Before you apply
Please read all of the Application Form Questions (below) before you start the online application form.
As part of the application process we ask you to complete an online application form. In some of the questions we ask you to provide specifc and detailed answers that you may want to take some extra time to write your responses.
The online application form does not have a 'Save and resume' function and therefore we recommend you collate and save your answers in a Microsoft Word document before you start the online application process.
To help you prepare for your online application, we have listed below the questions you will be asked in the online application form.
Please read all of the Application Form Questions (below) before you start the online application form.
Application Form Questions
- Data Protection - Using your personal information
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In this section we ask you to read a Data Protection statement and to agree to the handling of your personal data according to the terms specified in the Data Protection statement.
The Data Protection Statement describes:
- Who will use your personal data
- What your personal data will be used for and how we process it
- Who we will share your personal data with
- How we will store your personal data.
- Eligibility
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In this section we ask you to confirm that your organisation meets all of the eligbility criteria to apply for the Voluntary Sector Support Fund.
Your organisation is eligible if:
- The organisation is based in Kensington and Chelsea.
- The organisation is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- The organisation's income did not exceed £3m in last reported financial year.
- The delivery will commence on 1 April 2024 and end 31 March 2027.
- The organisation is applying for core costs.
- About your organisation
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You and your organisation
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Name of the person making the application
- Job Title
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Name and address of the organisation
- Charity Registration Number
- Social Media names, addresses and handles
Single or joint application?
You will need to confirm if this is a single or joint application and you are either:
- a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisation providing services to residents; or
- an infrastructure organisation providing services to other Voluntary and Community Sector organisations.
Legal structure
Finally, we will ask you to confirm that the organisation has a signed governing document in place and one of the following legal structures applies to your organisation.
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
- Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) - may also be registered as a Charity or a Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee (CICLG)
- Trust
- Unincorporated Association
- Other
- Your finances
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Application amount and budget breakdown
In this section we ask about your finances, ask you to enter the annual amount you are applying for and to provide a breakdown of your budget.
The grant will fund the core costs of the VCS organisation such as:
- Management and administration
- General office expenses
- Accountancy and audit
- Communications
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Governance, regulatory, and compliance costs.
You will need to download and complete the budget form below.
Please save this budget form because you will asked to upload a breakdown of your budget as part of the online application form.
Income, expenditure and value for money
We will ask you to provide your organisations Income, Expenditure, Reserves, and Fixed Asset amounts and to tell us how your organisation offers value for money. Please note the response to this question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
- How your organisation operates
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In this section we ask:
- What your organisation's aims and objectives are. The reponse to this question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
- Who works for your organisation? We will ask you to enter the number of Staff, Trustees, and Volunteers that work for your organisation.
- How your organisation deliver its services. The response to this question has a maximum limit of 3,600 characters.
- Where your organisation delivers its services.
- Which days of the week your organisation operates.
- How many hours per week your organisation operates.
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How do you identify and mitigate organisational risks? The reponse to this question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
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How do you measure and evaluate your work? The reponse to this question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
- Your beneficiaries
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For the majority of the questions in this section we ask you to provide specific and detailed information. The response to each question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters unless otherwise stated.
The council will look more favourably on applicants with an overall 75% of beneficiaries who are local residents. This will be reflected in the amount that organisations may be awarded. Applicants with less than 50% of beneficiaries who are local residents will not be considered.
In this section we ask:
- Please provide a breakdown for the different groups you work with.
- How many beneficiaries will you support per year?
- How will you support people acquire skills and experience that will then help them to increase their potential to gain employment, education and training.
- Please tell us why your beneficiaries might be vulnerable?
- What are the needs of your beneficiaries? The response to this question has a maximum limit of 3,600 characters.
- How does your organisation meet these needs?
- How will you help to increase people's resilience?
- Please provide us with a case study which illustrates how you are making a postive difference to the lives of your beneficiaries?
- How do you capture Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) data on your beneficiaries?
- Your partners and community
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All questions in this section ask you to provide specific and detailed information. The response to each question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
In this section we ask:
- How will you contribute towards making the borough fairer?
- How do you collaborate with your partners and stakeholders and share your space(s)?
- What positive contribution do you make to your local community?
- Your resilience and sustainability
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All questions in this section ask you to provide specific and detailed information. The response to each question has a maximum limit of 1,800 characters.
In this section we ask:
- How will this funding help your organisation to be more resilient?
- How are you making your organisation more sustainable?
- How will you sustain your work beyond our 3 year grant timeframe?
- Your policies, documents and insurance
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In this section we ask you to confirm that you will supply the following policies, insurance and associated documents to us when requested.
- Health and Safety policy
- Equality and diversity policy
- Safeguarding adults and children policy
- Employers Liability Insurance policy
- Professional Indemnity Insurance policy
- Risk Assessment Log
- Governing document (for example your Constitution or Articles of Association)
- A list of your Trustees, Board of Directors or Management Committee
- A copy of your most recent minutes of a Meeting of your Trustees, Board of Directors or Management Committee.
- A bank stantement dated within the last three months and clearly shows your Organisations Name, Address, Account Number and Sort Code. You may redact other information such as recent transactions.
- Annual Report and Acccounts for the last two financial years.
- Management Account for the last three months.
- Cashflow forecast for the current financial year.
- Declaration
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In this section we ask you to confirm that the information you have provided is true and accurate and that the person making the application is am authorised to submit the application on behalf of the organisation or partnership.
Apply now
When you have collated all of the required information, you are ready to start the online application form
Overview of the application process
- The Applicant completes and submits the online application form.
- The Council will review the application and it will be assessed against the eligibility criteria for the Funding Strand.
- Applicants who are eligible and meet the minimum requirements of the Fund will be contacted and asked to supply the supporting documentation.
- The Application Form and supporting documents will be scored and assessed.
- The Council will write to you to notify you of the outcome of your application.