Policy paper

Regional VCSE Grant Scheme: prospectus

Published 1 March 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Summary

In this prospectus, we will explain the new Regional VCSE Grant for 2023/24 and provide information required to help you complete your application. The information is set out in the following parts:

Part 1: Grant summary

Part 2: How to apply

Part 3: Timelines and processes

Part 4: Scoring process

Part 5: Guidance for completing the application form

Part 6: Full list of questions in the application form

Contacting the Department for Levelling Up Housing & Communities (DLUHC)

General enquiries: HKRegionalGrant@levellingup.gov.uk

Introduction

A new immigration route opened in January 2021, providing Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders and their eligible family members with the opportunity to come to the UK to live, study and work, on a pathway to citizenship.

This new route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997.

As of 30 September 2022, there have been a total of 160,000 applications for the BN(O) route since its introduction, and it has been estimated that between 258,000 and 322,400 may apply over 5 years. In November 2022, the BN(O) visa route was expanded following an immigration rules change in November 2022, and now eligible adult children (aged 18-25) of BN(O) status holders can apply for the visa independently of their parents, providing they meet all remaining requirements of the route. Estimates suggest between 4,600 to 5,600 adult children will apply in the first year, and between 9,700 and 11,700 over 5 years.

Since April 2021, he DLUHC is leading delivery of the UK-wide Welcome Programme to support BN(O) status holders to successfully settle in their new communities. The Welcome Programme announced its continuation in July 2022, and now for a third funding round in March 2023.

The Welcome Programme has the following elements:

• Welcome Pack: a comprehensive Welcome Pack has been published on GOV.UK for BN(O)s settling in the UK, in English and Cantonese, which advises new arrivals on how to settle into life in the UK, and access public services such as registering for a doctor, finding a school, and searching for a job.
• Welcome Hubs across the UK: 12 virtual Welcome Hubs established through the Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs) covering the nine English regions, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, working with local partners to co-ordinate support and offer practical advice.
• Voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations funded to deliver national and regional projects. In February 2022, 47 successful projects were announced, and in July 2022 we announced continued funding for 42 projects until March 2023. Details are provided on Gov.uk.
• Hate Crime Reporting Service: funding to deliver a reporting and support service, ‘On Your Side’ for BN(O)sand all other East and South-East Asian communities across the UK. On Your Side launched in August 2022. We announced in March 2023 that is will be funded to delivery until March 2024 (subject to grant funding agreements.
• English language and destitution: funding provided to local authorities in England to provide targeted English language provision and destitution support, where needed.

The aims of the Welcome Programme are to:

• Enable BN(O)s to fully contribute economically and socially to life in the UK, enriching society.
• Enable BN(O)s to feel part of UK society, able to mix confidently with people of all backgrounds and provide a positive contribution to the UK and where they settle – including through speaking English well.
• Provide support to both resident communities and BN(O) visa holders to feel safe and welcome, including by ensuring that any hate crime is tackled promptly, with follow-up support offered.
• Ensure that any instances of destitution and underemployment in the BN(O) cohort is minimised and addressed through effective support services.

Part 1: Grant Summary

1. What is the Regional VCSE Grant

The purpose of the Regional VCSE Grant Scheme is to fund regional projects across England that will give BN(O)s access to local advice and support in areas including employment, mental health and wellbeing, and social integration which will complement what is being delivered locally through the Welcome Hubs and through the national VCSE grant scheme, and contribute to delivering sustainable support for Hong Kong BN(O)s.

The Regional VCSE grant scheme will work alongside the National VCSE Grant Scheme which has a separate prospectus and bid process on GOV.UK.

2. Objectives

The Regional VCSE scheme will support projects in line with the high-level outcomes of the Hong Kong Welcome Programme. The programme will ensure positive outcomes for central and local government, resident UK communities and BN(O) visa holders by:

1. Enabling all new arrivals to fully contribute to life in the UK, both economically and socially, enriching our society.

2. Providing support to both resident communities and BN(O) visa holders so they are welcomed and able to settle into their new communities.

3. Enabling BN(O) visa holders to get access to the right support services to support their settlement.

3. What we are looking for

We are looking for organisations to develop and run local projects that will support Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders in areas such as employment, mental health and wellbeing, English language, ‘buddying’ or ‘befriending’ schemes, help to access local services and support, as well as to build the capacity of the sector to support community cohesion and bring sustainable benefits to BN(O) status holders and the communities where they settle.

Examples of proposals could include:

• Employability support to address barriers to finding employment, including writing CVs and cover letters, conducting interviews, advice about how to get into specific sectors, and converting qualifications.

• Orientation and support for the BN(O) community in accessing public services, ensuring information is provided in an accessible manner, and helping them understand their rights and entitlements in the UK.

