Development Awareness Fund

Guidelines and Procedures 2007/08

This document is intended to help organisations or networks prepare grant applications for projects under DFID’s Development Awareness Fund.

There are four sections:

• Background

• The scope of the Development Awareness Fund
• Administration and Presentation of Project Proposals
• The Substance of the Project Proposal

The Development Awareness Fund budget for supporting new projects in 2007/08 has been provisionally set at £1.5 million.

Revised August 2006

Background

1. The policy of the government is set out in its three White Papers on International Development, published in November 1997, December 2000 and July 2006. The central focus of the policy is a commitment to the internationally agreed target to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015, together with associated targets including basic health care provision and universal access to primary education by the same date.

2. In support of this, the Government is committed to building greater awareness and understanding of international development issues geographically across the UK. DFID’s strategy paper Building Support for Development sets out how we plan to take forward this work in partnership with a range of organisations and groups across society. We advise you to read this strategy paper before you proceed any further. The Development Awareness Fund focuses on four main target groups: formal education, the media, business and trade unions and churches and faiths. However, we will also look for opportunities to spread our work more widely and as such welcome creative project proposals targeting various sectors of the population as well as for work in the formal education sector.

The Objectives of the Development Awareness Fund

3. Within the context of this strategy, the Fund’s overall objective is to support activities that achieve the following:

• Building long term knowledge and understanding of the major challenges and prospects for development, in particular the poverty reduction agenda; but also of developing countries themselves.
• Generating understanding of our global interdependence and in particular that failure to reduce global poverty levels will have serious consequences for us all.
• Generating understanding of and support for international efforts to reduce poverty and promote development including the Millennium Development Goals. Promoting recognition of the progress so far made, and that further progress is affordable, achievable, and most of all vital.
• Promoting understanding of the role that individuals can play; enabling them to make informed choices with the knowledge of how their actions impact on the world around them.

Information required

4. Proposals to the Fund should set out clearly the specific learning outcomes envisaged, and the proposed content of key messages. While difficult and controversial issues can be addressed, we would expect them to be tackled in a balanced way, and consistent with the objectives outlined above.

5. In previous years, many projects were unsuccessful because they failed to show how they met these objectives. Although there is a significant degree of flexibility in the guidelines, projects that do not contribute to DFID’s aims cannot be considered. It is up to you to make the link between your project and the objectives of the Fund. Do not expect the assessors to make the link for you.

6. In particular, a large number of unsuccessful applications lacked a ‘global’ and international development element. Other project proposals failed to make a link with poverty reduction. You should show how your project will bring about an understanding of the importance of reducing poverty elsewhere in the world. This does not mean that your project has to be about poverty, but you must illustrate how your target audience’s appreciation of the importance of poverty reduction will be enhanced.

7. The 'Enabling Effective Support (EES)'(3 mb) initiative is developing regional strategies to ensure that teachers have local access to resources and support to enable them to bring the global dimension to their teaching. Projects proposing to work with or alongside the formal education sector should demonstrate wherever possible:

• How their proposal relates to, or complements, EES in the region the project is to be carried out. If applicants have consulted EES Regional Co-ordinators, they should include evidence of this with their proposal eg. by attaching a letter of confirmation from the EES co-ordinator;
• If the project does not relate to EES, show how it is consistent with the aims of what EES is trying to achieve.

8. For those working outside the formal education sector the project must demonstrate clear knowledge of the audience targeted along with evidence of need for the activities proposed.

9. Applicants must be able to meet at least 25% of project costs per annum from their own resources or from other sources. A maximum of 10% of this contribution can be “in kind”. Only in truly exceptional circumstances will DFID consider meeting more than 75% of the project costs and any applicant requesting such consideration must outline the rationale for the request within their proposal and be able to demonstrate that the sustainability of the organisation is not wholly reliant upon DFID project funding.

10. If applicants are seeking funding from other sources for a proposed DAF project, they must supply evidence that such funding has been secured within one month of being notified that the DAF project has been approved, otherwise DFID may not be able to support the project.

