This page
- General questions
- Eligibility
- Amount of funding
- Submitting your application form
- Additional information to support your application
- Meeting quality assurance standards
- The assessment process
- Successful applications
Related pages
Getting Results funding programme
Details of the CRE's 'Getting Results' programme for funding local racial equality work, and information about how to apply
External links
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The CRE's Core Standards (DOC 953.0 KB) Download time approx. 5m 39s at 28 Kbps Download time approx. 2m 20s at 56 Kbps Download time approx. 1m 1s at 128 Kbps Download time approx. 0m 15s at 512 Kbps
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This page was last updated on 23 October 2006
Getting Results for 2007/8: Frequently-asked questions
The information below is intended to help you decide whether to apply for funding, and to help you complete the application form if you do decide to go ahead.
If you can't find the answer you are looking for below, please contact the Getting Results helpline on 0845 600 1404 or email gettingresults@cre.gov.uk
General questions
1. Are the CRE's priorities for the 2007/08 funding cycle different from those for 2006/07?
We have broadly kept the same funding priorities as last year. However, a few minor changes have been made. For example, last year the third priority area was 'support for victims of racial discrimination and harassment including legal casework'. This year we have called it 'Race Relations Act 1976 casework', and the the 'support' element of this priority now falls under the first priority area, integration.
The Getting Results funding priority areas (PAs) for 2007/8 are:
- 1. integration;
- 2. inter-community conflict prevention and resolution; and
- 3. Race Relations Act 1976 casework.
2. How many funding cycles will there be in the 2007/8 financial year?
There will be only one funding cycle in 2007/8.
3. Why are some parts of the application form shaded?
Applications from organisations asking for funding to carry out Race Relations Act 1976 casework as well as projects under priority areas (PAs) 1 or 2 will be assessed by two different teams at the CRE. We therefore shaded all parts of the application form relating to this priority area (PA) to help us identify and process all the applications more quickly.
Eligibility
4. Does the CRE fund individuals?
No. Bids will only be accepted from properly constituted organisations or consortia.
5. Who is eligible for CRE funding?
In the past grants have been awarded to racial equality councils (RECs), complainant aid centres, and other voluntary and community organisations. However, any organisation is eligible for funding, as long as it agrees to the compact on relations between the CRE and organisations receiving Section 44 grants and the CRE's code of practice for Section 44 funding. That said, we do not normally fund statutory bodies.
6. Can we apply for funding for projects that will benefit only one ethnic group?
We only fund projects that benefit at least two ethnic groups. However, applications are welcome from organisations that have traditionally worked with only one community, but are seeking funding to widen their work to include individuals or groups from other ethnic groups. The only exception to this rule is when the funding is being requested for projects involving Gypsies and Travellers, but even then we would expect to see a very strong emphasis on promoting good relations with other ethnic groups.
7. Can we apply, even if we have been unsuccessful in previous Getting Results funding cycles?
Yes.
8. Can we apply for funding in the 2007/8 round if we have not applied to Getting Results for funding before?
Yes.
9. How many applications can each organisation submit?
You are only allowed to submit one application per organisation, but you can either do the project work on your own or as part of a consortium.
10. Would Getting Results grant funding for a project that is already under way?
No. If you have already started work on a project (and it is not a multi-year integration or conflict resolution project funded by Getting Results in 2006/7), you cannot apply for funding for those parts of the project that are already under way.
Amount of funding
11. What is the maximum amount of funding we can receive?
The amount of funding depends on the number of outcomes you are planning, up to a maximum of three (please note that you will be expected to demonstrate your organisation's capacity to deliver more than one outcome - see page 10 of the guidance notes).
If you are planning only one outcome, you can apply for up to £33,500. If you believe that your outcome will cost significantly more than £33,500 you should include a covering letter explaining why the CRE should make an exception for your organisation. The maximum that can be applied for in any application is £100,000. However, for a maximum of three organisations, we may raise the overall cap to £120,000.
To be eligible, you must only be applying for the Race Relations Act 1976 casework priority area (PA 3) and operate in an area covering a very large conurbation. The purpose is to enable organisations to extend their reach to neighbouring boroughs, districts or counties that may not have access to such a service.
Submitting your application form
12. Where can I get an electronic version of the application form?
You can download copies of all relevant Getting Results documents on the right-hand side of this page. Alternatively you can contact the Getting Results team at gettingresults@cre.gov.uk, or on 0845 600 1404 to ask for the forms to be emailed to you.
13. How do I fill out the electronic form?
The electronic form is made up of text boxes, check boxes and drop-down lists. To insert text, click in the rectangular grey box. The box will expand as you type. To insert a cross in a check box, click in the square box. If you insert a check by mistake, just click on it again and it will disappear. To select an option from a drop down list, click on the small downward arrow to the right of the words 'please choose'. A number of options will appear. Use your mouse to scroll through the options and click on the one you wish to select.
14. Can we fax over a copy of the completed application form?
No. In an addition to the electronic version of the from which must be emailed to gettingresults@cre.gov.uk with the subject heading 'GR Application 2007/8 - [name of your organisation]', you must post or hand-deliver two hard copies to the CRE head office in London. Faxed copies will not be considered.
15. What constitutes a strong outcome-based funding application?
See the guidance notes (available to download from this page) for some good practice examples.
16. What help and advice can we expect?
Advice and information is available from the Getting Results team, who can be contacted at gettingresults@cre.gov.uk, or on 0845 600 1404. Team members will be able to answer questions about the application process, but they will not be able to offer opinions on the outcome(s) for which you want to apply for funding. All the information you need is contained in these guidance notes, and you should refer to these in the first instance.