• Integration support including opportunities to build connections within Hong Kong communities and across different communities, to find out about British culture and life in the UK, potentially through volunteering or networking events.

• Providing opportunities to learn and improve English language skills both formally and informally to support with getting jobs and/or socialising.

• Projects that support mental health and wellbeing, ranging from coffee mornings through to increasing the capacity of mental health services to provide trauma-informed support and bilingual, including Cantonese, speaking services and support for BN(O)s.

• Projects focused on sub-groups of BN(O)s such as young people, including those who are of school age, as well as the new cohort of young adults aged 18-25, or other groups, such as the elderly or families.

Proposals should align with the regional priorities provided by the Welcome Hubs (run by Strategic Migration Partnerships) as far as possible so that support can be targeted in areas of need.

The priorities for each Welcome Hub region are provided in the table below via theme and geographic location, and further detail about the priorities is provided on their websites at the link provided.

Table 1: Welcome Hub regional priorities for the Regional VCSE Grant Fund

Welcome Hub	Priority themes	Priority geographic locations	Welcome Hub website
East Midlands	Develop English language skills for socialising, Access housing, Access physical health services, Access mental health services and Integrate into their local communities	Nottingham City Nottinghamshire Rushcliffe Broxtowe Bassetlaw Derby City and Derbyshire North and West Northamptonshire	https://hkbno.emcouncils.gov.uk/
East of England	Develop English language skills for employment, Develop English language skills for socialising, Access employment, Access school and education, integrate into their local communities and supporting sub-groups (including the elderly and youth)	Hertfordshire: St Albans Essex: Colchester Norfolk: Norwich Cambridgeshire: Peterborough	https://smp.eelga.gov.uk/hk-hub/
London	Access schools and education, Access physical health services, Access mental health services, Integrate into their local communities, Access to Employment, Supporting sub-groups and Destitution advice	Sutton, Kingston Richmond Ealing Hammersmith & Fulham Harrow Barnet Westminster	https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/communities-and-social-justice/migrants-and-refugees/hong-kong-welcome-hub
North East	Develop English language skills for employment, Develop English language skills for socialising, Access housing, Access mental health services and Integrate into their local communities	Newcastle Gateshead North Tyneside South Tyneside Durham	https://www.nemp.org.uk/hk/
North West	Develop English Language skills for employment, Access employment, Access housing, Access mental health services and Integrate into their local communities, supporting sub-groups (including the elderly and youth)	Cheshire (including, Warrington, and Cheshire West & Chester) Greater Manchester (including, Trafford, Manchester, Stockport, Salford) Liverpool City (including, Wirral)	https://northwestrsmp.org.uk/hong-kong-bno/
South East	Develop English language skills for socialising, Access employment, Access schools and education, Access mental health services, and Integrate into their local communities, supporting sub-groups (including the elderly and youth)	Milton Keynes Surrey Kent Oxfordshire Reading Wokingham Brighton Southampton	https://southeastspm.org.uk/hk-bnos/hk-bnos-2/
South West	Develop English Language skills for employment, Develop English Language skills for socialising, Access employment, Access mental health services, Integrate into their local communities, supporting sub-groups (including the elderly and youth)	Bristol Swindon Exeter Bournemouth South Gloucestershire	https://swcouncils.gov.uk/policy-strategy/policy-swsmp/sw-smp-hong-kong-british-national-overseas-visa-briefing/regional-priorities-for-the-hong-kong-british-nationals-overseas-welcome-programme/
West Midlands	Develop English Language skills for employment, Access employment, Access housing, Access to schools and education, Access mental health services	Solihull Coventry Birmingham Warwickshire Shropshire	http://welcomehub.wmsmp.org.uk/
Yorkshire and Humber	Develop English language skills for employment, Develop English language skills for socialising, Access employment, Access housing and Integrate into their local communities, supporting sub-groups (including the elderly and youth)	Leeds Sheffield Harrogate Wakefield Hull	https://www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk/hong-kong-hub

There will be an expectation that successful organisations will work closely with the Welcome Hubs including through attending a minimum of four regional meetings organised by the Welcome Hubs, to encourage communication and collaboration between those providing support to BN(O)s.

We are also interested in applications from organisations that can demonstrate an understanding of the BN(O) cohort, and can tailor their support accordingly, for example through providing access to bilingual support including in Cantonese, and demonstrating how they can gain the trust of the BN(O) community so that they engage with their services.

4. Funding

The total funding available for the Regional VCSE Grant is up to £1.4 million across the nine regions in England. Each region will receive a proportion of funding based on the estimated number of BN(O) status holders who have settled in that region. The funding breakdown per region can be found in Table 2: regional allocation of the regional VCSE grant fund. We anticipate the majority of support will be provided by small community organisations.

The funding for individual projects will range from £20,000 to £40,000.

Depending on the number and scale of bids received, DLUHC may ask organisations to scale up or scale down their proposals.