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The scope of the Development Awareness Fund

What kind of initiatives can be funded?

11. The Development Awareness Fund is primarily focused on UK audiences, but we may also support activities within the project which promote awareness internationally.

12. The Fund will give priority to new projects rather than funding existing partners with projects entering a second phase, as all projects must show evidence of self-sustainability.

13. We are not keen to support projects that involve significant overseas travel (to or from the UK). Clear Terms of Reference for such trips must therefore be provided with proposals that contain an overseas travel component

Who can apply?

14. The Fund is open to any UK-based organisation or network which shares our commitment to raising awareness and understanding of development issues.

15. To be eligible for funding you must demonstrate that your organisation or network:

• has the necessary skills and experience to manage its inputs to the activities proposed;

• has the capability to account properly for the total project costs.

(The Development Awareness Fund can not accept proposals from Partnership Programme Agreement (PPA) agencies. When negotiating the new PPAs and re-negotiating the existing ones, DFID will seek to include explicit development awareness outcomes where appropriate.)

What are the assessment criteria? (In no particular order)

16. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

• extent to which the project meets the objectives of the Fund;
• nature of target audience, reach, and extent to which they have bought into the project;
• evidence of need for the project;
• extent to which the project will deliver clear and measurable outcomes;
• for formal education proposals, demonstration of an understanding of, consistency with and contribution to EES objectives where appropriate and relevant;
• embedding and sustainability of project;
• monitoring and evaluation of project;
• sustainability of organisation;
• Value for money.

What CANNOT be funded under the DAF?

17. Funds are not available for the following:

• projects involving construction work;
• projects that involve overseas travel (to or from the UK) that in itself is designed to raise awareness and understanding of development issues;
• projects that involve significant overseas travel (to or from the UK);
• the provision of items of equipment, other than as an integral part of a wider project;
• the production of materials or resource packs as the primary focus of the project;
• seminars or Conferences (unless they form part of the wider project);
• scholarships, for full time study even if part of a wider project;
• initiatives which clearly fall within the criteria of other funding programmes operated by DFID;
• initiatives which involve direct lobbying of the UK government or of international organisations of which the UK is a member: or which involve lobbying for or against activities of particular companies, individuals or institutions;
• initiatives, which focus on development project activities overseas;
• core funding (such as salaries of permanent staff, office rental and general running costs, except where these are directly attributable to the project);
• we do not consider projects that are primarily focused on research. DFID’s Central Research Department has responsibility for such enquiries.

18. It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of suitable projects, but if you have any questions, please contact the Development Awareness team on 01355 84 3684 or 01355 84 3335, or send your enquiry to daf@dfid.gov.uk .

How much funding can DFID provide?

19. DFID contributions from £10,000 to £100,000 per annum towards the total project costs can be considered under the Fund.

20. A Mini Grants programme for applications under £10,000 per annum for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is administered on our behalf by Development Education Association, IDEAS, Cyfanfyd and the Centre for Global Education respectively. Contact details for these organisations can be found at Annex A. Please note that separate guidelines are available for application to the Mini Grants programme on DFID’s website.

Project timescale

21. We can provide funding for up to 3 years. Funding will not normally be provided for follow-up phases of DAF projects.

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The administration, timing and presentation of project proposals

Administration

22. The Fund is administered by the Development Awareness Team, which is part of DFID’s Information and Civil Society Department.

The team’s contact details are as follows:

Postal Address:

Development Awareness Team
Department for International Development
Abercrombie House (AH 5TH Floor North)
Eaglesham Road
East Kilbride
Glasgow
G75 8EA

E-mail: daf@dfid.gov.uk 

Tel: 01355 843684 or 01355 843335

Fax: 01355 843539

Method by which new project proposals should be sent

23. All project proposals should be sent to the Development Awareness Team by e-mail to dafproposal@dfid.gov.uk .

24. If your proposal has any accompanying annexes, then these alone should be sent as a hard copy (clearly marking the project proposal that they are linked/related to) to the Development Awareness Team at the above postal address.

