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Funding Guidelines

Background

Change into Action has been created by a consortium of local and regional government, public and voluntary sector organisations, operating as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Homelessness Taskforce.

Change into Action has three objectives:

  • Providing to the public information about homelessness
  • Providing to the public a way in which to give money to support people who are or have been sleeping rough
  • Enabling the public to identify and locate rough sleepers so that they can be connected to local support services

The Homelessness Taskforce through the WMCA will support Local Authorities to set up local processes and adapt the Change into Action website for their area. The WMCA will provide and manage the Change into Action framework. The responsibility and oversight of the process for managing, prioritising, distributing and reporting on use of the funds raised sits with the individual Local Authorities who will report to the WMCA Homelessness Taskforce on progress.

It is vital that in raising funds there is a clear and transparent process for managing, prioritising, distributing and reporting on use of the donations received.

This document sets out how this process will operate in Dudley.

Dudley Council for Voluntary Service (DCVS) will act as the fund holder and the accountable body for all donations received by Change into Action Dudley. 

Dudley CVS, in partnership with Dudley Homelessness Review Group will oversee access to and distribution of funds. All funds received and distributed will be administered within Dudley CVS operating procedures and will be reported to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Dudley Homelessness Review Group.

2. Change into Action Key Definitions

Rough Sleeper/Rough Sleeping

For the purposes of clarity, Change into Action Dudley seeks to define the term ‘rough sleeper/rough sleeping’ below using the Government’s 2010 definition:

People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments). People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or “bashes”).

In terms of individuals being supported by the fund who have recently been rough sleeping, we will ask our Delivery Partners to confirm that the individuals have been reported to/or made contact with at least one service across Dudley within the previous three-month period.

In terms of clarifying whether an individual is at risk of rough sleeping through insecure housing circumstances such as sofa surfing, we will ask our Delivery Partners to confirm which agencies individuals have been in contact with, within the previous three-month period.

3. Change into Action Dudley Funding Principles

  1. All means of alternative funding should be explored first, providing evidence where appropriate when utilising the funds from Change into Action Dudley.
  2. The fund must not be used to replace statutory benefits, government awarded grants or any other payments to which the service user has entitlement. The funding can be used in exceptional circumstances as a ‘one off’ to help individuals who are suffering extreme hardship.
  3. Change into Action Dudley funding will only be granted if there will be a demonstrable positive impact upon the life of rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping, helping them to transition into independent living and improve health and well-being.
  4. The expenditure of Change into Action Dudley funding must be reasonable and necessary.
  5. Change into Action Dudley funding applications and grants will bear public scrutiny, creating an ethos where involvement, accountability and transparency are welcomed and where challenge is viewed as a crucial and constructive measure of improving outcomes. 

4. Conditions of Use

Donations received by Change into Action Dudley will be distributed to a maximum of five recipient services, called Delivery Partners.  Delivery Partners will be nominated by Dudley Homelessness Review Group to receive funds for up to 2 years. Decisions to nominate Delivery Partners will be at the sole discretion of Dudley Homelessness Review Group.

The following conditions apply to the use of Change into Action Dudley fund:-    

  • No service user or organisation will be asked to repay any amount of the Change into Action Dudley fund.
  • The fund must never be used as a loan fund.
  • Cash should not be given directly to individuals.
  • Delivery Partners must provide a quarterly report on how the funding has been spent and what outcomes have been achieved.
  • Repeat applications to be nominated as a Delivery Partner may be considered, on a case by case basis, where it can be evidenced that further funding will continue to prevent homelessness or rough sleeping from occurring or will ensure ongoing support for rough sleepers.

5. Distribution of Change into Action Dudley Funding

Dudley Homelessness Review Group has responsibility for overseeing the allocation of Change into Action Dudley funding to nominated Delivery Partners. Each quarter the total donations made to Change into Action Dudley will be reported to Dudley Homelessness Review Group.

Dudley CVS will act as the fund holder and on a quarterly basis will administer and distribute payments to nominated Delivery Partners.

Each Delivery Partner will use the funding to provide services for individuals rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping across the borough to help prevent further rough sleeping from occurring, as outlined in their application to Change into Action Dudley and agreed by Dudley Homelessness Review Group.