We are encouraging applicants to submit proposals for projects that can be up and running swiftly after being notified that they are successful, which we expect to do from summer 2023. Delivery of your project will need to be completed by 31 March 2024.

Prospective applicants should endeavour to illustrate excellent value for money with a strong focus on developing sustainable outcomes for BN(O)s.

The application form will give applicants the opportunity to provide costs for activities that will be undertaken to facilitate the delivery of objectives. DLUHC will seek to ensure that bids are cost effective and present best value for money (see Part 4: scoring criteria).

DLUHC will consider continuing elements in future financial years, subject to the government’s Spending Review process.

Table 2: Regional allocations for Regional VCSE fund

Region	Fund allocation
East Midlands	£90,522.00
East of England	£124,467.00
London	£462,509.00
North East	£53,747.00
North West	£179,629.00
South East	£198,016.00
South West	£83,450.00
West Midlands	£115,981.00
Yorkshire and Humber	£106,080.00
Total	£1,414,401.00

5. Eligibility

We welcome applications from organisations that already have experience supporting the integration of BN(O) status holder, as well as those that have the relevant skills and resources to support effective integration and to help build strong community cohesion.

All successful organisations will be required to undergo mandatory due diligence checks as a means of ensuring the government is not subject to potential reputational damage.

In addition, there will be financial due diligence checks carried out to ensure that participating organisations are of good financial standing. We would expect that successful organisations do not receive the majority of their funding from Central Government.

A full list of eligible organisations can be found below.

• ‘Charity’ – A registered charity with a UK charity number or a registered CIC (community interest company).
• ‘Community group’ – A group which meets all the following criteria:
  • Established for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes;
  • Has a governing body with at least three members;
  • Has a governing document which they are able to produce;
  • Can provide accounts for the last two financial years.
• ‘Community Interest Company’ - a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders.
• ‘Social enterprise’ - a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners”.
• Other voluntary and community organisations.
• Organisations must be based in and registered in England.

Individuals are not eligible to apply but should work with the eligible groups set out above.

Organisations applying to the Regional VCSE Grant Scheme are eligible to apply for the National VCSE grant scheme but must present a distinct offer as part of this scheme.

Organisations wishing to apply to the Regional VCSE Grant Scheme must have relevant safeguarding policies in place. All applicants must also adhere to the Government Code of Conduct. Please ensure that you have read the Code of Conduct in full, particularly the section on interaction with vulnerable groups.

Organisations selected to receive grant funding will ensure compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022 and be responsible for ensuring all elements of the scheme are provided in accordance with the UK’s international obligations in respect of subsidies (as amended from time to time).

All bids must be specific to the Welcome Hub region they are applying to, generic bids should not be submitted. Organisations wishing to submit bids to more than one SMP must ensure that each bid is specific to the SMP region they are applying to, and that they have capacity to deliver support to that region.

Part 2: How to apply

Please apply for the regional VCSE grant scheme through this link.

The deadline for applications is 23.59 on 31 March 2023.

Applications received after this time will not be considered. Applications via e-mail will not be considered.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact: HKRegionalGrant@levellingup.gov.uk.

Part 3: Timeline and process

6. Overview of timeline (subject to change)

• Applications open: 1 March 2023
• Webinar sessions: 9 March and 16 March 2023
• Deadline for applications: 31 March 2023
• Scoring bids: April to May 2023
• Approval and confirmation of awards: June/July 2023
• Delivery commences: June/July 2023
• All funds committed and delivery ends: 31 March 2024

Successful organisations will be expected to commence and complete core delivery in line with the dates set out and to have committed all funds by 31 March 2024.

7. Roles and responsibilities

DLUHC is providing funding for the National VCSE Grant Scheme. DLUHC will assess national VCSE bids and provide funding directly to successful VCSE organisations.

DLUHC role

• Publish the national prospectus.
• Assess bids against the assessment criteria and determine allocation of funding.
• Complete due diligence checks on organisations selected for funding.
• Notify VCSE applicants of funding decisions.
• Establish grant funding agreements with successful organisations.
• Provide funding as agreed in the grant funding agreement.
• Establish and undertake monitoring and evaluation.

VCSE organisation role

• Ensure proposals submitted are on the application form and contain clear costings, outputs and outcomes for activities.
• Cooperate fully with the assessment and due diligence process.
• If selected for funding, sign a grant funding agreement with DLUHC.
• If selected for funding, deliver proposals in line with agreed plans, within timescales and to budget.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation as required.

Part 4: Scoring process

Scoring criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following areas:

1. Evidence of a clear governance and risk management structure in place with oversight and accountability.

2. Evidence of a realistic understanding of potential financial and delivery risks, including counter fraud, and mitigations to address them.

