Common Ground Initiative Supporting positive change in Africa 27 th February 2012.

Common Ground Initiative

Supporting positive change in Africa

27th February 2012

Aims of the day

Increased understanding of:

Comic Relief, our principles and approach to project and programme outcomes

What makes a successful application to Comic Relief with a focus on the Common Ground Initiative

Strategic Goals

Following extensive consultation with various small and Diaspora organisations in early 2009, the following strategic goals were set:

Grant Making - Support work that will tackle poverty and injustice among communities in Africa and bring about lasting change

Advocacy - Provide opportunities for small and Diaspora organizations to influence international development

Organisational Development - Enable small and Diaspora organisations to build their capacity to effectively support programmes and influence policy makers

Communication - Create greater awareness of Diaspora and small organisations’ contribution to international development

Learning - Contribute to knowledge and learning about the experience of Diaspora in international development

Eligibility

Small UK registered charities (turnover of under £1 million over the last two years)

Diaspora registered charities

Organisations where the majority of the trustees define themselves as being of African heritage; who live in the UK and – irrespective of citizenship – retain emotional, financial and cultural links with their country and/or the African continent; and who share a commitment to tackle poverty and injustice in Africa and whose organisational aims reflect that commitment.

Other UK registered organisations able to show how profits generated from the project directly benefit the targeted communities Trade Programme & the Common Ground Enterprise and Employment Programme only

Funding Options

All eligible organisations will be included in the CGI and can apply for work in Africa through the 7 existing programmes:

Street and Working Children and Young People

Women and Girls

People Living in Urban Slums

People Affected by Conflict

People Affected By HIV

Trade

Sport for Change

 Or under the three CGI programmes:

Health

Education

Enterprise and Employment

Grant Making Models

All eligible organisations can apply for a:

Research, Consultation and Planning Grant – up to £25k, to build the knowledge and relationships needed to formulate funding applications

Or a;

Project Grant - £10k to £1 million, lasting up to 5 years

What makes a good Application?

Basics – Complete the forms, answer the questions, avoid jargon

Policies – Do check these

Programmes – target groups essential, contribution to outcomes increases fit, programme specific questions are important

Capacity and track record – must fit your objects, consider impact of scale up

Principles – balance immediate needs vs. root causes, demonstrate specific planning work undertaken, how local organisations will be developed, involve local people

Budget – justify costs, balance against role of partners

CR Principles

Understanding the context

Consulting with key players

Building on good practice

Involving local people

Investing in local organizations

Working with others

Implementing Learning Strategies

Applying Learning

Comic Relief Funding Policies

Do not fund work where the institutional care of children or adults is a preferred way of working such as orphanages

Does not generally fund the provision of mainstream, basic health, education or other services that are the primary responsibility of government with the support of major bilateral or multilateral funding

Do not fund the provision of ARVs

Will not fund organizations whose mission or charitable objectives state an intention to convert people to any kind of religious beliefs

For a full list of Comic Relief’s Grant Making Policies for Project or Research Grants please visit our website at www.comicrelief.com

What do we mean by Outcomes?

Project – intended or unintended effects or changes to people’s lives that happen as a result of the project or organisation’s activities

Organisation – changes in the capacity of funded organisations as a result of project activities

Defining Project Outcomes

Focus on changes to people’s lives

Go beyond project activities to changes

Expressed as a result

SMART – outcome or its associated indicators for measuring changes

Be simple – not more than one change, but can include intermediate and final change

Not provoke a ‘so what’ question!

Defining Project Outcomes

Specific – one change and for whom

Measurable – types of measures and how

Attainable – can achieve, contribution

Relevant – relate to needs of diff groups

Time-bound – by when achieved

Short listing – 3 team members read

Approval/rejection – within one month, reapplication by invitation

Full application submission – in 3 weeks (or defer to next cycle)

Assessment – Consultant, 3 week window,

Programme Advisory Groups – Team, Assessors and Advisors

International Grants Committee – Team, Directors, Trustees and

Advisors

Trustees – Decide on all grants, approval/rejection – in 3 months

Set Up – Conditions, start up form, payment earliest 1 month, in

advance annually

Summary stage

Full stage

Application Process

How do I Apply?

How do I Apply?

Application Form

Parts A & B: about you and your partners;

Part C: summary, £ applied for, how long;

Part D: background & consultation;

Part E: target groups;

Part F: the change you aim to make;

Part G: what you’ll be doing (activities)

Part H: about roles & responsibilities for the different partners

Part I: is about Learning and includes your M&E plan

Introducing the Application Form

Budget Template

New budget template has embedded macros so you have to type onto that file, not copy the formatting onto another file

4 sections to balance

Income

Expenditure splits by type(automatic) & organisation (not)

Expenditure

Need to say what type of income/spend

We look for detailed costs of activities

We look for the difference

A column for notes – feel free...

We read the narrative and budget in parallel

Grant-making cycles

Cycle 7

GMS open for summary applications 28th February 2012

Stage 1: Project Summary or Research applications

9th May 2012 (Midday)

Stage 2: Full application deadline for Project applications

9th July 2012 (Midday)

Assessment Period 11 July 2012 – 24 September 2012

Decision November 2012

Any Questions?

Contact Information

Advocacy:Ruth Talbot: [email protected]

Education | Organisational Development:Rupal Mistry: [email protected]

Enterprise and Employment | Health:Georgina Awoonor-Gordon: [email protected]

General Enquiries:[email protected]

020 7820 2000