[WiLT] Baring Foundation - Strengthening the Voluntary Sector - by 30th June 2008

[WiL Admin]

Baring Foundation - Strengthening the Voluntary Sector - by 30th June
2008

Strengthening the Voluntary Sector (STVS) - independence grants
programme 2008

The Strengthening the Voluntary Sector - independence programme 2008
is now open. This year the programme will focus on strengthening the
independence of advice and advocacy organisations:
* in the cities of Bristol, Coventry, Manchester or Sheffield
* or in the counties of Kent or Lincolnshire.

The deadline for submitting applications is 30 June 2008.
New grants will be announced in December 2008.

An application can either be for an organisation to improve its own
independence from government or to carry out work to support other
organisations in one or more of the specified geographical areas to
become more independent. Organisations can apply for a single piece of
work, or for a package of activities. The programme will support
organisations in a variety of ways.

Those that can apply are Voluntary organisations:
* that are registered charities or constituted not-for-profit
organisations;
* AND whose purpose is to support people to secure their legal rights
and entitlements;
* AND that are local or regional advice and advocacy organisations
based in the cities of Bristol, Coventry, Manchester OR Sheffield or
the counties of Kent; OR Lincolnshire OR are national organisations
supporting advice and advocacy organisations based in one or more of
these areas.

You may still apply if your organisation helps people to secure their
legal rights and entitlements as part of other services, but you must
be able to show that this is a substantial part of your work and that
the work is of high quality.

The aim of the programme is: to support advice and advocacy
organisations to maintain or increase their independence from
government; BY carrying out organisational development activities;
LEADING TO a significant and lasting improvement in effectiveness.

An application can either be for an organisation to improve its own
independence from government or to carry out work to support other
organisations in one or more of the specified geographical areas to
become more independent. Organisations can apply for a single piece of
work, or for a package of activities. The programme will support
organisations in a variety of ways.

Organisations applying to strengthen just their own organisation can
apply for grants of between £20,000 and £80,000 over up to five years.

Organisations applying as part of a consortium, or for work that will
strengthen other organisations, for example a national organisation
that will work with organisations in the chosen areas, can bid for up
to £200,000 over up to five years. For these types of grants, the
Foundation will be particularly keen to hear how lessons learned will
be shared with practitioners and policy makers.

Organisations that currently hold a STVS grant can apply for funding
under this round. Organisations that are not awarded funding can apply
again next year if they still fit the criteria. The Foundation is
willing to fund a piece of work in its entirety or with a number of
other funders. Competition for funds will be extremely high.

The application process is in two stages.

Stage 1 - Applicants are asked to send the following: the completed
application form. You can submit this by post or on-line. Applications
must be received by the Foundation by Monday 30th June 2008.
Applications that are ineligible will be notified as soon as possible
after that date. Other applications will go forward to a short-listing
meeting.

Stage 2 - Applicants will be notified by the 22nd September 2008 if
they have or have not been short-listed. Short-listed organisations
will then be visited by the Foundation's staff and may be asked to
provide further written information. A final report will be written by
Foundation staff for the Trustees to consider on Monday 1st December
2008.

Full information including excemptions and application forms are on
website below.

The Baring Foundation, 60 London Wall, London EC2M 5TQ
Tel: 020 7767 1348
Fax: 020 7767 7121
Email: baring.foundation at uk.ing.com
Website: http://www.baringfoundation.org.uk