Completing your application form

• a statement of support written and signed by the chief executive, clinical director or equivalent of the addressing the five bullet points in section seven
• a two page CV of the lead applicant, with details of their career and experience to date
• letters of support from any partner organisations.

The application form is divided into numbered sections:

1. about the applicant
2. organisational details
3. project details
4. dissemination plan 
5. project costs
6. timetable and comments
7. organisational support

Section 1: about the applicant

Give the name, job title, email address and telephone number of the lead applicant.

The project lead must be a qualified nurse, undertaking a piece of work which clearly offers opportunities to build leadership abilities.

1.1 How might undertaking the work outlined in this proposal be of benefit to you professionally (and personally) in your career?

(200 words maximum)

Describe how the proposed work will:

• impact on your professional development

• help you develop enhanced leadership skills.

1.2 Outline any development and support needs that you have identified as necessary to achieving the outcomes of your proposed work.

(100 words maximum)

We strongly recommend that you identify a mentor to help guide and support the development of the proposed work. This could be someone within your organisation or outside of it, for example someone who can advise on the subject area, project management or leadership development. Please provide details of:

• who it is and why you have chosen them
• what their area of expertise is in relation to the proposed work.

There may also be specific training opportunities or courses that would help you undertake the proposed work and we encourage you to identify and budget for these.

1.3 Describe your previous involvement, if any, in leading projects to improve practice.

(100 words maximum) 

Clearly explain any other work you have been involved in, that was aiming to improve practice and how this might be relevant in a project which aims to increase access for under-represented individuals. This could be in any capacity.

1.4 Explain how and why the plan of activities outlined is above and beyond the normal professional development opportunities available to you in your current post.

(100 words maximum)

Describe how receiving a grant to undertake the proposed work would provide an opportunity that is not available to you in your current role.

Section 2: organisational details

Provide contact details for the person directly responsible for supporting you to ensure the success of your proposed work, as well as details for your organisation.

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, outlining:

• the issue around making access more equitable that you intend to look at
  

• the significance of this issue for your hospice

• brief details of what you are going to do and why.

This may be used to publicise your project if successful, so please be concise and 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:

• How did you identify the issue(s) you wish to tackle in your area?

• Who has been involved in the development of thinking about this proposal?

• Have service users and other stakeholders had a say in this process?

• Will the project be innovative? Does it offer a solution to a previously identified local unmet need, rather than replicate work done elsewhere?

We are looking for specific references and strong evidence of need for your proposed work in your area. This could include consultations, mapping exercises, national strategies or any other research.

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

• how this work will improve end of life care for individuals/ groups in society, whose needs are not currently met by the services which your hospice offers

• how the proposed work will have a direct impact on care offered to the targeted beneficiaries.

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

3.5 How does this work widen access to groups or individuals whose needs have previously been unmet?

(150 words maximum)

For example the proposed work could involve:

• making it easier for anyone whatever their background or situation to access services
• identifying and reducing barriers to services
• reducing the effects of wider social inequalities.

Please read the accompanying information for an explanation about what we mean by widening access.

3.6 Are you targeting a specific group and if so which?

Select one of the options which best describes which group of people is the main focus of your proposed work. If none are appropriate please leave blank.

3.7 What type of activities are you undertaking to achieve this?

Select one of the options which best describes the main thrust of the work you are undertaking to improve access to services. If none are appropriate please leave blank.

3.8 Outline how users and potential users will be involved in your proposed work and how you propose to recruit them into the project?

(150 words maximum)

Demonstrate clearly how the targeted beneficiaries are meaningfully involved in the development and implementation of the proposed work.

3.9 How will other stakeholders be involved in your proposed work?

(150 words maximum)

We expect to see evidence of partnership working, within your hospice/unit as well as externally with other hospices and organisations, especially those that encourage an exchange of skills and expertise.

Identify the main people involved in the project, their role and their contribution, as well as the rationale for their involvement.

Please send letters of support from each organisation that you propose to work with.

3.10 Project outputs

(100 words maximum)

Outputs are the activities that will take place as a direct result of the proposal that will help achieve the potential outcomes. They might include:

• development of a new service or way of working

• production of information for patients and/or health professionals

• a contribution to a workshop or conference.

