The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For further information read the UKSPF Prospectus.
As part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) investment priority Communities and Place the Council would like to invite applications for funding to help support local organisations with community-led arts, cultural, heritage and creative programmes as a result of support through to 31 March 2025.
Full details and eligibility criteria is included in the guidance document.
The call for applications opened at 12noon on Monday, 25 March 2024 and will close at 12noon on Monday, 29 April 2024.
Please email UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk to request an application pack.
If you have any questions about the Arts and Heritage grant, please email UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk
Guidance document
Investment priority – Communities & Place
Intervention E6: Funding for support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities.
Delivery: April 2024 - 31 March 2025
Indicative fund allocation: £500 Min - £5000 Max – Exceptions to this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
Call open: Monday 25 March 2024 at 12noon
Call closes: Monday, 29 April 2024 at 12noon
Evaluation of applications to commence: 1 May 2024
Notification of outcome to applicants week commencing: 20 May 2024
The funding allocation is:
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Year |
Funding Allocation |
|---|---|
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April 2024 - March 2025 |
£23,067.50 |
Subject to available funding, there may be further rounds of funding available for grant allocation under this intervention.
There are two application forms for this priority.
If you are an un-constituted group you can apply for between £500 and £1000 and should request the UKSPF C&P E6 Small Grant Application Form. You will require a constituted organisation to support your application.
If you are a constituted group, you can apply for up to £5000 and should request the UKSPF C&P E6 Grant Funding Application Form.
Before commencing any application, you must liaise with Georgina Lancaster the Arts and Heritage Officer or Michelle Cleaver the UKSPF Programme Officer. In the first instance email: ukspf@bassetlaw.gov.uk and request a call regarding the grant application.
Contents
- Introduction
- Bassetlaw District Council Open Call
- The grant objective
- Type of projects we will fund
- Eligible costs
- Ineligible costs
- How to apply
- Assessment criteria
- Further information
Introduction
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is part of UK government’s Levelling Up agenda. It provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the Fund via a funding formula rather than a competition.
UKSPF replaces the European Structural Investment Fund. The Fund’s interventions will be planned and delivered by councils and mayoral authorities across England, Scotland and Wales – ‘lead local authorities’, working closely with local partners. The UKSPF will support the UK government’s wider commitment to level up all parts of the UK by delivering on each of the levelling up objectives:
- Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging
- Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest
- Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost
- Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency
The primary goal of the UKSPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK. This aligns with Levelling Up White Paper missions, particularly: ‘By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.’
The fund is split into three investment priorities and each has a list of interventions sitting underneath it that areas can choose to allocate funding to. The three investment priorities are:
- Communities and place
- Supporting local business
- People and skills
UKSPF Investment Priorities and the Levelling Up Missions
Overarching objective = Building pride in place and increasing life chances
All 3 investment priorities:
- Community and Place
- Supporting Local Business; and
- People and Skills
Relate to Levelling Up White Paper Mission 9: By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
The Community and Place investment priority relates to:
Mission 9. By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 7. By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years
Mission 8. By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 11. By 2030, homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime will have fallen, focused on the worst-affected areas.
The Supporting Local Business investment priority relates to:
Mission 9. By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 1. By 2030, pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK, with each containing a globally competitive city, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 2. By 2030, domestic public investment in Research & Development outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40% and at least one third over the Spending Review period, with that additional government funding seeking to leverage at least twice as much private sector investment over the long term to stimulate innovation and productivity growth.
The People and Skills investment priority relates to:
Mission 9. By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 1. By 2030, pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK, with each containing a globally competitive city, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.
Mission 6. By 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK. In England, this will lead to 200,000 more people successfully completing high-quality skills training annually, driven by 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest skilled areas.
Mission 7. By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years.
Mission 8. By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.
For further information read the UKSPF Prospectus.
