Applications to the Transformation Fund
Can I still apply for funding?
Applications for Transformation Fund grants had to be submitted by midnight Sunday 12 July 2009. All applications submitted after this date will not be considered for grants. All applicants will have now received an email confirming that their application has been received and is being reviewed.
How are applications being assessed?
Every application for funding, submitted by the deadline to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been assessed according to the same criteria.
Adult learning specialists across England assessed each application in order to produce a shortlist according to eligibility, value for money, thematic content and regional relevance.
NIACE panels will be taking place across the country between 11 - 18 August 2009 to determine which bids are presented to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, for a share of the remaining £19m of the Learning Revolution Transformation Fund.
A national panel, looking at a shortlist of applications that have put in bids for £100k and over, chaired by Dame Mary Marsh - Director of Clore Social Leadership Programme - was held on 11 August, in London.
The projects bidding for under £100k will be taken to regional panels between 12 - 18 August.
All winners will be announced early in September
When will I know if my application has been successful?
Judging panels taking place across the country between 11th - 18th August 2009 will determine which bids are presented to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), for a share of the remaining £19m of the Learning Revolution Transformation Fund. The winners will be announced early in September.
All successful applicants will be contacted at the end of August with all relevant information to begin their projects.
Unsuccessful applicants will also be contacted, however NIACE, as managers of the Transformation Fund, will not engage in discussions on reasons why applications were not successful.
General reasons for unsuccessful applicantions will be provided.
What do I need to prepare if I have been successful?
If you receive confirmation that you have been successful in your application you will be asked to supply information as part of your contract. All items requested in the contract are compulsory and must be supplied prior to grants being allocated.
The following items are just some of those that you may want to begin preparing:
- a brief overview of your project (a template will be supplied for this);
- a delivery plan;
- a budget plan;
- publicity strategy;
- dissemination strategy;
- an events plan.
Help and support in starting projects is available for all successful applicants once they have been notified.
Attend the 'Getting started' workshops for further information
Why wasn't my application successful?
As managers of the Transformation Fund, NIACE will not engage in discussions on reasons why projects were not successful.
General reasons for unsuccessful applicants are provided below and may help you to identify those that apply to your application.
We received an astounding £94,000,000 worth of applications meaning approximately only 1 in 5 applications could be funded.
Applications may not have been successful due to one or more of the following reasons:
- did not meet the criteria e.g. on LLN, capital spend etc
- not enough research on current provision and where the project would fit;
- vague objectives and outcomes;
- main argument for a grant was that the partnership was new;
- poor links with other providers to enable progression;
- didn't provide a clear plan for sustainability;
- value for money per learner was not clearly demonstrated;
- lack of innovation in the project or its dissemination;
- disproportionate budgets - too much publicity or non-teaching staff costs;
- aims and objectives were confused with outcomes.
