Network Name
Date of Application
COLLABORATIVE BUSINESS
NETWORK PROGRAMME
Application for Funding of a Collaborative
Network (Phase 2)
Legal Basis – Industrial Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1982
Commission Regulation EC 69 / 2001
Please note that failure to complete all sections of this document may result in it being returned to the applicant.
Guidance Notes are available to aid completion of this application form.
SIC Code (Office use only)
1
OUR MISSION
To deliver expertise and resources to accelerate the creation and growth of business committed to and capable of
being entrepreneurial, innovative and international.
Our aim is to grow the Northern Ireland economy by helping business to compete internationally and by attracting
new investment into Northern Ireland. We principally support businesses in the manufacturing and tradable
services sectors.
Invest NI offers the Northern Ireland business community a single organisation providing high-quality services and
expert advice. We support businesses throughout their life cycle and across the full spectrum of their activity
including research and development, people management, strategic development, e-business, energy
management and export development.
Beyond our support for specific businesses and business sectors we have a wider remit to help develop a culture
of innovation and entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland.
The Collaborative Network Programme (CNP) aims to support business-led networks to maximise collaborative
opportunities in the development of innovative and/or new products, processes or services/
It provides businesses with the opportunity to focus on undertaking time limited collaborative initiatives whilst
enabling them to leverage external expertise, share knowledge, resources, risk, build capability and capacity.
The Benefits
The benefits to your business may be varied depending on the nature and focus of the collaboration: increase in
domestic sales; increase in export sales; access to knowledge; access to new markets; access to key
infrastructure, e.g. pilot plants; access to new international partners for collaboration; access to innovative
practices and processes; and raised profile for the business and the network.
The collaborative network/ IIC must include:

At least four NI private sector companies that are clients of Invest NI or other Northern Ireland based
economic development bodies.
The collaborative network/ IIC must also demonstrate they have (or have potential to) engaged with the relevant
stakeholders including those organisations necessary to extend the value chain including, academia, trade
associations and suppliers. This fund is not available directly to:



further and higher education establishments
other public bodies
voluntary sector organisations
However this does not exclude those bodies listed above (along with organisations based outside NI) from
participating as a network member and or stakeholder and we would encourage academia to present applications
in partnership with the private sector network. Funding is available for projects lasting between two and three
years.
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Section 1: Details of Collaborative Network
1. If the Network is a legal entity, please enter details in Table 1 below; otherwise please enter details on the
network Lead Organisation in Table 2.
Table 1
a. Name of Network
b. Type of Legal Entity
LLP – Yes/No Limited Company
Yes/No Other – Please specify
c. Name of Legal Entity
d. Address (inc postcode)
e. Tel/Mobile No
f.
Email & Website
Where no legal entity for the network exits, Invest Northern Ireland requires that a Lead Company is nominated
for payment of grant. This must be a private company and must be a member of the network.
Table 2
2. Name of Lead Company/Organisation
3. Names of Network Member Companies/Organisations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(Please extend, if necessary)
(Please extend, if necessary)
3
Section 2: Details of Proposer and Collaborative Network Partners
THIS SECTION MUST BE COMPLETED FOR EACH NETWORK PARTNER AND MAY BE SUPPLIED AS
SEPARATE ANNEXES
Network Name
4.
a.
b.
c.
Network Members Organisation Name
Organisation Type
Organisation Status
(e.g. trading dormant)
Company Registration Number
5.
Contact Name (including title)
6.
Contact Position (e,g, MD)
Contact Email
7.
Addresses (including postcode)
8.
Telephone/Mobile Number
9.
Website
10. Name of Company’s Development
Advisor & Agency (if applicable)
11. Please provide a brief history of the
business, describing any changes or
significant developments.
You should also provide a paragraph
on each of the following to indicate the
company’s:
-
Capabilities/Core Competencies
Technical Specialisation
Numbers of patent/licences held
Numbers of research projects
underway (both internal & in
conjunction with an external
agency/provider)
This is not an exhaustive list, but
Indicative of the baseline material
required. If this information is not
available at the time of application,
it must be furnished within 3 months
of an award. Please continue on a
separate sheet if necessary and attach
with reference in Annex.
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Section 2: Details of Proposer and Collaborative Network Partners (Contd.)
12. Describe your current market, products,
key customers and market share.
13. Please outline your company’s strategic
objectives and how the proposed
collaborative network project/s may
support these objectives.
14. How will the project outcomes improve
your capability and competitiveness?
Please describe the expected benefits
to the network & participant companies/
organisations e.g. business needs.
15. Is your company currently in receipt of
other forms of public assistance?
If so, please give details.
16. Has your company participated in forms
of Collaborative Networking previously?
Yes/No (If yes, please specify).
17. Have you worked with any of the
proposers before? Yes/No.
(If yes, please specify).
18. Are you aware of any other proposal with
Invest NI, or other organisation, for
Collaborative Networks in this field?
19. Do you have any registered bad debts/
enforcement judgements against you?
Yes/No (If yes, please give details).
Yes/No (If yes, please give details).
20. No. of Employees
21. Annual Turnover
22. Operating Profit
23. Year used for turnover, profit and number
of staff calculations.
24. Parent Company Name
(if part of a Group)
25. Group Employees & Annual Turnover
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Section 3: Details on Supporting Documentation
Applicants may include separate Annexes with this Full Application Form
26. Are you submitting Annexes with this Full Application Form? Yes/No
If yes, how many?
Please provide details in the table below
Name of Annex
Description of Annex
27. Who should Invest NI contact to discuss this application?
28. Has the Facilitator/Network Leader/Project Manager been identified? Yes/No (If yes, please give details).
29. Host organisation – Name of host organisation if different from lead company address
(Please see Guidance Notes)
30. Please provide evidence of the host organisation’s capability to ensure that the project is supported with the
necessary admin/financial and project management expertise.
