Better Bid Writing The benefit to the client group must be clearly shown in the application. Wokingham Borough Voluntary Sector Forum

Objectives Understand how to use the “Answer the Question” self-applied technique in future funding applications Understand how to answer specific types of questions with structured answers, including: Evidence of Need Volunteer Involvement Sustainability Evaluation Engagement Understand how to use critical friends effectively Understand the importance of outcomes and their relationship with outputs

Do you have evidence of need for your project idea? Bid Preparation

Outcomes-led Thinking Session: Organise a pre-bid “Our Outcomes” facilitated discussion & planning session to identify, describe and agree your key outcomes. Start with desired outcomes and work backwards. Evidence of need: Collect it & use it – most funders expect you to provide evidence on unmet need &/or unmet demand = community consultation + third party research reports (local & national). Reassess your current practice in terms of: direct consultation with existing learners consultation with wider target groups Bid Preparation

BBC Children in Need It is important to make a distinction between the differences (outcomes) that a project is aiming to make for children and young people and the activities and services it is providing. For Example A project is set up for young people who are having difficulties at school, due to a range of factors The people who set up the project want to increase the young people's self esteem and show them that there are opportunities in training and further education which could be open to them To do this they set up a project to provide training for 12 volunteer mentors to work with the young people The difference or outcome in this example is not the training for volunteer mentors, but the changes that will happen in the lives of the young people as a result of the mentoring i.e. increased self esteem etc. Other examples of differences (outcomes) projects we have previously funded have achieved for children and young people are: improved self esteem/self confidence; improved school performance; improved sociability; better communication skills; more positive family relationships; ability to take responsibility etc. Outputs and Outcomes

Empowerment Escalator Engagement - hook Competence – skills Confidence - mental Commitment = time, punctuality, attendance frequency & regularity Self-esteem = raised Self-image = changed Active role within centre = improved Active role within family & friends = improved Participation in wider set of informal groups = increased Supporting others

Did you answer the question they asked, rather than the question you would have liked to be asked? Better Answers Questions within Questions

Break it down & mark it up Describe briefly the aim of your proposed project, the target group/s you plan to work with and how your project meets the criteria for the funding programme.

Questions within Questions Break it down & mark it up Describe briefly the aim of your proposed project, the target group/s you plan to work with and how your project meets the criteria for the funding programme

The following slides are real questions, real answers and my Critical Friend comments Better Answers Example Questions and Answers

Explain briefly the aims of your organisation and its main activities? Better Answers

Explain briefly the aims of your organisation and its main activities? XXX is the UK’s leading family charity, supporting over 45,000 families every year. We tackle some of the most complex and difficult issues facing families today – including domestic abuse, mental health problems, learning disabilities and severe financial hardship What is wrong with this answer? How many marks (out of 10) for this answer?

If you have partner organisations, tell us how they contribute to the project? Better Answers

If you have partner organisations, tell us how they contribute to the project? 1 Bangladishi Welfare Centre - organisational support / multi-faith dimension 2 XXXXXX Muslim Association - Knowledge of Muslim affairs 3 XXXX Institute, XXXX ( 4 XXXXXX Safer Communities Partnership includes the CDRP, DAAT and YOT and comprises XXXXXX Council, XXXXXX Police & Police Authority, XXXXXX Fire and Rescue Service, XXXXXX Probation Service, XXXXXX Primary Care Trust and XXXXXX Housing Association - strategic/organisational support 5 XXXXXX Partnership - strategic/organisational support 6XXXXXX Council - funding through a SLA What is wrong with this answer?

If you have partner organisations, tell us how they contribute to the project? This answer is better than many I have seen. Many applicants just produce a long list of partners and make no statement about their roles and responsibilities. However it would be even stronger if some specific responsibilities or activities were listed for each partner. For example: Will provide a member of the steering group which will meet monthly for 12 months Will provide 2 volunteers for 4 hours per fortnight for 3 months to welcome people to the centre/event Will provide volunteers to distribute the free newsletter to 5,000 homes Will provide administrative support to the project by taking minutes, collating feedback forms, processing health and safety certificates and writing reports to the Council Will provide technical support and content management services Will provide free advertising and marketing for the project activities via their website,

Better Answers Tell us how your project will help us achieve our funding priorities (below)? Health & Well-being and reducing health inequalities Children, young people & their families Long-term health conditions

Tell us how your project will help us achieve our funding priorities? The activities and sessions we will be delivering include: Swimming Yoga & Meditation Cardio Wellness exercises Aerobic and toning exercises Light Exercises fro Senior Citizens – This will be a combination of chairobics, seated Pilates, zumba gold for participants with mobility needs. Walking Healthy Eating and Weight Management Relaxation therapy and stress management Cycling & Bikeability We also be holding Information sessions on Heart Health, topics will include ; Blood Pressure, Stroke, Heart Disease, Heart Failure, effects of negative eating habits and lack of exercise on the heart and how to avoid long term heart related problems. What is wrong with this answer? How would you structure your answer?

