Review of Funding to the Voluntary Sector 3 September 2004

1
Review of Funding to the Voluntary Sector3
September 2004

• County Council context Pratima Dattani
• Consultant overview Kate Stafford Smith
• Proposed Kettering Borough Model Valerie
  Hitchman

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
2
Proposed Kettering Borough Model

• Objectives of the meeting-
• Understand the model
• Explore how it could work
• Able to respond to the consultation
• Know the timetable

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
3
Objectives of the Review

• Grants allocations that result in improved
  customer services
• Clear and transparent process
• Funding linked to corporate objectives
• Supportive working partnership with the
  organisations we fund
• Service convergence with the voluntary sector

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
4
Perceived Strengths

• Grants are paid in advance and quickly
• Grants pay core income
• 3 year agreements allow some stability for
  business planning
• Standardising forms with other funders
• Access to councillors and officers
• Kettering hosting informational seminars

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
5
Perceived Weaknesses

• Difficulties in matching Council objectives with
  yours
• Lack of transparency
• Inconsistent involvement of councillors and
  officers
• Lack of a voluntary sector infrastructure agency

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
6
Proposed Funding Process
Decision-making Process
Direction Setting / Monitoring
Set KBC Priorities
Application Process
? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
7
Proposed Funding Principles

• Publish KBC priorities and budgetary expectations
  as early as possible
• Ask organisations to bid against the outcomes the
  Council desires a form of commissioning
• Help applicants map their services to Council
  priorities
• Move emphasis away from monitoring towards
  direction setting

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
8
Set KBC Priorities

• Members make strategic decisions on total
  funding, priorities, and funding emphasis
• SLAs are aligned to electoral cycle (ie 4 yr
  grant regime)
• Voluntary sector is informed at an early stage in
  the budget cycle
• Officers advertise availability of grants
• Hold voluntary sector forum meeting
• Provide service specifications
• Explain the process

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
9
Application Process

• Officers invite providers to series of meeting
  linked to service specifications
• Clear explanation by officers of service required
  and key performance indicators
• Officers encourage bids and partnership bids
• VSOs complete applications
• Form to include organisation profile

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
10
Decision Making Process

• Service specification will include the specific
  criteria on which applications will be assessed
• Scoring system for each criteria (max 8 points)
• Preference will be given to organisations that
  minimise their overheads and support service
  convergence
• Selection process should include a range of
  assessment methods

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
11
Scoring System

• Max of 8 points for each criteria
• 0 does not meet
• 2 partially meets
• 4 meets
• 6 more than meets
• 8 significant added value

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
12
Direction Setting / Monitoring

• Officers should negotiate direction setting with
  funded organisations
• Level of monitoring should reflect risk
  assessment of service being delivered by
  successful organisation(s)
• Funded organisations should be encouraged to
  obtain external quality assessments
• Officers should regularly communicate KBCs
  strategic changes and next steps improvements to
  voluntary sector partners

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services
13
Timetable

• Consult and test new model deadline 10th
  September
• Executive Committee 22 September
• Communicate decision to Voluntary Sector Forum
  October
• Executive decision on Indicative funding to
  voluntary sector 13 October
• Implement new process from October

? Valerie Hitchman, Head of Community Services