When should applications be submitted?

Concept Notes

25. Concept notes can be submitted for appraisal at any time of the year up to 30 September 2006. Please note that concept notes are voluntary for the 2006 application deadline (for funding starting from April 2007) but will then become compulsory for the 2007 application deadline.

26. We will aim to provide constructive feedback within 4 weeks of receipt of your concept note this year to help you decide whether to proceed with a full proposal. In future years a decision on whether or not applicants can proceed to full proposal will be provided along with feedback in response to concept notes. Concept notes must conform to a standard format (see Annex B). Your concept note must be sent by e-mail to daf@dfid.gov.uk  in a Word 2003 or equivalent format.

Full proposals

27. Full proposals must be received no later than 30 November in order to be considered for funding from the following April onwards.

28. The proposal is the detailed document we use to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed project you intend to undertake. It is on the basis of the information contained in your proposal that we will take decisions over which projects to offer support to.

29. Proposals must conform to a standard format (see Annex C). Any proposal not complying with this format will be returned un-appraised.

30. You must submit your proposal by email to dafproposal@dfid.gov.uk  using Word 2003 or equivalent.

When will DFID make decisions on new project proposals?

31. We hope to notify applicants of the outcome of the assessment process by 31 March 2007 and to provide full feedback to unsuccessful applicants by 31 May 2007. If any organisation has particular problems about the timing of a new project, they should get in touch with the Development Awareness team.

Financial and reporting requirements

32. Successful applicants will be issued with a Grant Arrangement letter which sets out amongst other things the grant awarded and our financial and reporting requirements.

Any other questions?

33. If, having carefully read both the Building Support for Development strategy paper and these Guidelines, there are any areas where you feel you need clarification or further guidance, please contact us on 01355 84 3684 or 01355 84 3335 or send your query to daf@dfid.gov.uk

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Annex A

Development Awareness Fund: Mini-Grant programme

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Annex B

The format for concept notes

Concept notes should be based on the aims, objectives and expected outputs of the proposal, and need not be a summary of a fully developed project.

Concept notes should follow the format set out below. Section A must be set out on one side of A4, with Section B set out on no more that 2 sides of A4. The font size must be no smaller that Arial 12.

Section A: Information about the Applicant

Information should be supplied to address each of the following bullet points:

• the name and address (including contact details) of the applicant;
• name and position of main contact person. It should be noted that DFID will use the contact details supplied for all correspondence relating to the project;
• the vision, mission and values of your organisation;
• when the organisation was established and how many people are employed by the organisation;
• what your main sources of funding are;
• prior contact, if any, with DFID (including funding). If yes, which part of DFID?
• details of any previous application(s) to the Development Awareness Fund.

Section B: Information about the project for which funding is sought

Information should be supplied to address each of the following bullet points:

• project title;
• timescale of the project, including proposed start and completion dates;
• brief summary of the idea – including the main activities and explaining what the project hopes to achieve;
• background to why the proposed project is necessary;
• how the project relates to DFID’s Building Support for Development strategy;
• how the project fits with the objectives of the Fund;
• monitoring and Evaluation plans;
• how the project will achieve sustainability;
• who else will contribute funds to the project.

Applicants must also send the following documents by hard copy to DFID clearly indicating the concept note to which they relate:

• A copy of your constitution. This may be a Memorandum and Articles of Association, a Trust Deed, or a set of rules, and should describe the purposes of your organisation, how the organisation is governed and managed.
• Latest audited/signed accounts

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Annex C

Full proposals

How should project proposals be presented?

Applicants are not required to complete any forms. However, proposals should be no more than 10 sides of A4 paper, including the top page and budget. The font size should be no smaller than Arial 12.