Bassetlaw District Council
Bassetlaw District Council, as the lead authority, has been allocated £3,391,320 for the overall programme for the period 2022–2025. The Government approved the Council's Investment Plan submission on 5 December 2022.
This grant relates to investment priority – Communities & Place
Intervention E6: Arts and Heritage Grant Programme
Bassetlaw District Council recognises the important and valuable contribution that the voluntary and community sector (VCS) brings to the area and why it is paramount to invest in the sector to build further capacity in the area.
Through the fund, the Council wants to make it easier for VCS groups to access smaller amounts of funding for projects that will make a difference in their local neighbourhoods.
Notification of the results of your application will occur in May 2024. This will be notified to the applicant in the award letter.
The grant objective
To provide funding which supports local organisations to strengthen our social fabric and foster a sense of local pride and belonging, through investment in a number of community-led arts, cultural, heritage and creative programmes. The fund is keen to support community and voluntary groups/organisations across Bassetlaw, especially those working at grass roots and local community level across a wide range of activities.
The services to be provided are as follows:
A number of community-led arts, cultural, heritage and creative programmes as a result of support.
Who can apply?
- Registered charities/community associations
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO)
- Community Interest Companies (CIC) limited by guarantee (and have charitable objectives)
- Community Benefit Societies (Bencom)
- Constituted Community Groups
- Un-constituted Community Groups or small groups with no formal constitution with a registered constituted organisation acting as a sponsor (please email UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk for more guidance)
- Faith Groups, where the activity is not promoting religion
- Organisations that will deliver projects to Bassetlaw District residents
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Indicative outputs |
Indicative outcomes |
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UKSPF Outputs and Outcomes relating to intervention E6. The numbers in brackets indicate the minimum outputs and outcomes to be achieved throughout the delivery period.
In addition to UKSPF outputs and outcomes, the following place-based priorities need to be supported:
- District-wide community and voluntary grant programme, but strong consideration needs to be given to the following areas in the district; this includes but is not exclusive to:
- Worksop – Cheapside
- Worksop – Manton
- Worksop – Sandy Lane
- Carlton-in-Lindrick – Wimpey Estate
- Harworth & Bircotes
- East Retford East, West, North & South
- Rural areas/communities
- Work in conjunction with UKSPF funded Community Hubs that will be operational in:
- Worksop – Cheapside
- Worksop – Manton
- Worksop – Sandy Lane
- Carlton-in-Lindrick – Wimpey Estate
- Harworth & Bircotes
- Retford – in collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council Family Hub
- Work in conjunction with the UKSPF funded Arts and Heritage Officer and grant programme to deliver community based activities
- Projects are a precursor to People and Skills Investment Priority Delivery in 2024/5 to refer residents into wider provision/mainstream provision
- Pride in place: improving people’s satisfaction with where they live
- Enhancing engagement in community activities, community cohesion, and addressing anti-social behaviour
- Tackle social isolation across the district, but with a particular focus on rural areas/needs
- Improve health and wellbeing
- Tackle issues related to the cost of living crisis, considering the needs of rural as well as urban areas
- Creating volunteer opportunities
- Data relating to district needs can be identified in the published State of the District Report.
Type of projects we will fund
Following a wide consultation with a range of strategic partners and resident groups, example projects we can fund are detailed below. The following list includes gaps in provision that have been identified but also link to the place based priorities listed above:
- Enterprise focussed events
- Events or projects which engage young adults who are socially inactive or excluded
- Events or projects which engage young people in music, sport, arts, creative activities or something similar
- Events which directly relate to arts, museums, and libraries
- A tutor to deliver activities (not existing staffing costs)
- Projects which promote suicide prevention in conjunction with a particular charity
- A music club or event
- Music lessons/tuition workshops (not existing staffing costs)
- Arts and heritage projects which promote Pride in Place – developing artwork, trails, sculpture, murals for example
- Projects which highlight the impact of climate change for example: visual arts/installation/sculpture or mural
There’s a huge variety of projects and activities that we will support, including (but not limited to):
- Equipment such as art materials, hire of items such as musical instruments or sewing machines and/or specialist resources or materials needed to undertake the project.