3. Evidence of how the organisation will ensure the BN(O) community engages with the project and organisation.

4. Evidence of how the organisation will work with stakeholders and partners to deliver the project and build the capability to become sustainable.

5. Demonstration of strong value for money with costs that are proportionate to the number of expected BN(O)s reached and expected outcomes to be achieved.

6. Project plan aligns with the regional priorities of the Strategic Migration Partnership for the region set out in the prospectus.

7. Project plan with clear deliverables, timescales, outcomes and success measures that meet the objectives of the Welcome Programme.

Summary of assessment process

DLUHC will assess the applications following the end of the submission period.

Each criterion will receive an individual score and the applications will be scored out of a total of 24. After each criterion is scored, the results generated from the scoring process will be used to arrange bids in a priority list for each region, ranking from highest total score to lowest total score.

This priority list will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as a recommendation on the allocation of funding. The final decision as to the level of funding allocated to organisations will rest with the Secretary of State.

DLUHC reserves the right to vary these conditions and the right to either withdraw or reduce the funding if reasonably required, in line with the terms and conditions set out within the Grant Funding Agreement.

Criteria Scores

The scores for each criterion are not equally weighted, and will work as follows:

Criteria	Maximum Score
1. Governance	3
2. Risk	3 (minimum score of 1 is required to pass)
3. Working with the BN(O) Community	3 (minimum score of 1 is required to pass)
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability	3
5. Value for Money	3 (minimum score of 2 is required to pass)
6. Regional Priorities	3
7. Deliverables, Timescales, Outcomes and Success Measures	6 (minimum score of 3 is required to pass)

Scoring guidelines

1. Governance

Criteria description

Proposals should provide confidence that there is a clear governance and risk management structure in place with oversight and accountability.

Score guide

0 - No governance and risk management structure outlined in proposal.

1 - Governance and risk management structure poorly defined, no details of oversight or accountability.

2 - Governance and risk management structure defined, linked to oversight or accountability. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 - Detailed governance and risk management structure provided, with a clear explanation of oversight and accountability linked to job roles. The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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2.Risk (Minimum Score of 1 is Required to Pass)

Criteria description

Proposals should show evidence of a realistic understanding of potential financial and delivery risks, including counter fraud, UK GDPR and mitigations to address them.

Score guide

0 - The proposal does not identify or address any risks.

1 - The proposal identifies potential risks with some mitigations outlined.

2 - The proposal outlines financial and delivery risks and has planned mitigations listed. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 - The proposal outlines delivery and financial risks and has planned mitigations listed. There is a method of monitoring and controlling risks listed, further risk policy documents are referenced (contingency plans, risk register, anti-fraud policy etc). The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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3. Working with the BN(O) Community (Minimum Score of 1 Required to Pass)

Criteria description

Proposals should set out plans to engage with the BN(O) community, so that BN(O)s use the service and receive the support they need to settle into life in the UK.

Score guide

0 - No evidence that engagement of BN(O)s has been considered in the project plan.

1 - Engagement of BN(O)s is referenced but no clear plan about how to do this.

2 - Engagement of BN(O)s referenced in the project plan, and an indication of how they will do this to ensure the success of the project. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 - There is a well-presented plan for engaging with BN(O)s and building trust with the community. The proposal includes details of how engagement with BN(O)s will form a core part of the project and provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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4. Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability

Criteria description

Proposals should evidence show the organisation will work with key stakeholders and partners to deliver the project and build future capability to support sustainable outcomes in the long-term. Reference should be made to working with the Welcome Hubs across the UK.

Score guide

0 - No evidence that the organisation will engage with stakeholders or partners and work towards building future capability.

1 - The organisation’s intention to work with partners and build future capability are implied but not addressed directly, and there is limited reference to specific stakeholders.

2 – The organisation’s intention to work with partners, including their regional Welcome Hub, and build future capability are addressed and some detail is provided on plans to take these forward. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 - The proposal outlines in detail how the organisation will engage with partners, including their regional Welcome Hub, and how this will help them to deliver the milestones and outcomes of their project. They have clearly set out how they will work towards future capability, including by providing examples of networks or community hubs that they have set up or work with. The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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5. Value for Money (Minimum score of 2 is required to pass)

Criteria description

The proposal should demonstrate strong value for money. Costs should be proportionate to the number of expected BN(O) status holders that the project intends to reach and outcomes that it plans to achieve. Value for money could be demonstrated through the presentation of proportionate costs per participant, a clear breakdown of costs (covering areas such as IT, staffing, marketing, and events), economies of scale that will be achieved, and detail on any additional funding that has been secured from other organisations. Proposed costs for each aspect of the project should be reasonable, proportionate and ensure that funding is maximised as much as possible.

Score guide

0 – No evidence provided that demonstrates value for money.

1 - Proposal includes some detail on costs and the numbers of BN(O)s the project could support.

