Development Awareness Fund

Guidelines and Procedures 2009/10

This document is intended to help organisations or networks prepare grant applications for projects under DFID’s Development Awareness Fund. The DAF budget for supporting new projects in 2009/10 has been provisionally set at £1.5 million.

There are four sections:

• Background
• The scope of the Development awareness fund
• Administration and presentation of concept notes and project proposals
• Additional guidance on the completion of full proposal

Please note that we now run a two stage application process for the DAF:

1. You must first submit a Concept Note between now and the 30th September 2008 . All CNs must be submitted on the NEW DAF Concept Note Application Form.

2. If your CN is approved, you will be invited to submit a full proposal by 30 November 2008. This will then be assessed and notification of whether you have been successful in securing funding will be provided by the end of March 2009. Applicants must complete the DAF 2009/10 Application Form when submitting a full proposal as well as a completed Project Framework (now mandatory), Budget Template and other supporting documents

3. Please note that projects approved in March 2009 must start in the financial year 2009/10 (between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010).  Approved projects must start within 3 months of the proposed start date in the application.

4. Matched Funding is not required. DFID will fund up to 100% total project costs, up to a maximum of £100,000 per annum, for a maximum of 3 years.

Back to top

Background

1. The policy of the UK 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’s aim is to build support for development by generating greater levels of awareness and understanding of international development issues across different audiences and geographical regions within the UK. In support of this the DAF focuses on a variety of target groups including formal education (DFID defines projects working in formal education as those seeking to embed global issues into the curriculum), the media, business and trade unions and faith groups. We also look for creative new project concepts which help to extend the reach of the DAF, to new audiences in new ways.

The Objectives of the Development Awareness Fund

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

• Challenges and prospects for development and poverty reduction: Building long term knowledge and understanding of the major challenges and prospects for development, in particular the poverty reduction agenda.
• Interdependence and the global consequences of poverty: Generating understanding of our global interdependence and in particular that failure to reduce global poverty levels will have serious consequences for us all.
• International efforts to reduce poverty and promote development: 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.
• The role of individuals in working towards poverty reduction: 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.

Applications should address at least one of these objectives. A project that meets more than one objective will not necessarily be considered preferable to a project that meets one objective well. Many projects were previously unsuccessful because they failed to show how they met these objectives. It is up to you to make the link between your project and the objectives of the Fund. You should also demonstrate a clear and logical link between the activities and the expected impact. You should also clearly explain what has led you to design this project in this way and why you have chosen to work on this project with this target group at this time. Do not expect the assessors to make these links for you.

4. Project proposals 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 the past, a 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.

6. The DFID development education initiative ‘Enabling Effective Support’ (EES)(3 mb) aims to “build capacity within the UK’s education systems so that those working within it have the skills and tools needed to respond to the task of educating young people about today's increasingly interdependent world". There are 12 geographically focused programmes across the UK which collectively focus on the following:

• They entail collaborative programmes that develop a global dimension in education at local, regional and national levels.
• They involve teachers, initial teacher educators, advisers and others working together to develop their own responses to the challenge.
• They support schools and teacher training colleges to integrate relevant issues, concepts and approaches into curriculum and development plans

7. If your proposal relates to the above, please state how it relates to, or complements the EES strategy in the region or regions the project is to be carried out. If applicants have consulted EES Regional Co-ordinators, they should include evidence of this with their proposal, for example, by attaching a brief letter of confirmation by them. Endorsement by EES Regional Coordinators is not taken into account in the assessment process.

8. Not all projects working with school children as a target audience will be relevant to EES aims. However if they are please demonstrate how.

9. 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.

Back to top

How much funding can DFID provide?

10. DFID will fund up to 100% of the project costs, up to a maximum of £100,000 per annum, for a maximum of 3 years.

11. If your project is smaller scale, a Mini Grants programme for applications under £10,000 per annum is administered on our behalf by DEA (England), IDEAS (Scotland), Cyfanfyd (Wales) and the Centre for Global Education (Ireland). Contact details for these organisations can be found at Annex E. please note that separate guidelines are available for application to the Mini Grants programme on this website.

