The Co-operative Foundation
Community Support Programme
Application Form – HELP NOTES
Introduction
These help notes are designed to help you to answer some of the questions on the application form.
Please read through the questions on the application form, guidelines and these help notes thoroughly before
filling in the form.
If you have any queries or need any further help please contact:
The Charity Manager
The Co-operative Foundation
6th Floor
New Century House
Corporation Street
Manchester M60 4ES
Tel: 0161 246 3044
email: foundation@co-operative.coop
Some points to consider:
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Refer to these help notes as you fill in the form.
Write clearly in black ink or type the application form.
Please ensure you complete every question in each section.
The questions are designed to provide information on which your application will be assessed.
There will not be a note for every question on the application form, only for those where we think an
explanation will help you to answer. If there is no help note for a particular question and you need some
guidance, please call the Foundation office.
Be brief when answering the questions and only use the space allocated – do not continue your answers on a
separate sheet. We do not expect you to give lengthy, detailed information, but a summary. If we need
further information about your application we will contact you.
If you make an error on the form, please ensure the correct information is visible and legible.
As we need to photocopy the completed applications, please do not staple, bind, seal, laminate or present
your application in a folder. Please use paper clips only to keep your application and supporting
documentation together.
Please do not stick typed panels onto the form – do not staple the form.
SECTION A – CONTACT DETAILS
The name on the form should be that of the person who can talk about your organisation and project/work in
detail. We should be able to speak to the main contact for your group within office hours. Telephone Numbers –
Please let us know the best times to contact you for each number that you list.
SECTION B - ABOUT YOUR ORGANISATION/CLUB/GROUP
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B5
B6
If there are more than six paid members of staff, please list the six who are most senior in your
organisation.
Organisations that are less than 12 months old must submit a business plan to show that they have
thought about their development and that they are sustainable for the period of any grant that they may
be awarded. See Appendix 1 of these notes for guidance on business plans.
Provide a brief summary of the main activities that your group carries out and who for, not just the
project/work you are applying to the Community Support Programme for. This will give the Trustees an
overview of the type of organisation you are.
SECTION C – ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
C1
Where did the idea for the project/work come from? How have you been alerted to the fact that this
project/work is needed? Did someone tell you about it? Can you see first hand that this project/work is
needed? Was any research carried out? What evidence do you have?
C3
Use this section to clearly tell us about what you need the funding from the Community Support
Programme for. What would you like us to fund, how will it be run and where?
C4
All projects are started in response to a problem that a community or group of people is experiencing.
Tell us simply what that problem is, e.g. homelessness, unemployment or anti-social behaviour.
C7
Types of disadvantage might include poor housing, unemployment, anti-social behaviour, restricted
access to services, social exclusion or the area might be listed as deprived in the Government’s Indices of
Social Deprivation.
C8
Your application should be submitted in enough time for the application process to take place. It takes
approximately 8 weeks from the closing date of a round to process decisions on applications. Please
remember that we do not give retrospective grants. Please do not start any work that may be dependent
on a Foundation grant.
C9
Tell us what difference the funding will make and how it will impact on your community, once the project is
completed. Will it make things better? If so, how?
C10
The answer to this question needs to focus on the future and what long-term effect you envisage the
project will have in 3-5 years’ time.
C12
Because we are a Co-operative, our objective is to support groups which show elements of co-operation
in their approach. This question is designed to find out whether your group and/or project is
demonstrating any of these elements, and we have given four examples for you to fill in. E.g. if your
project is being run by a committee where all members have one vote, then it is democratic. If your group
follows a policy which ensures it is open to all people, regardless of their background, then it is practising
equality. Please give one or two examples of how your group demonstrates each of the values listed.
SECTION D – FUNDING AND FINANCE
D1
We need to see how much the project/work is going to cost and you should double-check the figures you
provide us with. If you are asking for the Foundation to part-fund your project, you must be specific and
tell us what parts of the project you would like the funding for as well as the total cost of the item.
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a)
You can apply for capital costs. These are the costs of tangible and lasting items such as buildings or
equipment. If you are applying for capital equipment, then the cost should be based on the quote of at
least two suppliers. These quotes must be sent in with your application.
If you are applying for building work, and your building is leased, please include a copy of the lease with
your application.
b)
If you are applying for an item which can carry a Co-operative Foundation logo, e.g. sports clothing or a
mini-bus, please include the cost of applying that logo to the item as part of the application. You will need
to contact a professional company for your quote, e.g. an embroidery designer or signwriter, and include
their quote in with your application.
c)
You can also apply for some revenue costs to cover the running of your project. Typical revenue costs
include rent, maintenance, training and utilities. Please note that we do not fund salaries.