2 – Proposal includes an overall breakdown of costs, which are linked to the project plan and numbers of BN(O)s that the project will reach. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 – Proposal includes a detailed breakdown of costs, which is linked to timelines in the project plan and numbers of BN(O)s that the project will reach, costs for each aspect of the project are proportionate and reasonable. The proposal outlines ways to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum, while ensuring that funding is maximised. The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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6. Regional Priorities

Criteria description

Proposals should outline how their project activities will meet the regional priorities of the region they are applying in. The regional priorities are published on each region’s website and are linked in Part 1 of the prospectus.

Score guide

0 – Proposal does not meet or reference any of the regional priorities outlined by the relevant SMP region.

1 – Proposal does not address regional priorities directly, but the project meets other grant criteria.

2 – Proposal considers regional priorities and has included them in the proposed plan. There is some detail on how the proposal meets the requirements. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 – Proposal’s core activities are based around meeting the region’s needs as outlined by the regional SMP. There is a clear link from the project plan showing how the project meets that region’s needs across theme and location. The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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7. Deliverables, Timescales, Outcomes and Success Measures (Minimum Score of 3 is Required)

Criteria description

Proposals should be specific about the activities they will deliver and the timescales they will adhere to. They should detail the number of BN(O)s they expect to reach, how their project will support positive outcomes for BN(O) status holder, and evidence how they will measure the success of their project.

Score guide

0 - No detail on deliverables, timescales, outcomes or success measures outlined in proposal.

1 – Limited or weak evidence provided on delivery timescales and how the organisation intends to monitor and evaluate activities.

2 – Proposal includes a plan covering key activity, delivery timescales, intended outcomes and the number of BN(O)s they intend to reach. Some detail is provided on indicators that will be used to measure progress and success. The proposal provides DLUHC with a reasonable degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

3 - Proposal includes a detailed plan, linking activity, delivery timescales, intended outcomes and the number of BN(O)s they intend to reach. Clear indicators of how progress and success will be measured have been provided, with a detailed description of methods that will be used to monitor these (e.g. surveys). The proposal provides DLUHC with a high degree of confidence in the ability of the applicant to deliver.

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Evaluation and monitoring

Successful applicants must comply with evaluation and monitoring requirements set out below. We expect successful applicants to engage in further monitoring and evaluation as required to benefit the overall programme (this could include feedback sessions on lessons learned).

Evaluation: each funded project will be expected to complete an evaluation at the end of the delivery period.  DLUHC will provide a template for each project to complete. Successful organisations will also be asked to produce a statement of grant usage and grants above £20,000 will need to submit an independent accountant report upon completion of the grant period.

Monitoring: each project will be expected to provide bi-monthly reports to DLUHC. The reporting forms will be provided by DLUHC and will ask for organisations to provide both qualitative and quantitative updates on their project progress

Part 5: Guidance for completing the application form

Completing the application form

Please read these instructions carefully before submitting your application form:

• The link for the application form can be found here.
• We will only accept applications from Voluntary and Community organisations that meet the eligibility criteria as detailed in Part 1 of this guidance.
• Please complete all the questions on the application form. Incomplete application forms will not be considered.
• You will be able to save your application and come back to it at a later date – you will be e-mailed with log in details for an ongoing application.
• If you want to apply for other regional grants you will need to complete a separate application form per grant and start a new one via the link shared above. .
• All applications must be completed and submitted by the deadline. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
• Please note that applications should not exceed the minimum wordcount. Information that exceeds the minimum wordcount will not be used as part of the assessment of the application.
• We will not accept applications or other submissions via email.

Deadline for applications

Applications for the Regional VCSE Grant Scheme must be completed and received in full by 23.59 on 31 March 2023.

This guidance explains how to complete the online application form.

We will be running webinars in March to demonstrate how to complete the online form. If you cannot access the form, or have any issues submitting it, please contact: HKRegionalGrant@levellingup.gov.uk.

Application form questions

Section 1: Organisation and contact information

Q1-2: In this section you will asked to provide information regarding your organisation.

Q3: You will be asked to state which category your organisation falls under, if your organisation falls outside these please detail how your organisation meets the eligibility criteria:

Table 1: Eligibility criteria

Category	Definition
Charity	A registered charity with a UK charity number or a registered CIC (community interest company).
Community Group	A group which meets all the following criteria:  - established for charitable, benevolent, or philanthropic purposes - has a governing body with at least three members - has a governing document which they are able to produce - can provide accounts for the last two financial years
Community Interest Company	A special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders.
Social Enterprise	A business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.
Other voluntary/community organisation	Please complete this should your organisation not fall within the above categories.

Q4: If applicable, please include your Charity Commission number.

Q5: Your organisation must meet all the eligibility criteria listed in the associated prospectus. Failure to meet the criteria will result in your application not being assessed.

