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Completing your application form

Please read the information and criteria notes before completing all sections of the form. Some questions have a limit on the number of words so please be concise.

These guidance notes are also available as a PDF.

Section 1: organisation details

Please provide contact details for your organisation.

Section 2: applicant details

Please give the name and email address of the person to contact if we require further information about the project.

Section 3: project details

3.1 Project name

(25 words maximum)

3.2 Project summary

(150 words maximum)

Please provide a short summary of your project. This will be used to publicise your project if successful, so please be concise and use plain English to describe your project.

3.3 The need for your project

Tell us why there is a need for your project. For example:

What issues is it tackling?
How did your ideas for the project take shape?
Who has been involved in its development?
Have users had a say in this process?

If you have undertaken a needs assessment please send this in with your application, highlighting the relevant parts and making reference to them in your response to this question.

3.4 Project description and purpose

Please describe your project. Outline your main aim and objectives and the activities you will undertake to achieve them. Highlight any elements which could be considered innovative and describe how the funded project will be sustained beyond the end of the grant period.

Please refer to the programme information and criteria for further details of what applications will be assessed against.

3.5 Project beneficiaries

Tell us about the people who will benefit from your project and how. We are interested in finding out how the project will make a difference and to whom. This could include patients, their carers, friends and family, staff or

volunteers.

3.6 How many patients do you expect to benefit from the project

Tell us how many patients you estimate will benefit from your project over a twelve month period. You may not know the exact number at this stage but please give us a reasonable estimate.

3.7 Project outcomes

Briefly describe what will be the result of the project once completed.

Identify three outcomes you hope to achieve from your project and when you plan to achieve them.

Outcomes are the changes or difference that your project can make once it is completed. They should be measurable and achievable. For example what differences will your project make for your beneficiaries and your hospice, and by when? If successful you will be asked to report back on how you have progressed on meeting these outcomes so it is best to be realistic.

3.8 How will you evaluate the difference your project has made?

Please describe how you will measure the effectiveness of your project in achieving your identified outcomes. For example this could include

activities such as gathering information from the various beneficiaries of the project before it starts and again once the work is complete and/or observations of staff and volunteers.

3.9 If your application is successful, are there any further actions required before you can start?

In the event that your application is successful please identify what further actions will be required before you can start. This could include any likely lead in time between hearing that your application is successful and the

anticipated start date, as well as any problems or complex issues that you may face.

Section 4: Project costs

The Rank Foundation are interested in supporting projects where they are the major or sole funder and are not looking to contribute to work that forms part of a much larger project.

Please provide a detailed breakdown of the costs of the project showing how you determine the total cost. Your application will not be assessed without a detailed breakdown. If you have secured funding from other sources, please state how much and from where.

If your organisation has previously received funding from the Rank Foundation, please provide details such as the project name and grant reference number.

Hospice reserves

When assessing an application, free reserve levels may be taken into account. For the purpose of this grant programme, free reserves are defined as unrestricted funds, including designated funds, less unrestricted fixed assets. A copy of your hospice’s most recent audited accounts should be sent with your signed application form.

In the application form please quote your hospice reserves policy statement. There is also space to add any other relevant information regarding the level of reserves held by your hospice to enable us to fully consider your request for funding.

Section 5: Timetable and comments

Please indicate when the project is likely to begin and end. Please note that grants must be claimed within twelve months of an award being made. We reserve the right to withdraw funding after twelve months, therefore it is important that you keep us up to date with progress.

Please provide a simple work plan from your proposed start date, indicating what you hope to achieve by when. In addition please indicate who will manage the project.

There is space for any additional information not already mentioned in the application form which will enable us to fully consider your request for funding.

Section 6: Signatures

This application must be printed off and signed by the main contact for the application and the chief executive/director of your organisation. Please note we may contact them personally to confirm support of your

application.

Next steps

Please send completed applications together with supporting documents to the:

Grants team

Help the Hospices

34 – 44 Britannia Street

London WC1X 9JG

This should arrive at Help the Hospices by Thursday 11 June 2009.