Side 1

Top Sheet

For the sake of clarity every project proposal must have a top sheet, which should include the following information:

• the name and address (including contact details) of the applicant. It should be noted that DFID will use the contact details supplied for all correspondence relating to the project;
• the name of the project (which should give some indication of its focus or the area it covers);
• the time-scale of the project, including the proposed start and completion dates;
• the total cost of the project. The total amount requested from DFID. The percentage of the total project cost being requested from DFID. The budget must be shown in DFID financial years – 1 April to 31 March each year;
• the main sources of funding proposed;
• the sector(s) which your project will target: Formal Education; the media; business and trade unions; churches and faiths and Other;
• details of prior contact, if any, including funding, you have had with DFID;
• how you found out about the Development Awareness Fund.

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The Substance of the Project Proposal

Please use plain English, spell out all acronyms and explain any technical and/or professional language.

Applicants must demonstrate in their proposal that each project has been carefully researched, that it has clear aims and objectives, and how these contribute to DFID’s aims. Proposals should include effective monitoring and evaluation procedures.

Some projects may not easily lend themselves to quantification of learning outcomes, but it is important to be clear about what is expected and how progress may be measured (quantitatively and qualitatively). Proposals should also demonstrate that the means adopted to achieve objectives are cost-effective. In the absence of clear objectives it will be difficult to know whether a project is succeeding.

Applications must also address the following questions:

Sides 2-9

Details of the project

• What is the main aim of the project for which you are seeking funding, and what are the key objectives? How do these objectives contribute to the objectives of DFID’s Building Support for Development Strategy paper?
• What are the key activities (with dates)?
• What are the expected results including specific learning outcomes?
• Who are the main target groups you will be working with?
• What evidence is there that this project is needed among your target group and within your local/regional area and who have you actively consulted with and involved in the preparation of this proposal?
• Who will be your partners in delivery of the project?
• How will your project be monitored and evaluated?
• Look carefully at the objectives of the fund as set out on page 2, and explain clearly how your project supports these.
• How will the benefits of the project continue to have an impact after the DFID grant ends?
• For formal education proposals you must demonstrate, where relevant, how the project complements/supports EES;

Side 10

Budget

It is important that your budget reflects the activities detailed in your proposal:

• Give a breakdown of the total project costs for each year of the project, according to DFID’s financial year, 1 April to 31 March:

  • Where possible, show how each total has been calculated eg unit cost x quantity, or days worked x daily rate.
  • Headings may include: staffing; materials and publications; travel costs; monitoring and evaluation; administration

• What is the total cost of the project in each financial year?
• What amount are you applying for from DFID in each financial year? (Please note that DFID will meet up to only 75% of total project costs)
• What other sources of funding will be secured to support the project, and how much will be provided by each source? Please indicate whether funding is agreed or anticipated.

  (Applicants must be able to provide evidence that they can meet their share of the cost – and that commitments from other funding sources are firm commitments – before DFID funds can be released. In-kind contributions, for example; volunteer time, donations of equipment, premises, materials etc, should have a notional value placed on them and substantiated. Please note that applicants must be able to meet at least 25% of project costs per annum from other sources. A maximum of 10% of this contribution can be "in-kind").

  
  
• Indicate whether the project or the organisation is in receipt of other DFID funds.
• Please note that up to a maximum of 8% of DFID’s contribution can be allocated towards administration costs for e.g. postage, rent, phone charges attributable to the project

Unacceptable budget items

The following are not acceptable items for inclusion in a budget:

• core costs: administration and other costs which are not directly related to the project application;
• extravagant expenditure: budgets should reflect value for money.

Additional Documents

Applicants must also send the following documents by hard copy to DFID unless these have been submitted with a concept note. Documents should clearly indicate the project proposal to which they relate:

• A copy of your constitution. This may be a Memorandum and Articles of Association, a Trust Deed, or a set of rules, and should describe the purposes of your organisation, how the organisation is governed and managed.
• Latest audited/signed accounts
• A copy of your organisation’s Equal Opportunities and Data Protection statements.
• Latest Annual Report
• Any Supporting letters from partners or beneficiaries.

If for any reason you are unable to enclose any of these documents (for example, if you are a new organisation), please state the reason in a covering letter.