- coaching or training activity (not existing staffing costs)
- project costs
- transport costs
- community events and activities
This could include small grants to ensure facilities and volunteers are able to operate safely and funding to support small groups and community projects to reopen.
All applications must provide evidence of ‘not for profit’ status, projects, activities in relation to their application.
Financial clawback may be requested by Bassetlaw District Council if money spent fails to meet criteria or funds provided are used for ineligible costs outlined below.
Eligible costs
- Funding for resources and materials to support the specified project (revenue only)
- Funding for specialist practitioners to support the project (musicians, dancers, specialist artists); the grant will not fund existing staffing costs
- Transport costs for volunteers or resources
- Transport costs to enable participants to access services
- Funding for costs such as advertising, leaflets and posters to promote the project
- Applicants must ensure that the project is compliant with the UK Subsidy Control Regime and will be asked to demonstrate this within their application.
- Applicants must be legally constituted, and if the application is approved, the applicant organisation will enter into a legally binding funding agreement and therefore will carry the liability for ensuring that the terms and conditions of the funding agreement are met.
- If you are an un-constituted group, your sponsored organisation must be legally constituted, and if the application is approved, the applicant organisation will enter into a legally binding funding agreement and therefore will carry the liability for ensuring that the terms and conditions of the funding agreement are met.
- Funding must be used to support and deliver activity in Bassetlaw only.
- The grant can be used for basic refreshments such as tea & coffee for volunteers
Ineligible costs
The following costs are considered ineligible and must not be included in applications:
- Paid for lobbying, entertaining, petitioning, or challenging decisions, which means using the fund to lobby (via an external firm or in-house staff) in order to undertake activities intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, government, or political activity, including the receipt of UKSPF funding, or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action
- Payments for activities of a political or exclusively religious nature
- VAT reclaimable from HMRC
- Gifts or payments for gifts or donations
- Statutory fines, criminal fines, or penalties
- Payments for works or activities that the lead local authority, project deliverer, end beneficiary, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake or that are fully funded by other sources
- Contingencies and contingent liabilities
- Bad debts, costs resulting from the deferral of payments to creditors, or winding up a company
- Expenses in respect of litigation, unfair dismissal, or other compensation
- Costs incurred by individuals in setting up and contributing to private pension schemes
- Maintenance of existing buildings
- Cost of staff
- Insurance
- Monies can only be predominantly focused on delivering operational projects, not the purchase or construction of equipment or buildings
- The grant should not be used to fund staff or consultants to deliver their project
- The grant does not cover retrospective costs; it must be for a new project.
- The grant does not fund vouchers, prizes, gifts or incentives for people involved in the project.
- The grant must not be used to purchase alcohol and no more than 5% of the grant must be spent on catering, food or drinks.
Contribution rate and match funding
- UKSPF must not be used to replace existing funding sources. UKSPF must enable activity to take place that would not otherwise happen or to increase the scope, scale, or intensity of activity
- There is no specific requirement for match funding. If an organisation can demonstrate some level of match, however, this will be viewed favourably. This can be in financial or resource support
- Payment terms will be agreed with successful applicants prior to signing the grant agreement.
- Events/workshops should not require a fee for attendance
How to apply for the grant
The following documents must be requested from UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk by applicants in order to be considered for funding. Please send them back to UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk once they are completed.
For constituted organisations (up to £5,000):
- UKSPF C&P E6 Grant Funding Application Form
- Bassetlaw Budget and Performance Profile
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Public Liability Insurance Policy
In addition, please email one of the following to support your application:
- A copy of audited accounts for the last two years.