Tell us how your project will help us achieve our funding priorities? The answer appeared to be just a list of activities with no structured thinking. Perhaps re-organise the list into sub-categories that address different forms of healthy living and reduce health inequalities. These sub-categories should then map onto the funding priorities. Perhaps the sub-categories could be: Mental Health: Relaxation Therapy, Stress Management, Meditation Physical Health: Obesity, Diet, Eating Disorders, Exercise, …… Future Health: Healthy Heart, Smoking, Drinking, Diet, ….

…. how it will help them re-engage in learning or activities that work towards employment Possible structure for Employability answers: The project will increase employability through: Attending group sessions skills-based, group size, qualifications (accreditation), use of ICT to improve cv, office-based ICT applications, use of internet to use government services, social media (marketing and networking), volunteers as learner support, qualified tutor, awareness & support of cultural differences (single gender classes), family intervention strategy, One-to-one sessions needs assessment, needs analysis, informal, individual, Individual Learning Plan (agreed & recorded), ILP review at end or earlier, Signposting to where, for what purpose, any personal support to reduce high rate of non- attendees, follow-up process later,

…. how it will help them re-engage in learning or activities that work towards employment Job interviews practice interviews with local employer, examples of bad practice, videos of job interviews, list of typical questions, Encouraging volunteering whilst looking for work presentation by local volunteering agency, group chat with previous learner who successfully got a job by doing volunteering work, awareness of volunteering opportunities available locally, Applying for more jobs use of online jobsearch facilities, awareness of local jobs market, discussion of local employers expectations with local employers,

Writing Better Bids Do you involve volunteers and beneficiaries in the design, development and delivery of your project? Structured Answers

Writing Style Think of the bid as a sales activity, not an essay …. Use bullet points & short paragraphs Quantify – 75%; more than half; at least twice a week; avoid often, many, wealth of, lots of, years of experience, Be specific – generalisations can appear to be avoiding the question e.g. most people, useful terms are: such as, significant, Don’t use acronyms – use centre rather than NLC, UKOLC,

Structured Answers How do you know that there is a need for this project & how have you involved potential beneficiaries in the consultation process? In pairs: note down the structure of your answer

Answers on Evidence of Need Direct Consultation face-face events questionnaires online tools ongoing consultation Third Party Evidence relevant national reports national reports: cost benefit analysis local research & reports from other local service providers evidence from potential partners about gaps & shortfalls

Answers on Evaluation Typical Answer: All learners complete a satisfaction survey Critical Friend Comments: When or How often? What do you do with the information? How does it feed into decision-making processes?

Structured Answers Answers about Evaluation Collect Organise Summarise Present (to committee or whoever) including Recommend (where appropriate) Discuss and Decide on appropriate action Implement action

Questions on Engagement How do you intend to engage with more people from hard to reach groups?

Event-type Answer: We attend public events to attract more users Critical Friend Comments: Such as? What do you do there? Mention previous successes perhaps, &/or why was it successful? Quantify

How do you intend to engage with more people from hard to reach groups? Structured Answer: We attended 7 public events last year including the Devali Sikh & Hindu festival at which we attracted 75 people to our stand to sample the specialist food, discuss the source of the ingredients and visit them on the internet. Subsequently 22 of these people attended our centre on an Open Day and 14 of them registered with us as new learners. The centre outreach mobile unit is particularly successful as the activities that we promote are usually related to food, film and other leisure interests which allows us to demonstrate the internet within meaningful contexts.

Engagement Approach Underlying structure for behavioural change Awareness Interest Desire Action

Structured Answers How do you intend to continue this project/activity when the funding comes to an end? In pairs: note down the structure of your answer

Answers on Sustainability Reduce costs cheap/free venues self-help groups volunteers Increase revenue volunteers as bid writers sponsorship fundraising – online & face-face local events use of social media – increase reach, add service value, better marketing, create loyalty/club mentality, Use funds more effectively check current use of funding – are you achieving your objectives & outcomes OR just running activities that keep you & your staff in your comfort zone?

Structured Answers How do you intend to utilise volunteers in your project? In pairs: note down the structure of your answer

Answers on Volunteer Involvement Consultation Project Design externally facilitated ideas & insights session Project Management Representation on Steering/Management group Small Project Advisory Group – internal critical friend group – formative evaluation - early warning system – more important than management group imo Project Development Project Delivery Activities organisation & support Engagement support – bring a buddy, internet special interest groups,

Questions on Isolation Recently a number of funding opportunities have been launched to: Reduce isolation amongst Older People Increase Independent Living Reduce use of hospitals by Older People Increase use of neighbours to reduce loneliness “How will your project reduce the isolation and feeling of loneliness of some older People in their own homes and in care homes?” In pairs: note down the structure of your answer.

Next Steps Identify and use an internal critical friend Adopt the “Answer the Question” self-applied technique in future funding applications Collect and collate “Evidence of Need” from other relevant local and national agencies Reassess your current practice in terms of: direct consultation with existing learners consultation with wider target groups Organise a pre-bid “Our Outcomes” facilitated discussion & planning session to identify, describe and agree your key outcomes.