[WiLT] Building Democracy - grants of up to £15,000 - apply by 26th September

[WiL Admin]

Building Democracy - grants of up to £15,000 - apply by 26th September

Share your ideas to make a difference


Can you think of a way to stimulate public discussion?

Grants of up to £15,000 will be available for up to 10 of the best
proposals for using online tools, face-to-face events or a combination
of approaches

Lodge your application up until 4pm on 26 September 2008

We want more people to participate in our democracy, and we want you
to come up with ways to make this happen.

The UK Government is working hard to connect with people - as you can
see in the Governance of Britain programme and the Communities in
Control White Paper.

Now we want to support projects that you will run to help people to
address public issues and influence government.

If you can think of a way to get people talking, we'd like to hear it.
We have £150,000 available to develop about ten proposals.

We see this working in two stages:
* You float your idea (using the green button on the right of the web
site), and help others develop their ideas.
* When you are ready, you submit a full application (using the brown
button just below the green button on the web site).

We encourage you to strengthen your proposal by discussing your ideas
on this site before you submit an application. There are lots of
people with all kinds of experience who can give you great tips.

So be imaginative, make a suggestion, share your expertise - and help
build a stronger democracy.

(NB During this initiative, we will be working closely with our
colleagues in the Power of Information Taskforce who run Show Us a
Better Way and with the Department for Innovation, Universities and
Skills who will help us with evaluation. Check them out.)

http://www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk/fund/


Criteria

When floating ideas for projects, you can be as creative and
imaginative as you like. When it comes to lodging applications,
however, you should keep in mind the six criteria for the Fund. These
are:
* The project assists people to discuss public issues and influence
government policy-making.
* The project trials a new or different method or technique for
engagement, or applies an existing method or technique in a new way.
* Where there are similar existing engagement programmes, the project
complements or builds on these rather than duplicating them.
* The project: a) is nationwide; or b) could be rolled out across the
country (it is upscalable); or c) could be adopted by other
organisations.
* The project can achieve a tangible result within 12 months and a
review of the result within 15 months.
* The project is sustainable beyond the life of the Innovation Fund
grant.

Most of all, the selection panel will look for interesting ideas that
could really get people participating in public discussion.

http://www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk/fund/criteria.html

Process

First up

Throughout August, we would like people to come up with some great
ideas for promoting public participation in democracy, and then
discuss these ideas on this website.

This gives you the chance to use other people's experience and
expertise to strengthen your proposal.

It is also an opportunity to find a project partner if there's an
aspect of your proposal that you are not sure about. For example, you
might be a community organisation looking to extend your brilliant
face-to-face participation techniques onto a website - but you're not
sure about the technical side of things. Or you might have a cool
concept that would work well in a sports club, and you're looking for
a volunteer club to try it out.

September

The web discussion forum will continue through September.

We might hold an event in early September to give people interested in
the Fund a chance to chat in person. Details will be posted on this
website if it goes ahead.

In the second half of September, we would expect most people to lodge
their formal application to the Fund. You can keep discussing your
proposal on the website after you've lodged your application.

If you lodge an application and then decide you want to amend it, you
can simply fill out the application form again. Please make it clear
that you intend to revoke your earlier application and replace it with
the newer, amended version.

The deadline for applications (including any amended applications) is
4pm on 26 September 2008.

October

The selection panel will meet in the second week of October to decide
which projects to support.

Shortly after, we will contact the successful applicants to negotiate
a contract. We hope to have all contracts finalised by the end of
October.

We will also let you know if your proposal was not successful, and you
can ask for feedback.

http://www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk/fund/process.html


What happens next

If your proposal is selected, you will be invited to enter into a
contract with the Ministry of Justice for funding to trial your idea.
This contract will include standard terms, such as:
* What you will do with the money (agreed project activities and
products)
* When you will receive the money (a schedule of payments)
* An agreement around intellectual property that allows both you, the
Ministry of Justice and others to use the project's ideas
* That you will manage your financial records properly
* That you will comply with all laws, including the Data Protection
Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000
* Projects should be underway by November 2008.

We expect that most projects will have a tangible result by October
2009.

If your project is supported through the Fund, you will be encouraged
to contemplate how it will continue once the funding is finished in
2009. We will help you consider your options.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) will
evaluate the Democratic Engagement Innovation Fund, to understand how
government can better support innovative projects. More details about
the evaluation will be provided to successful applicants.

http://www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk/fund/next.html

Terms and Conditions
http://www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk/fund/terms.html