- A statement of the turnover, profit and loss account (income statement), balance sheet (statement of financial position), and statement of cash flow for the most recent year of trading for this organisation
- Alternative means of demonstrating financial status if any of the aforementioned are not available, such as a forecast of turnover for the current year and a statement of funds provided by the owners and/or the bank, charity accruals accounts, or another method
For non-constituted organisations:
- UKSPF C&P E6 Small Grant Funding Application Form
- Bassetlaw Budget and Performance Profile
From your sponsor constituted organisation:
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Public Liability Insurance Policy
In addition, non-constituted organisations must get one of the following from their sponsor:
- A copy of audited accounts for the last two years.
- A statement of the turnover, profit and loss account (income statement), balance sheet (statement of financial position), and statement of cash flow for the most recent year of trading for this organisation
- Alternative means of demonstrating financial status if any of the aforementioned are not available, such as a forecast of turnover for the current year and a statement of funds provided by the owners and/or the bank, charity accruals accounts, or another method
Completed applications must be submitted by 29 April 2024 at 12noon
Assessment Criteria
Stage 1: Gateway criteria
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Criteria |
Pass |
Fail |
Partial |
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Criteria 1: Application signed, fully completed and returned on time |
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Criteria 2: Applicant meets eligibility criteria e.g. confirmed V&C Org. |
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Criteria 3: Economic and Financial Standing* Finance Risk * |
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Criteria 4: Prior Contract Performance |
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Criteria 5: Provision of Subsidies |
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Criteria 6: Policies |
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Criteria 7: Liability Insurance |
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*These will also be assessed via due diligence checks.
Applications that fail any criterion cannot progress to Stage 2: Scoring.
For the questions which have been assessed as partial, progress to Stage 2 is allowed. Scoring will be allowed with justification from the Assessor.
Stage 2: Scoring
Excluding the ‘small grant application form’, the maximum score for each question is 5, based on the scoring framework below, but some are weighted through the multiplication of the assigned score. For example, questions in Section 4 Project/Programme Details, a score of 5 weighted by a factor of 2 will equal a total score of 10 per question. The maximum score and multiplication weightings are shown on the application form in the dark grey box to the right of each question. For the smaller grant form, the maximum score is 5 for some of the questions with no extra weighting.
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Score |
Assessment |
Description |
|---|---|---|
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0 |
Unacceptable |
Response to the question is unacceptable, or no response was received. Does not give the fund confidence in the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. |
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1 |
Poor/Weak response |
Inadequate detail provided, or some of the answers are not directly relevant to the question. Is supported by none or a weak standard of evidence in several areas, giving rise to concern about the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. |
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2 |
Below Expectations |
Limited information provided and/or a response that is inadequate or only partially addresses the question giving rise to concern about the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. |
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3 |
Satisfactory Response |
Acceptable response in terms of the level of detail, accuracy, and relevance. Is supported by a satisfactory standard of evidence in most areas, but a few areas lack detail or evidence, giving rise to some concerns about the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. |
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4 |
Good Response |
Comprehensive response in terms of detail and relevance to the question and supported by a good standard of evidence. Gives the fund confidence in the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. Meets the fund’s requirements. |
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5 |
Very Good Response |
As good, but to a better degree in terms of precision and relevance. Is comprehensive and supported by a high standard of evidence. Gives the fund a high level of confidence in the ability of the bidder to deliver the contract. May exceed the Fund’s requirements in some respects; for example, added value such as integration or synergy with other projects. |
Stage 3. Moderation
Funding will be awarded to applicants with the highest scores.
The Council reserves the right to invite applicants to an interview when scores are very close and/or clarification is required.
Notification of invitation to bid outcome
Once the outcome of the assessment process has been notified to all applicants, organisations can request feedback on their applications and scoring.
Evaluating the Project
If you are successful, evidence of your spend will be required. Depending on the amount of grant you receive, you may need to attend monthly/quarterly meetings, provide invoices and receipts and/or submit a report at the end of the project which could include photographs of the event/workshop.
Further information
For further information or questions please email UKSPF@bassetlaw.gov.uk
Last Updated on Monday, April 8, 2024