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Section 4: Proposed Project Abstract
31. Project Title
32. Abstract of Proposed Project (400 words maximum)
33. Proposed Project Start Date
34. Project Duration – Years/Months
35. What are the wider economic benefits that will accrue to the Northern Ireland economy as a direct result of
the project?
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Section 5: Outline of Proposed Project
36. Details of & Rationale for Proposed Project(s), including Aims & Objectives
a.
Project Description
b.
Key Aims/Objectives (Provide details in Proposed Work Programme Q40)
c.
Key Milestones (Provide details in project plan section)
d.
Risks
What are the key risks involved in the project and how are these mitigated?
Financial Risks
Commercial Risks
Technical Risks
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Section 5: Outline of Proposed Project
e.
What is new and or innovative about the proposed collaborative project?
37. Please give evidence of the need/demand for this project, clearly demonstrating market failure and specify
activities to address. If the collaborative network previously undertook a scoping study, please provide
evidence gathered during scoping study. Attach relevant documentation in Annex.
Clearly define market(s) opportunity (incl. identifying if the market(s) is/are growing, static or in decline)
38. Please demonstrate how the collaborative project is additional to the current activities of the
network/participant companies.
39. Please state why you require funding from Invest NI & whether the project (in terms of scale and timescale)
would proceed without this support.
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Section 6: Proposed Work Programme
PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS IN RELATION TO KEY OBJECTIVES, KEY MILESTONES AND STATE THE
PROJECT’S TARGETS (BOTH ANTICIPATED OUTCOME AND PROPOSED OUTPUTS) AND THE MEANS BY
WHICH PERFORMANCE AGAINST THESE TARGETS WILL BE MEASURED AND REPORTED. (APPLICANTS
SHOULD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ATTEMPT TO QUANTIFY TARGETS).
40. Please define the Project Delivery Objectives in terms of SMART Objectives (this may be expanded to suit)
Objectives
Specific
Measurable
1.
1.
1.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Bound
1.
1.
1.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
41. Project Organisation & Management – If possible please provide details of who will carry out the designated
tasks and which collaborative partners will be engaged with the task.
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Section 7: Financial Details
42. Details of all Project Costs
Breakdown should include:
Labour Costs
-
Facilitation
£
-
Support/Administration Staff
£
Travel and Subsistence Costs
(details of anticipated trips)
£
Consultancy Costs
(details of consultancy activities)
£
Other Costs: these may include any other costs
deemed appropriate to a given network on a
case by case basis
£
Industry Salaried Personnel or Cash contribution**
£
Total
£
£
**Salaried Personnel Costs:
Salaried contribution must be calculated based on actual annual salary rate of the network member and can only be
included if the member agrees to submit/sign off time sheets to demonstrate salaried hourly contribution.
In all instances there should be a clear audit trail created for staff costs from timesheet to payroll record to payment by
employer.
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Section 7: Financial Details (contd.)
43. Details of ALL Funding Sources and Contacts for this proposal.
Please complete the following table, giving details of all proposed sources of funding for this project.
(Private/public sector, bodies, voluntary organisations, groups/trusts/banks/own income, generated/potential income,
generated/own contributions in kind, others (please state)).
Name, Address,
Contact details
Anticipated
contribution by each
organisation Salaried
Contribution*
Private Investment
Funds
Public Sector Source
Status: Awaiting
reply/received/
rejected
Total
Lead Organisation
Partner 2
Partner 3
Partner 4
Partner 5
Partner 6
Partner 7
Partner 8
Total
Please use an additional sheet to indicate the input from other network members
Please specify the daily rate used for each individual contributing – see Guidance Notes
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Section 7: Financial Details (contd.)
44. Total Project Cost –
Overall (£)
45.
Total Requested from INI
Are the above costs inclusive of VAT?
% Contribution by INI
Other sources of funding
YES/NO
46. Please provide a profile of estimated quarterly expenditure. (If needed, please use an additional sheet)
47. Is the network/lead company registered for VAT?
If yes, can you reclaim VAT on all taxable
purchases?
If no, please provide further detail on your
organisations VAT status
48.
Has funding for this project been rejected by any
other private sector/public sector organisation,
sector bodies or voluntary groups? Yes/No
If Yes, give details
49.
How does the collaborative network plan to become self financing and or sustainable after the duration of the funding
period has ended?
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Section 8: Other Information
50.
Does this project address social need? (See Guidance Notes) If so please demonstrate how.
Yes/No?
51.
Please describe any significant environmental impact the project might have.
52.
Please include any other information that may be relevant to your proposal.
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53. Declaration by Applicant
I declare that the information in this application is correct and consent that Invest Northern Ireland reserves the
right to discuss this application with other funding agencies/bodies/relevant organisations and listed contacts.
I acknowledge the right of Invest Northern Ireland to seek further information before making a decision on this
application.
Signed
Date
Position
The application may be submitted by e-mail to the address below.
An original signed copy of this application must be submitted to the Invest Northern Ireland address marked for
the attention of Collaborative Networks Team, Business Improvement Services, in order for the proposal to be
validated.
Please note that failure to complete all sections of this document may result in it being returned to the
applicant
Invest Northern Ireland, Bedford Square, Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7ES
T: +44 28 9069 8100
F: +44 28 9043 6536
E: BISinfo@investni.com
W: www.investni.com
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54. Declaration by Other Network Members
I declare that the information in this application is correct and acknowledge that I have read, understood and
agreed the content of this application. I furthermore state my full support for this application.
Network Member
Print Name
Signature
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