Volunteering in Wales Fund

www.wcva.org.uk 0800 2888 329 help@wcva.org.uk

What is it?

• Competitive volunteering grant scheme

• Funded by Welsh Government

• Run by WCVA

Purpose

• Enables organisations to:– Recruit NEW volunteers– Offer quality training and support helping to motivate and retain

volunteers

• Targets underrepresented volunteering:– Key demographic groups– Areas of activity where volunteering is underdeveloped– Geographical areas where there is limited volunteering

opportunities

KPIs

• Volunteering in Wales Fund has two key performance indicators– Number of volunteers recruited (2,000)– Number of hours contributed by those volunteers (175,000)

• In 2011/12 projects funded by Volunteering in Wales Fund achieved– 5,329 volunteers – 379,769 volunteer hours

Who can apply?

• Third sector organisations that want to run volunteer projects – Must be NEW volunteers – not existing– Drawn predominantly from underrepresented groups

• 16-25 year olds• 50+• BEM• People with a physical or mental disability• Those not in employment, education or training• Other underrepresented groups

– Projects where volunteering is underdeveloped because of the geographic location and/or the type of volunteering activity

– The project, and any jobs supported, must take place in Wales– VWF does not support projects that should be statutorily funded

Funding available

• £1 million in 2012/13 (subject to confirmation from Welsh Government for 2013/14)

• Funding of up to £25k available, with the possibility of 50% tapered funding available in Years 2 (£12.5k) and 3 (£6.25k)

• Can be match funded or discreet• Competitive!

– 2012/13 – 185 applications and 71 projects funded – high mortality rate

When?

• Application process likely to begin in early January 2013 with a deadline in March

• Contact our helpdesk to be placed on a waiting list and an application pack will be sent to you when available– 0800 2888 329

• Check our website in January– www.wcva.org.uk

• ‘Like’ Volunteering in Wales Fund on Facebook – we will post updated information when available

Application Process

• Application period – January to March• Assessment period – April to June• The Community Projects Panel (drawn from the third

sector) meet to discuss assessed applications – June• Grant offer letters and unsuccessful letters issued – June• Projects start in July 2013 and run until June 2014• Feedback offered to unsuccessful applicants

Key sections of the application

• Check the eligibility criteria in the guidelines before making an application

• Key documents need to be enclosed– Use the check list at the front of the application as an aid– Ensure that the documents are ‘current’

• Failure to include the documents with your application will result in your application not being assessed

Key sections of the application

• WCVA Passport– Some types of documents previously submitted to WCVA by

your organisation may have been uploaded to our electronic system. You will not need to submit these again unless they have been updated. If so your organisation will have been provided with:

• WCVA Passport number• List of documents held

– Call WCVA’s helpdesk on 0800 2888 329 to check the above

• Time sensitive documents e.g. annual accounts, or project specific documents e.g. training plan are not linked to WCVA Passports

Key sections of the application

• Tell us about– Your organisation– Your project

• What is the name of the project?• When will it take place?• Where will it take place?• What type of activity will take place?• What key underrepresented groups are to be recruited as volunteers?• Will there be training for volunteers? Will it be accredited? Enclose a

training plan• How many people or service users will benefit from the volunteer activity?• Do you have the correct policies in place, e.g. Child Protection Policy?• Do you have a Welsh Language policy?

Key sections of the application

• How will you recruit your volunteers? – How will you reach the underrepresented groups you have told

us about?– Do you have a promotional plan?

• Who will be the direct beneficiaries of your project’s activities?– How many?– In what way do they benefit?

Key sections of the application

• How will your project benefit the wider community?

• Are there any existing services? – Why is your project needed?

• How will the project help develop volunteering opportunities in your organisation?

Key sections of the application

• Sustainability– When the project comes to an end how will you:

• Retain the new volunteers recruited?• Maintain the project’s activities?• Ensure that the impact of the project continues to benefit the

wider community?

• How will your project benefit or protect the environment?– Do you have an environmental policy?

Key sections of the application

• How will you recognise the contribution of the volunteers?– Certificates?– Celebration events?– Thank you letters?

Key sections of the application

• Outputs– How many volunteers will be recruited?– How many hours will the volunteers contribute?– How have you calculated these?

• You will recruit X volunteers, the volunteers will contribute X hours of volunteering – so what next?

Key sections of the application

• Outcomes– An outcome is the change that occurs as a result of

the outputs achieved – what does recruiting 50 volunteers and a contribution 1,000 hours actually achieve?

– What will the change be? Why do you think it will happen? Who will benefit? What impact will it have on the volunteers, beneficiaries and wider community?

Key sections of the application

• What will be the three main outcomes of your project– the project will support volunteers into paid employment through

…..– as a result of …. we envisage a reduction in local crime because– volunteers will gain accredited training and experience in care

that will put them on a pathway to further education/employment– the ICT project run by volunteers will help tackle fuel poverty

amongst the elderly by helping them access cheaper online only deals for utilities

Key sections of the application

• Finances– Will there be any match funding for the project?– Tell us how you will spend the funding you are seeking

• Complete the budget accurately

Submitting your application

• The closing date will be in March 2013• Hard copies must be submitted by 5pm on the closing

date• You are able to submit the application electronically by

email– An acceptable electronic signature is required – see guidelines

for example– Read the guidelines as there is a specific process for electronic

submission

• WCVA do not accept responsibility for any applications lost by post or by email

Successful applicants

• 1st payment on receipt of the offer letter signed by the organisation

• Organisation receives a Grant Recipient Information Pack

• Quarterly monitoring forms – these release the 2nd and final payments

• Monitoring visit by the assessor• Normally an opportunity for continuation funding (Year

2/3) subject to satisfactory performance and application

Applicant Experiences

• A short video from some previous grant recipients on their Volunteering in Wales Fund experiences

• Play

Some tips

• Make sure all the key documents are included– Check your WCVA Passport before submitting the application

• Make sure the documents are the most up to date versions

• Ensure the application is signed and dated• Make sure the budget is accurate and correctly

calculated• Make sure your project fits in with the fund’s timescales

The End

Any questions?