Completing your application form

The application form is divided into numbered sections:

1. organisation details
   
2. applicant details
3. project details
   
4. project costs
5. timetable and comments
6. organisational support

Section 1: organisation details

Provide contact details for your organisation.

Section 2: applicant details

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

(100 words maximum)

Provide a short summary of your project. This may be used to publicise your project if successful, so please use plain English to describe your project.

3.3 Project need

(150 words maximum)

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

• what issues it is tackling
• how your ideas for the project took shape
• who has been involved in its development
• whether users have had a say in this process.

If you have undertaken a needs assessment then 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

(500 words maximum)

Describe your project. We are particularly interested in:

• your main aim and objectives
  
• the activities you will undertake to achieve them
  
• any elements which could be considered innovative.

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

3.5 Project beneficiaries

(150 words maximum)

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 12 month period. You may not know the exact number at this stage but please give us a reasonable estimate.

3.7 Project outcomes

(100 words maximum)

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?

(150 words maximum)

Describe how you will measure the effectiveness of your project in achieving your identified outcomes. For example, this could include 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 successful, any further actions required before you can start?

If your application was to be successful, identify any further actions required before you can start. This could include any likely lead in time between hearing that your application has been successful and the anticipated start date, as well as any problems that you may face.

Section 4: project costs

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

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.

Hospice reserves

The level of hospices’ free reserves will be considered when analysing applications. To be eligible for a grant, hospices must have less than six months running costs held in free reserves. For the purpose of this grant programme:

• free reserves are defined as all reserves with the exception of restricted funds and any reserves represented by property
• running costs are defined as total expenditure as per the most recent audited accounts.

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

Provide a simple schedule of significant mile stones in your proposed work, indicating what you hope to achieve and by when. You should also state:

• proposed start and end date
• who will manage the project.

We reserve the right to withdraw funding 12 months from the award date, so it is important that you keep us up to date with progress.

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: organisational support

We expect the chief executive or equivalent, or the chair of the hospice if the applicant is the chief executive, to demonstrate full support for the proposed work. If successful they will be asked to sign an acceptance form to agree to the terms and conditions of the grant.

Submitting your application

The application form can be submitted online. By submitting the form online, you confirm that you accept all of the terms and conditions of the grant application as indicated in the grant application form.

Send by post or email to the grants team:

• a copy of your hospice’s most recent audited accounts (if you have not already sent them to Help the Hospices for the hospice accounts project).
• any other supporting documentation such as a:
  • project plan
  • needs assessment.

The deadline for submitting an application and supporting documentation is 5 March 2012.