Q6: You must indicate whether you will be able to deliver the project within the timescales. All funds should be committed by 31 March 2024, when delivery ends.

Q7-13: In this section you will be asked to complete provide your contact details, including your organisation address, telephone number, email etc.

Section 2: Project summary

Q14. In this section you are asked to provide a clear summary of your project drawing upon how your project will support the integration of BN(O) status holders and their dependants. Your summary should be aligned to the criteria outlined in the prospectus (see part 1). There is a maximum of 400 words.

You should include information on:

• The focus of the project, what it aims to achieve, how it will do this, and the total numbers of BN(O)s who will be supported.
• Plans for engaging BN(O)s and detail on the stakeholders you will work with to support your project (this can include existing stakeholders/networks, as well as new partners you plan to work with)

You will be asked to select what key themes your project will deliver against in Section 9.

Section 3: Finance

Q15-19: This section will require you to provide the following information:

The total amount of funding you are bidding for (in £ GBP) and if this is the complete cost of the project.   Numbers should be written without commas and spaces (e.g. ‘3000’ and not ‘3,000’).

Please provide details of any external additional funding that you may have applied for (including details of where the funding is from, the total amount and the date it has been awarded).

Please provide a breakdown of costs for your project.   We have provided a list of potential costs below.  Not all costs may be applicable for your project, and the various costs provided should add up to the total cost of your project.   If you have other costs not included in the list below, then please use ‘other’. If a cost is not applicable, then please leave the box blank.

• Staff costs
• IT costs
• Marketing costs
• Event costs
• Venue costs
• Administration costs
• Travel costs
• Material/equipment costs
• Rent
• Other

Q20: Please provide additional information about your costs that demonstrate how the project will achieve value for money. Costs provided should be proportionate to the number of expected BN(O) status holders that the project intends to reach and outcomes that it plans to achieve.  Value for money could be demonstrated through the presentation of proportionate costs per participant and how economies of scale will be achieved.  Proposed costs for each aspect of the project should be reasonable, proportionate and ensure that funding is maximised as much as possible. Your answer to this question is a maximum of 300 words.

Section 4: Governance

Q21: Please include details of your organisation’s governance structure, including how risks will be managed, who is accountable for the project, their role/s within the organisation and experience of project management/governance; please include frequency of project/board meetings.  Your answer to this question is a maximum of 300 words.

Q22: Please include the risks of delivering the project and how you intend to mitigate these. We are specifically seeking your consideration of financial and delivery risks, including for countering fraud and GDPR.  Your answer to this question is a maximum of 300 words.

Section 5 - Which vcse grant scheme are you applying for?

Q23: You will now be asked to select which VCSE grant scheme you are applying for.

• Please select ‘regional’ for regional bids only
• Please select ‘national’ for national bids only

Section 6 - SMP Regions

Q24: You must indicate which of the 9 English Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) regions this application is for. Please note that you can apply for more than one region, but you must complete a separate application form for each region. The 9 English SMPs are:

• East of England
• East Midlands
• London
• North West
• North East
• South East
• South West
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and Humber

Q25: Please indicate whether you are applying for funding under the scheme for more than one SMP region. You can apply for more than one region. However, you will need to complete a separate application for each region.

Q26: Please list key geographical locations that the project will cover, ensuring that these align with the regional priorities set out in the prospectus. For example, if your region is London, your project might focus specifically on the areas of Hillingdon, Kingston, Richmond, Ealing, and Hammersmith.

Section 7: Working with the BN(O) community

Q27: Please include evidence of your experience of working with the BN(O) community. Please detail how you will use BN(O) and/or community advocates or channels to promote your offer and build trust with the community so that they use your services/support. Please also detail how you will work alongside partners such as Welcome Hubs and others to reach BN(O)s. Where you have evidence of working with existing networks, please reference these.

Disclaimer: Regional applications will automatically skip to Q30 of the application form.

Section 8: Stakeholder engagement and sustainability

Q30: This section requires you to provide detail on how you will work with key stakeholders and partners to deliver your project and build future capability to support sustainable outcomes in the long-term. Please include information on how you plan to engage with the Welcome Hubs, Local Authorities, and any other stakeholders or partners you plan to work with.

In relation to building future capability, this could include reference to setting up infrastructure that could function without Government funding in the future. For example, creating networks that could be run by BN(O)s or existing VCSE groups.

Disclaimer: Regional applications will automatically skip to Q32 of the application form.

Section 9: Project themes and work strands

Q32: Please select the key themes of support that your project will deliver against. Please ensue that these align with the regional priorities set out in Part 1 of the prospectus.

You can select multiple themes and in Q34 we will require you to provide additional details on the activities that you propose to deliver against each of your selected themes. We have provided examples of the type of support that may fall under each theme. However, this is not an exhaustive list and you may want to support other activity.

