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
Application Process
Short listing – 3 team members read
Summary stage
Approval/rejection – within one month, reapplication by invitation
Full application submission – in 3 weeks (or defer to next cycle)
Assessment – Consultant, 3 week window,
Full stage
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
How do I Apply?
How do I Apply?
Application Form
Introducing the
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
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
28th February
2012
Stage 1: Project Summary or Research 9th May 2012
applications
(Midday)
GMS open for summary applications
Stage 2: Full application deadline for
Project applications
Assessment Period
9th July 2012
(Midday)
11 July 2012 – 24
September 2012
Decision
November 2012
Any Questions?
Contact Information
Advocacy:
Ruth Talbot: r.talbot@comicrelief.com
Education | Organisational Development:
Rupal Mistry: r.mistry@comicrelief.com
Enterprise and Employment | Health:
Georgina Awoonor-Gordon: g.awoonor-gordon@comicrelief.com
General Enquiries:
internationalgrants@comicrelief.com
020 7820 2000