best to achieve
Capacitybuilders' strategic aim to improve the quality and
effectiveness of support for the third sector.

In terms of National Support Services aiming to serve other support
providers, Capacitybuilders believe that priorities and delivery
should be based on a balance of:
* demands of other support providers for guidance, training or
resources;
* evidence of gaps in current support provision;
* analysis of issues likely to be of growing importance to third
sector organisations, if they are to be effective in the medium to
long term, including changes in the policy environment, and
expectations of stakeholders.

It is against these criteria that Capacitybuilders has developed nine
priority themes or 'workstreams' for the national support programme.
They are not a definitive statement of sector needs or priorities, rat
her areas where there are significant current gaps, potential for
improved services and growth in demand is likely. The nine national
support workstreams are:
* Campaigning and Advocacy - c. £600,000 p.a.
* Collaboration - c. £600,000 p.a.
* Equalities and Diversity - c. £400,000 p.a.
* Income Generation - c. £600,000 p.a.
* Leadership and Governance - c. £600,000 p.a.
* Marketing and Communications - c. £400,000 p.a
* Modernising Volunteering - c. £400,000 p.a.
* Performance Management - c. £600,000 p.a.
* Responding to Social Change - c. £400,000 p.a.

For more detailed descriptions of each programme, see the document
National Support Services: Background Information, Table 1, which can
be downloaded via the link at the bottom of this page.

Capacitybuilders envisage that activities contributing to the
programme outcome might include - but not restricted to:
* resources aimed both towards support providers and frontline
organisations that meet evidenced gaps in information and advice;
* development programmes for support providers, improving the skills
and responsiveness of those advising and supporting frontline
organisations;
* piloting new approaches to supporting frontline organisations around
each theme, in partnership with other support providers;
* raising the profile of obstacles or changes to the policy
environment that could assist frontline organisations.

Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Funded activities and interventions should reflect the role of support
services in meeting the needs of the diverse third sector
organisations in England, and ensure equal access to generalist,
specialist and thematic support providers.

Capacitybuilders' priority is to build on earlier investment from the
Home Office and Defra and strengthen what exists, rather than create
new organisations or unsustainable initiatives.

The investment should not replace or displace funding or
responsibilities of other funders, should have a multiplying effect
wherever possible - providing leverage for additional funding and
resources, and will support activities and interventions in England
only.

The programme will only fund activities and interventions that improve
sector support services, which means the physical facilities,
structures, systems, relationships, people, knowledge and skills that
help front line organisations achieve their aims.

Capacitybuilders will enter into a grant agreement with one provider
agency for each workstream, and wants to encourage a range of agencies
with relevant expertise to put forward proposals for National Support
Services.

The provider agencies for each workstream must be constituted bodies
which:
* are charities, voluntary and community organisations or social
enterprises (i.e. constituted for public or community benefit and
unable to dispose of assets for private gain);
* have a bank account that requires two signatures for transactions,
and either a full year's set of accounts or the ability to demonstrate
that key personnel have significant prior experience of financial
management.

Expressions of interest will be assessed and scored against the
following criteria:
* knowledge and/or track record in delivering support services within
the workstream area;
* strength of analysis of challenges facing diverse frontline
organisations and current weaknesses and gaps in delivery of support
services;
* contributing to the programme outcome with clearly prioritised
activity reflecting this analysis;
* credible plan for delivery, including linking to demand from local
and regional sector support services;
* linkages, partnership and/or support from key agencies working in
related fields;
* transparent, proportionate commissioning/partnership processes where
not all activity is to be delivered 'in house';
* value for money and synergy with other funding;
* sustainable impact beyond 2011;
* ability to deliver activity from April 2008.

Application Procedure:
* Prospective applicants should first read the documents National
Support Services: Prospectus, and National Support Services:
Background Information for further advice and guidance about the
programme. These documents can be downloaded in the Documents and
Links section at the bottom of this page or from the Capacitybuilders
website at www.capacitybuilders.org.uk (opens new window).

Capacitybuilders are holding three briefing sessions for organisations
interested in submitting proposals:
* London - 10:30 am Monday 8 October
* Leeds - 10:30 am Wednesday 10 October
* Birmingham - 10:30 am Wednesday 17 October.

To register an interest in attending one of these events please email
gill.balding at conferencesolutions.uk.com

The first stage of the application process involves completing an
Expression of Interest form, which must be completed electronically
using the standard form available from the Capacitybuilders website at
http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/Expression of Interest.

Guidance notes on the completing the Expression of Interest Form can
also be downloaded via the link at the bottom of this page.

Completed Expressions of Interest must sent by email to
info at capacitybuilders.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday, 7 November. The
advisory and assessment team will make recommendations on 15 November
and preferred bidders chosen by the end of November.

Capacitybuilders will then work with preferred bidders to finalise
three-year business plans, ensure alignment with local, sub-regional
and regional plans and address any transitional issues in relation to
those new services and previous similar work undertaken by the
national hubs.

Contact Information:
* National Support Services, Capacitybuilders, 77 Paradise Circus,
Birmingham B1 2DT
* Phone: 0121 237 5100
* Email: info at capacitybuilders.org.uk
* Web: http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk

Full details and related links eg:
* Application Form
- National Support Services: Expression of Interest form
* Guidance
- National Support Services: Prospectus
- National Support Services: Background Information
- National Support Services: Application Guidance

can be found at
http://www.governmentfunding.org.uk/VCSSearch.aspx?WCI=htmSchemeView&WCU=DSCODE=DSCLIVEGF,SCHEMEID=12-S113,SEARCH=DS=DSCLIVEGF

Posted on WiLT blog at
http://www.freecharity.org.uk/~womeninlondon/?p=420