D2
If you are asking for part funding, you need to tell us how you intend to raise the rest of the income to run
your project. Fill in this section if you are raising the rest of the money from other funders. These might
include Trust Funds and The Big Lottery Fund.
D3
Fill in this section if your group is contributing towards the project either financially or in kind. If you are
not contributing anything please put ‘none’.
a)
Please specify all financial help that you are giving to the project which could include;
• Fundraising/sponsored events
• Lotteries
• Donations
b)
Let us know if there’s anything that your group is giving to the project, which is not financial. This could
include:
• Staff time
• Volunteer time
• Training
• Gifts in kind
• Expert help and advice
D4
Please specify all other sources of income not already listed. These can include:
• Donations from other funders
• Contracts
• Legacies
• Bank loans
• Gifts in kind
• Free reserves
D7
Other Co-operative organisations include:
• the Co-operative Group
• The Co-operative Bank
• Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS)
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Midlands Co-op
West Midlands Co-op
Co-operatives UK
Association of British Credit Unions Ltd
The Co-operative College
D8
The Community Awards Scheme was funded by the Food Division of United Co-operatives until July
2007.
D10
Please explain your reserves policy. It is acceptable to have 6 to 12 months operating costs in reserves.
Please give an explanation if you are holding large reserves. For example, this may be for a large capital
project in the future.
D12
The signatories on your cheque accounts must not be related to each other in any way.
SECTION E – MONITORING AND PUBLICITY
E1
Tell us how you will measure your progress towards achieving your goals outlined in question D9, and
how you will record this information. This might include:
• Writing a report outlining your observations e.g. whether people have benefited in the ways that you
have hoped
• Gathering statistical information e.g. how many people use the service
• Researching local people’s views on the project
• Reviewing the practical elements of the project e.g. whether you completed your tasks on time, or
had enough volunteers.
E2
If you are successful, we will send you a plaque to display in your premises. Apart from this, please tell
us what publicity you are willing to undertake. Options might include:
• A press release to the local paper, which we can help you with
• An inclusion in your group’s newsletter/magazine
• Local radio
• An open day/launch day.
SECTION F – PROMOTING GOOD PRACTICE
You only need to answer yes, no or N-A to these questions. There is no need to send copies of any policies or
procedures at this stage, however, please include a copy of your current signed accounts with your
application. If you are successful, we may ask for copies of your other documents and policies.
SECTION G – FINISHING THE APPLICATION
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Read through your application – it is a good idea to get someone independent to read it through. Ensure the
people who sign it are authorised to do so.
Do not send extra information at this stage – try to put it all on the application form.
If we need additional information we will contact you.
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Community Support Programme
Application Form – HELP NOTES
APPENDIX 1 – BUSINESS PLANS
A business plan is a document that will demonstrate that you have thought about the development of your
organisation/club/group and how you are going to manage your planned activities. The document does not
necessarily need to be pages long, you may be able to describe in a few well considered, focused, clear
paragraphs what you want to achieve.
It should contain certain key elements:
A section on your organisation/club/group including all its main activities.
A section on the specific project/work that you are applying for funding for.
A section on budgets and finance.
a)
About your organisation/club/group
The organisation/club/group aims and objectives.
A breakdown of the service users or people that benefit from your activities.
How you involve the people that benefit.
A 12 month work plan with your targets and how you will achieve them.
A management structure diagram and how you run the organization/club/group.
A marketing plan – how do you tell people about your work.
A recruitment plan and job specifications of any posts to be filled detailing job responsibility and skills
required.
b)
About your project/work
A description of your project or work you wish to undertake.
Why the project/work is needed and why it should be done.
How the project/work will be managed.
What are the benefits of the project/work to the organisation/club/group.
How the project/work success will be measured.
How the project will be evaluated.
What the project will cost.
C)
Budgets and finance
Well cost budgets itemising all the cost relating to your project/work.
A cash-flow forecast showing your expected income and expenditure.
A fund raising plan if you are not requesting total funding on how you will raise the shortfall amount.
Information about how you will continue to fund the project/work when your grant has ended.
Contingencies, should you do not raise the amount of funding you require.
Although some of these questions are asked on the application form, a business plan will set out the answers in
more detail.
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