3.11 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 in the longer term once it is completed. They should be measurable and achievable. For example:

• the difference your project will make for the beneficiaries
• the amount of time it will take to see that difference
  
• referrals of people from the targeted beneficiary group will be increased by X amount
• the findings of this project will be reported back to, and inform the development of the hospice education strategy.

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.

3.12 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. This could include activities such as:

• data gathering to record numbers of target users

• feedback forms

• observations from staff and volunteers.

3.13 How will the work be sustained beyond the life of this grant? If it is a time limited project, please explain why.

(150 words maximum)

We realise that the proposed work may be piloting a new way of working, but it would be interesting to know your initial thoughts on how the work might continue in the longer term, once the grant ends.

3.14 Identify any potential risks in the implementation of the proposed work and how you propose to mitigate them?

(150 words maximum)

We are keen to ensure the success of your proposed work, so encourage you to think about any potential risks and how you would address them. These could include:

• difficulties reaching and recruiting your targeted beneficiaries

• delays in getting ethical approval if required

• delays in releasing the applicant from their duties to enable them to undertake the work.

3.15 If successful, any further actions 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 that you may face.

Section 4: dissemination plan

We believe that it is important to share the outcomes of any funded work with relevant audiences. The following questions are designed to find out:

• how you propose to share any learning locally as well as nationally
• who you see as the key audiences.

4.1 Please identify the key audiences who will be interested in the potential outcomes of this work

(100 words maximum)

This could be anyone with an interest in making hospice and end of life care accessible to all, so could be:

• patients
• health care managers
• policy makers
• anyone working in the field.

We encourage you to think widely about who might be interested in the work you are undertaking.

4.2 Are there any local or national strategies that your proposed work relates to?

(100 words maximum)

Tell us how your proposed work is relevant to current policy and practice and the timeliness of the proposal in relation to this.

4.3 Outline how you plan to target your key audience.

(150 words maximum)

Give details of how you intend to publicise and share information about the project and its outcomes. This needs to be appropriate and relevant to the people you are trying to reach. It could be at a local level, for example within your staff team or local PCT as well as nationally via the internet, workshops or through presentations at appropriate conferences.

Section 5: project costs

Please provide a detailed breakdown of the costs of the project showing how you determine the total cost. It should be clearly explained how any items budgeted for, particularly training and administration costs, are directly related to achieving the project outcomes and/or the leadership development of the lead applicant.

Your application will not be assessed without a detailed breakdown. You can apply for a major grant of up to £25,000.

It is expected that the majority of the grant would go towards backfill for the lead applicant. However a range of different items should be budgeted for and all must be relevant to the project. You can apply for a maximum of:

• £1,000 for course/conference attendance
• £500 towards conferences to disseminate work
• £500 for IT equipment.

If any other funding has been secured to contribute to the proposed work, please state how much and from where.

Value for money will be taken into account when assessing the applications.

Section 6: timetable and comments

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

• proposed start and end dates - projects should start within three and finish within eighteen months of the date that the grant was awarded

• whether you will be undertaking the work full or part time and how much time per week you anticipate spending on your proposed work.

Please be realistic as this timetable will enable us to monitor your progress and so better support you in your work.

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

Any other comments

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 7: organisational support

The grants are designed to help people develop their leadership skills. The lead applicant could need time out from practice and full support from the organisation to execute necessary change to practice.

Therefore we ask you to state the name and contact details of the organisational support; the chief executive, clinical director or equivalent of the hospice.

They also need to write and sign a statement of support on hospice headed page, stating:

• how the proposed work will contribute to the leadership development of the individual identifying at least two outcomes the lead applicant may demonstrate as a result of undertaking the work
• what support will be provided to the applicant, such as resources, project management support and any arrangements for mentorship/supervision for the project lead
• the name and role of the person who, on behalf of the organisation is directly responsible for supporting the applicant to ensure the success of their proposed work

• how this work will make a difference in practice and that the organisation will take responsibility to review the progress of the project to ensure that change is effected
• how the proposed work fits with the strategic direction and business plan of the organisation.

Submitting your application

Online form

Other documents

• your two page CV
• statement of support from your organisation on headed paper
• letters of support from partner organisations
• any other supporting information.