Table 3: VCSE priority support themes

Themes your project may support	Description of what the support could include
Develop English language skills (for socialising and/or employment)	This could include supporting informal and/or formal language classes that will help to improve confidence in speaking and/or written skills. This could lead to employment and improved integration.
Access employment	This could include classes, webinars, or one-to-one sessions that address barriers to finding employment. It may provide advice on drafting CVs, cover letters and conducting interviews, and converting qualifications, as well as access to specialist advice and employment networks, such as those to help set up a business.
Access mental health services	This could range from signposting to support services, coffee mornings/social gatherings to improve wellbeing through to increasing the capacity of mental health services by providing specialist support.
Access schools and education	This could include providing advice about the school system in the UK, sessions for parents or pupils, and ensuring that information is accessible.
Access housing, physical health, destitution support	This could include a general helpline, face to face clinics, or a website that provides help/advice or signposting in these areas. This could include helping BN(O)s to understand the realities of the UK housing market, affordability challenges, and how to get help if they are struggling.
Integrate into local communities	This could include planning city trips to learn about local/national British culture, coffee mornings, and/or celebrating cultural events, such as, Lunar New Year that would help BN(O)s to meet others from the community.
Support for sub-groups of BN(O)s, including young people, older/retired BN(O)s etc	This could include providing opportunities for young people/elderly to get together through socialising/networking groups, support with mental health, or advice to get jobs.

From Q33: We will be asking you to complete this section for EACH theme of support selected. For example, if you referenced 4 themes in Section 9 of the application form, please complete this section for the 4 themes separately.

You can select the same theme again if you would like to add another work strand under the same theme.

There are a maximum of 10 work strands to complete.

This section will cover:

• The breakdown of activities you will deliver under this work strand (answers should focus on what this strand of work will deliver, and not be about the overall project).
• How many BN(O)s you plan to reach through this work strand (answers should be written with no spaces or commas such as ‘3000’ and not ‘3,000’).
• What age demographic this activity will support.
• What outcomes the strand will achieve.
• How you plan to measure the success of the activities in this work strand.

When completing this section, it may be useful to refer to the examples below:

Table 4: Work strand deliverables

Questions	Points to consider
The breakdown of activities you will deliver under this work strand (answers should focus on what this strand of work will deliver, and not be about the overall project)	You can refer to Table 3 of the guidance for the activities you may deliver under each theme of support. Although, we have provided examples for the type of support that may fall under each theme, this is not an exhaustive list, and you may want to support other activity.
How many BN(O)s you plan to reach through this work strand	Provide details on the total number of BN(O)s you plan to support through this work strand
What age group will this activity support	You can pick multiple options as you may be supporting more than one group - Under-5 yrs - Children & Teenagers 5 -18yrs - Young Adults 18 -24yrs - Adults 25+ - Older Adults 65+ - All age groups
What outcomes will this strand achieve	What outcomes from the list below will be a direct result of your support. You can pick multiple options as you may intend to achieve more than one outcome. Please use ‘other’ if you plan to achieve outcomes not included in the list. - BN(O)s have increased access to key information for settling in the UK. - Increased knowledge and awareness among BN(O)s of public services available and how they work. - BN(O)s feel welcomed and integrated in their new communities due to provision of services, information, and events. - BN(O)s better understand UK customs and culture. - Increased access to English language provision and practise. - Increased opportunities for social mixing - BN(O)s meet others in their local area and community. - Reduced ‘crisis presentation’ (initial pressures on public services) among BN(O)s - Other
How will you measure success?	You may measure success through the following indicators. You can include additional indicators relevant to your project. - The number of instances of support for BN(O)s - Number of activities/events - Feedback/case studies from BN(O)s - Other

When you have completed one work strand you will then be asked if you would like to add another work strand, please select yes to add or no to finish.

Section 10 - Declaration

This is the final page of the application form, please read the statement carefully then tick the box to confirm you are happy. You will need to tick all boxes for the application to proceed.

Please ensure your details are accurate. Once you have ticked all the declaration boxes and click submit, you will be emailed a PDF copy of your application.

This will be the final page once you have completed and submitted your entire application. We advise you to make note of any details on this page.

Part 6: Full list of questions in the application form

Section 1 – Organisation and contact information

1. Organisation name

2. Is your organisation based in the UK?

3. Please state which of the following categories your organisation falls under. If your organisation falls outside of these, please detail how your organisation meets the eligibility criteria:

• Charity
• Community Group
• Community Interest Company
• Social Enterprise
• Other voluntary/community organisation

If your organisation falls outside these, please detail how your organisation meets the eligibility criteria.