Additional information you must provide
17. Do we need to submit any other information or documents with the application form?
Yes. You should use the checklist at the back of the application form to make sure you have attached all the relevant information. All applicants must submit copies of the latest approved accounts and the organisation's constitution. The application form also asks you to provide a simple organisational chart. If you are applying for funding for more than one outcome, you will be required to give us more information, including a business plan. Please note that although we ask you for two hard copies of your application form, we only need one copy of each of the supporting documents.
18. The application form asks us to submit approved accounts. We are a new organisation and do not yet have approved accounts. What should we do?
You should make this clear in a covering letter, and supply a copy of a recent bank statement, bank reference and a recent balance sheet for your organisation. If your finances and bank account are handled by another organisation on your behalf, you should submit a letter from your partner organisation explaining your situation.
19. Why do we need to submit a business plan or a strategy plan?
You only need to send us a business or strategy plan if you are applying for funding for more than one outcome, or applying for more than 33,500 for just one outcome (remember: you also need to provide a covering letter explaining why the CRE should make an exception in your case). The plan will help us to assess your organisation's strategic objectives against your proposed outcome(s). It is important that you highlight the parts of your business plan that are relevant to the proposed outcomes. A good business plan should reflect an organisation's capacity to do the work.
Meeting quality assurance standards
20. What quality assurance does the CRE require?
Organisations receiving Getting Results funding must be able to show that they function well and deliver quality services. We therefore expect you to have, or to be working towards, recognised quality assurance standards.
The CRE has created its own set of standards, known as Core Standards, which cover a range of organisational and operational areas. All CRE-funded organisations must meet these core standards, which cannot be substituted with any other standards and/or performance measures. However, we also want to know about any other quality assurance framework classifications (for example, Investors in People) that you are either compliant with or working towards.
If your organisation has received Getting Results funding before you should already be compliant with the CRE's core standards. If it has not, and your application for funding is successful, you will be expected to show that you can comply with all of the core standards' requirements within a set period of time.
We have produced a document, explaining how the standards apply to your organisation, and when you will need to meet them by. This can be downloaded from the right-hand column of this page, or you can request a copy by calling the Getting Results helpline on 0845 600 1404. If your organisation has other recognised quality assurance accreditation, this should be sufficient for the assessment stage, but you will need to meet the CRE's core standards if you are successful.
21. What are core standards?
Core standards are organisational and operational standards, based closely on the Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO). This framework was specifically designed for the voluntary and community sector and is promoted by the Charities Evaluation Service. A few minor changes have been made to the 16 generic quality areas under PQASSO so that the framework is suitable for agencies carrying out racial equality work.
22. If we are applying for funding to do legal casework, do we need CLS accreditation?
If your bid for funding to carry out legal casework is successful you will need to obtain the relevant Community Legal Service (CLS) Quality Mark accreditation and make sure you meet all the relevant CLS requirements and audits.
23. What is the CLS Quality Mark?
The Quality Mark is the quality standard of the Community Legal Service (CLS), a government initiative launched in April 2000. The aim of the CLS is to improve the public's access to quality information, advice and legal services. To be awarded the Quality Mark, organisations in England and Wales have to demonstrate that they meet the standard required for the type of service being delivered. The three Quality Mark standards are information, general help and specialist help. For more information, see the CLS website.
24. We operate in Scotland and aren't eligible to apply for the CLS' Quality Mark. What can we do?
If your organisation operates in Scotland we will expect you to show that your existing practices meet the standards set by the CLS' Quality Mark. We may contact you by phone or email to check this is the case.
The assessment process
25. How will we know you've received our application?
We will write to you to acknowledge receipt of your application.
26. What happens to our application once it's been submitted?
Your application will be assessed, and a report presented to the CRE's Communities and Partnerships Committee. This committee then decides which organisations to fund.
27. How does the CRE assess applications?
We consider various factors when deciding whether to fund an organisation. These include whether:
- the outcomes match the priority areas (PAs) listed in question 1 above;
- the proposed work is likely to meet local needs;
- the work planned is SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound);
- the costs are appropriate, clearly set out and realistic;
- your organisation is capable of doing the work; and
- your organisation is capable of keeping records of the work, and providing documentary evidence for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
28. How will we know if our application has been successful?
We will notify each applicant in writing. You should know if you have been successful or not by mid February 2007.
29. Can we appeal against the CRE's decision?
No. The decision made by the CRE's Communities and Partnerships Committee is final. This is because the committee will allocate all of the available funds. Unsuccessful applicants can ask the Getting Results team for feedback.
30. If we are unsuccessful, can we apply for Getting Results funding in the future?
Yes. However, priority for any future funding may be given to multi-year projects funded in the 2007/8 funding round, as long as the project is deemed to be of good quality and the organisation has fulfilled its monitoring requirements satisfactorily.
Successful applicants
31. If we are successful, when will we receive our funding?
Successful applicants will receive 12 months' funding, from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.
32. Will the CRE set any conditions, if we take up a grant?
Yes, these will be outlined in your contract, which we will send you once your work plan has been agreed. One important condition is that monitoring reports should be submitted at the set times, together with the relevant documentary evidence (for example, evaluations of beneficiaries, copies of reports and minutes of meetings). You will also be asked to inform the CRE about statutory bodies that you believe may be in breach of the Race Relations Act 1976. If your organisation is funded to carry out Race Relations Act 1976 casework then you will have to identify and refer on to the CRE cases which should receive CRE support (see page 6 of the guidance notes).