There is no anticipated closedown date for this fund.  The operation of the fund will be reviewed on an annual basis by Dudley Homelessness Review Group.  At the point of closedown, any surplus funds will be distributed equally amongst the current Delivery Partners to spend on preventing or relieving local homelessness.

6. How to become a Change into Action Dudley Delivery Partner

Applications to become a Delivery Partner will only be considered from organisations that are a Registered Charity, Community Interest Company, Registered Provider/Housing Association, public body, other (by agreement) and working in the Dudley borough with rough sleepers, individuals who have slept rough recently or individuals who are in imminent danger of rough sleeping.

Applications are required to show how the funding will be used to support rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping to move off the streets, away from homelessness and re-build their lives. 

Applications to become a Delivery Partner will be assessed by Dudley Homelessness Review Group members and all decisions on Delivery Partners will be at their sole discretion. Where necessary,  Dudley Homelessness Review Group may request further information from the organisation applying to become a Delivery Partner in order to progress and process an application.

Dudley Homelessness Review Group members cannot be involved in the decision making of an application if they have a vested or pecuniary interest in the application. If they have an interest, they must declare it before the decision is made and withdraw from the decision making process in relation to that application.

For each successful application, Delivery Partners will be nominated to receive funds for up to 2 years. 

For further information on how to make an application to become a Delivery Partner contact joanne.forbes@dudley.gov.uk

7.  What can the Change into Action Dudley fund be used for?

Change into Action Dudley funding can be used to support individuals who are rough sleeping, at risk of rough sleeping or to enhance services to prevent rough sleeping.

Recipients of Change into Action Dudley funding must reside in the Dudley borough and services delivered using this funding must also be delivered within the borough.

Change into Action Dudley would strongly encourage a conversation with individuals rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping about what would make a difference in their lives and this should be evidenced in applications to become a Delivery Partner.

Examples of uses that may be considered appropriate are listed below. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list but could include:

Support for individuals•    

  • Provision of items such as furniture, kitchen items, bedding, clothing, food, fuel - if an individual is moving into independent accommodation
  • Payment for services such as house decorating, minor repairs that would not be undertaken by landlords (e.g. putting up curtain rails, shelves)
  • A travel card to get to appointments
  • Provision of tools, books, expenses associated with gaining employment or working towards being employment ready

Service enhancements•    

  • Provision of refreshments at services to encourage people to attend sessions
  • Payment of bus fares/travel costs
  • Equipment to help deliver services in a better way
  • Room hire at venues
  • I.T. equipment that will be used to benefit service users

Thresholds and guide to funding levels

  • Individual recipients of funding can receive up to a maximum of £200 worth of items or services. Cash should not be given directly to individuals
  • If funding is used to enhance services, we recommend a maximum of £1,000 per service. Change into Action Dudley funding cannot be used to pay for staff costs

8. Record Keeping and Monitoring

Dudley CVS will monitor, and keep a full record of, all donations received to the fund, and all funds distributed to nominated Delivery Partners. Dudley CVS will share this information with Dudley Homelessness Review Group on a quarterly basis.

Delivery Partners should fully record how any monies obtained from the fund have been utilised, including details of beneficiaries and what the funding is used for.  Expenditure must be monitored, reported and approved by the Delivery Partner’s trustees/board/governing body.

There is a requirement for all Delivery Partners to report expenditure and impact/outcomes achieved on a quarterly basis to Dudley Homelessness Review Group. Any reports must be anonymised to protect the identities of individuals supported by the fund.

Receipts should be obtained by the Delivery Partner for all purchases and the original proof of expenditure should be retained.

Cash should not be given directly to individuals.

9. Impact of Change into Action Dudley Funding

Change into Action Dudley and its partners are keen to hear stories of how the support funded through Change into Action has made a difference. Good news stories can be provided in all sorts of different ways, including case studies, interviews with support staff and through the use of performance monitoring information.

As part of receiving Change into Action Dudley funding, we would like to work with Delivery Partners to support the Change into Action communications campaign and show the positive outcomes that are being achieved throughout Dudley.

We would welcome the opportunity to engage with organisations that have received funding to explore how the public might get to hear about what has been done with their donations. Please contact changeintoaction@dudleycvs.org.uk or joanne.forbes@dudley.gov.uk for further information.