4. If applicable, please provide your Charity Commission number.

5. Does your organisation meet all the eligibility criteria listed in the associated prospectus?

• Yes
• No

6. Are you able to commence and deliver the project within the timescales set out in the prospectus?

• Yes
• No

7. Primary contact

8. Your role

9. Address in the UK (including a valid postcode)

10. Contact telephone number

11. Contact email address

12. Website

13. Social media pages (please provide links)

Section 2 – Project summary

14. Please provide a summary of your project. (400 word limit)

Section 3 – Finance

15. Please specify the total amount you are bidding for. Please use full numbers with no spaces and commas in this section (e.g. 3000 and not 3,000).

16. Is this the complete cost of your project?

17. If no, have you secured required additional funding?

• Yes
• No

18. If you have confirmed additional funding, please detail the source of these funds. (300 word limit)

19. Please can you provide a break down of the costs for your project. You do not need to complete all boxes. Please ensure that they add up to the amount you are bidding for or provide an explanation in Q20.

• Staff Costs
• IT Costs
• Marketing Costs
• Event Costs
• Venue Costs
• Administration Costs
• Travel Costs
• Material/Equipment Costs
• Rent
• Other (if other, please explain)

20. Please provide additional information about your costs that demonstrate how the project will achieve value for money. (300 word limit)

Section 4 – Governance

21. What are the governance arrangements for your project? (300 word limit) 22. What are the risks in delivering this project and how will you mitigate these? (300 word limit)

Section 5 - Which vcse grant scheme are you applying for?

23. Which VCSE grant scheme are you applying for?

• Please select ‘regional’ for regional bids only
• Please select ‘national’ for national bids only

Section 6 – SMP Regions

24. Which Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) region is this application for?

• East of England
• East Midlands
• London
• North West
• North East
• South East
• South West
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and Humber

25. Are you applying for funding under the scheme for more than one SMP region?

• Yes
• No

If yes, please provide details.

26. Please list key geographical locations that the project will cover, ensuring that these align with the regional priorities set out in the prospectus.

Please refer to the guidance – For example:

Region: London

My project will be focused in these specific areas: Hillingdon, Kingston, Richmond, Ealing and Hammersmith.

Section 7 - Working with the BN(O) community

27. How can you demonstrate that the BN(O) community will engage with your project and organisation? (300 word limit)

Disclaimer: Regional applications will automatically skip to Q30 of the application form.

Section 8 – Stakeholder engagement and sustainability

30. How will you engage with stakeholders and partners to deliver your project and build future capability? (300 word limit)

Disclaimer: Regional applications will automatically skip to Q32 of the application form.

Section 9 - Project themes

32. Please select the key themes of support that this project will deliver against:

• Develop English language skills (for socialising and/or employment)
• Access employment
• Access mental health services
• Access schools and education
• Access housing, physical health, destitution support
• Integrate into local communities
• Support for sub-groups of BN(O)s, including young people, older/retired BN(O)s etc
• Build the capacity and capability of the sector (for National only)

Section 10 – Work strands

31. Please select a theme from the list

• Develop English language skills (for socialising and/or employment)
• Access employment
• Access mental health services
• Access schools and education
• Access housing, physical health, destitution support
• Integrate into local communities
• Support for sub-groups of BN(O)s, including young people, older/retired BN(O)s etc
• Build the capacity and capability of the sector (for National only)

32. What activities will you deliver under this theme and to what timeline? (400 word limit)

33. How many BN(O)s will you reach through this work strand?

34. What age groups will this work strand support

• Under 5 yrs
• Children & Teenagers 5 -18yrs
• Young Adults 18 -24yrs
• Adults 25+
• Adults 65+
• All age groups

35. What outcomes will this work strand achieve?

• BN(O)s have increased access to key information for settling in the UK.
• Increased knowledge and awareness among BN(O)s of public services available and how they work.
• BN(O)s feel welcomed and integrated in their new communities due to provision of services, information and events.
• BN(O)s better understand UK customs and culture.
• Increased access to English language provision and practise.
• Increased opportunities for social mixing - BN(O)s meet others in their local area and community.
• Reduced ‘crisis presentation’ (initial pressures on public services) among BN(O)s
• Other (if other, please explain)

36. How will you measure success?

37. Would you like to add another work strand?

• Yes
• No

Disclaimer: If you selected multiple themes for Question 32 and selected ‘yes’ to Question 39, you will be redirected to this page again to complete a work strand for each theme of support you selected. You can complete a maximum of 8 work strands.

Section 10 - Declaration

103. By completing this form you agree to the following statements. All boxes need to be ticked for the application to be progressed.

• Give your permission for DLUHC to share your data with a third party working on their behalf.
• DLUHC or a third party working on their behalf contacting you to discuss your application further.
• Evaluate and monitor activities specified within your bid as agreed with DLUHC or a third party working on their behalf.
• Cooperate with reasonable requests for publicity (including social media promotion).
• Return a final evaluation report at the end of the project.
• Produce a statement of grant usage in the year following the grant award.