1. Presentation on the Application Process
Pobal is a not-for-profit company that manages programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and the EU
Ability is co-financed by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning

2. Application Form Key Features
Online Form
Available from 4th December 2017
Closes from 12pm, 31st January 2018
Technical User Guide available from 4th December
Facilities to attach templates and documents

3. Application Form Key Features
Format of online form
Accessibility
User feedback at end of the application form
Form is subject to change while in development

4. Application Form Section 1 Eligibility Section 2
Partnership and Organisation Details
Includes questions on:
Relevant experience
Section 3
Tell us about your project
Section 4
Meeting the programme criteria
Need for the Project
Value for Money
Section 5
Submitting your application

5. Application Templates
Budget template
Job description template
VAT not recoverable template

6. The Appraisal Process Stage 1 - Eligibility
2 Stage appraisal process
Eligibility
Meeting the selection criteria
Is your application eligible for Ability funding?
Eligibility relates to individual applicants and lead applicants only.

7. Eligibility Criteria
1. Have you fully completed the application form and submitted all relevant documents?
2. Are you applying for €200,000 to €750,000?
3. Is the lead applicant / individual applicant an eligible organisation?
Supporting people with disabilities; or
Providing training, employment or pre-employment supports.

8. The Appraisal Process Stage 2 – Selection/Appraisal Criteria
Selection Criteria
Score
Meeting the Programme Criteria 40
Evidence of need for the proposal 20
Capacity of the organisation
Value for money
100

9. The Appraisal Process Stage 2 – Selection/Appraisal Criteria cont’d
Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate strategic partnership approaches. Applications will also be appraised in terms of the overall quality of the proposal.

10. Application Form - Key Questions Evidence of Need
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
4.9 – Why is there a need for your project?
Clearly describe the issue / problem for young people with disabilities.
Explain why it creates a barrier to their employment prospects / progression.
4.10 – How have you identified the need for your project?
Provide us with the facts and information that back up your points.
Table 3.8 – Project Details
Will the proposed actions successfully address the need / solve this problem?
Your objectives and actions should successfully address the need / resolve the problem

11. Application Form - Key Questions Your organisation’s capacity
Will you be able to …
Successfully manage the project and project partners?
Deliver the proposed project and results?
Will you be able to meet contractual obligations?

12. Application Form - Key Questions Your organisation’s capacity cont’d
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
Section 2
Basic information about your organisation.
How do you manage your organisation?
Who are your partners? What will they do?
2.30 – Relevant examples of your experience …
Direct work with people with disabilities.
Providing education, training and/or employment supports.
Tell us if you’ve worked with this age group.
2.31 – Details of EU / exchequer funding …
Have you experience of successfully managing relevant funding?
What scale of funding have you managed to date?
Table 3.8 – Project Details
Who has responsibility for delivering project actions.
3.8.1 – Project management and delivery
How will you manage your project?

13. Application Form - Key Questions Meeting the Programme Criteria cont’d
Programme Criterion
How will your project meet the aims and objective(s) of the Ability Programme?
Questions/Sections in Application Form
Q.3.1 – Project aim
Q.3.2 – Project summary
Table 3.8: Project Details
Table 3.13: Programme Outputs and Outcomes
What is required?
Your project must demonstrate:
1. That it will successfully bring the target group closer to the labour market using person centred supports.
2. That it will successfully meet a minimum of one programme objective.

14. Application Form - Key Questions Meeting the Programme Criteria cont’d
Programme Criterion
How will your project create a discernible impact on the employability or progression of young people with disabilities?
Questions/Sections in Application Form
Table 3.8: Project Details
Table 3.13: Programme Outputs and Outcomes
Q.3.14 – Other anticipated outputs/outcomes
Q.4.8 – Evidence that the project will have a positive impact on personal progression and employability
What is required?
Your project must demonstrate that actions and approaches will yield tangible results.
Explain why your project will create these outcomes

15. Application Form - Key Questions Meeting the Programme Criteria cont’d
Programme Criterion
Meet the ESF Horizontal Principles of gender equality, equal opportunities and non-discrimination.
Questions/Sections in Application Form
Q.4.1 – strategy for recruiting young people
Q.4.3 – additional approaches/strategies to support participants
Q equal opportunities for both women and men to participate and you will not discriminate against young people with disabilities from other disadvantaged backgrounds.
What is required?
What positive strategies will you use to recruit men, women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds?
What positive strategies will you use to support them to engage with your project?
Tell us if you have gender equality policies.

16. Application Form - Key Questions Meeting the Programme Criteria cont’d
Programme Criterion
Questions/Sections in Application Form
How will your project incorporate a person centred approach that includes development of personal progression plans?
Q.4.2
How will your project incorporate participant exit strategies?
Q.4.4

17. Application Form - Key Questions Value for Money
Do the social and economic benefits of your project justify the cost?
Are the costs eligible / appropriate for Ability funding?
Are the costs reasonable?

18. Application Form - Key Questions Value for Money cont’d
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
Budget Template
Are the costs eligible?
Is there a clear link between the costs and the actions?
What are the basis for these costs?
Q.4.11 – How will your project complement/add value to mainstream service provision?
Demonstrate awareness of similar mainstream services.
Show us how your project will interact with mainstream services; or
Show us how your project meets a gap in what is currently being provided.
Ability will not fund projects that replace mainstream service provision.

19. Application Form - Key Questions Value for Money cont’d
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
Q.4.12 Are you already receiving funding to deliver the proposed activities?
Q4.13 If yes, please provide a rationale for seeking funding
You must demonstrate that your project will not duplicate or displace ongoing/open-ended funding that you already receive for the same project activities

20. Application Form - Key Questions Value for Money cont’d
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
Q Q.4.15 Are you applying for funding for equipment/assistive technology
You must demonstrate that your project will not duplicate or displace existing funding programmes for equipment and assistive technology.
Q.4.16 – Types of equipment
Q.4.17 – Is funding for this equipment available from other programmes?
Q.4.18 – If yes, explain why you are seeking Ability for funding for equipment/assistive technology?

21. Application Form - Key Questions Value for Money cont’d
Questions/Sections in Application Form
What is required?
Q.4.19 – How will project learning / project actions be sustained beyond the end date of your project?
Are plans in place for:
Continuing project actions?
Embedding learning / good practice / procedures?

22. Budget Template

23. Budget Template cont’d

24. Job Description - Key points
Direct and Indirect Staff
Roles and responsibilities must be clearly linked to Ability activities
Doesn’t apply to ‘External’ staff (e.g. tutors, facilitators - sub-contractors)

25. VAT non recoverable template Key points
Applies if you are registered for VAT but VAT is not recoverable for this project
Must be signed by an auditor/accountant

26. Submitting your application form
Submit ‘button’ in online application form.
Submit by 12pm, Wednesday 31st January at the latest.
You cannot revise your application once it is submitted.

27. Post approval of Applications
Pobal issues decision letter and grant agreement to successful applicants.
Grant agreement signed by Lead Organisation and returned to Pobal within specified timeframe.
All actions and expenditure eligible from the date of the decision letter.

28. Support for Applicants Ability Helpdesk
Telephone: (01)