Project timescale

12. We can provide funding for up to 3 years. Funding will not normally be provided for follow-up phases of DAF projects.  Please note that projects approved in March 2008 must start in the financial year 2009/10 (between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010).  Approved projects must start within 3 months of the proposed start date in the application.

Back to top

The scope of the Development Awareness Fund

What kind of initiatives can be funded?

13. The Development Awareness Fund is primarily focused on UK audiences.

14. The DAF Fund will give priority to new projects, not repeat projects. All must clearly demonstrate how sustainability will be achieved.

15. DFID will not consider projects that involve significant overseas travel (to or from the UK) unless there is a strong justification for doing so. Clear Terms of Reference for such trips must therefore be provided with proposals that contain an overseas travel component.

Freedom of Information

16. DFID is committed to open government and to meeting our responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 . Accordingly, all information submitted to DFID may need to be disclosed in response to requests under the Act. DFID has a policy of active disclosure where possible and we may decide to include certain information in the publication scheme which we maintain under the Act.

Applicant Obligations

17. If you consider that any of the information included in your application would prejudice your interests if it were to be disclosed to the general public, please identify it and explain (in broad terms together with a time period after which the information could be disclosed) what harm may result from disclosure if a request is received. Applicants must justify why they prefer any information to be withheld.

DFID Obligations

18. Applicants should be aware that, even where it is indicated in the application that they would prefer information not to be disclosed, DFID may be required to disclose it under the Act if a request is received. DFID recognises the legitimate concerns of applicants and will normally consult with the relevant applicant before disclosing information if it appears to be sensitive in any way. There is a 20 day deadline within which DFID is obliged to provide a detailed reply to all requests received under the Act.

Child Protection

19. If the project involves work with children, the design and implementation should demonstrate how the issue of child protection is being addressed and you must provide a copy of your organisation's child protection policy.

Back to top

Who can apply?

20. The Fund is open to any UK-based not-for-profit organisation or network which shares our commitment to raising awareness and understanding of development issues. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups such as faith groups, unions, black and minority ethnic organisations and disabled groups.

21. 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 and
• 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).

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

22. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

Back to top

What CANNOT be funded under the DAF?

23. 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).

24. It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of suitable projects, but if you have any questions, please contact Triple Line Consulting Limited on 0208 788 4672 or send your enquiry to daf@tripleline.com.

Back to top

The administration, timing and presentation of concept notes and project proposals

Administration

25. The Fund is administered by Triple Line Consulting Limited on behalf of DFID’s Information and Community Partnerships Department.

Their contact details are as follows:

Triple Line Consulting Limited
3 Princeton Court
55 Felsham Road
Putney
LONDON SW15 1AZ
E-mail: daf@tripleline.com 
Tel: 0208 788 4672

Method by which new project proposals should be sent

26. All Concept Notes should be sent by e-mail to dafconceptnotes@tripleline.com. All project proposals should be sent to by e-mail to dafproposal@tripleline.com.

Back to top

Application process

27. Concept Notes are now mandatory. CNs reduce the risk of the applicant, and DFID, being involved in producing and assessing proposals that would not be considered strong enough to effectively compete at the full project proposal stage.

28. You must submit a Concept Note (CN). If it is approved you will then be invited to submit a full project proposal.

29. A CN should give a brief outline of the project not necessarily a summary of a fully developed project. The CN is intended to provide enough information for us to decide whether or not a project idea is appropriate for consideration at the full proposal stage.

30. CNs must be completed on the 2009/10 CN application form provided in Annex A. Your CN must be sent by email to dafconceptnotes@tripleline.com. Any CN not completed on the 2009/10 CN form may be returned un-appraised. The form provides an indication of the length for each section but the whole concept note should not be more than 6 sides of A4. The font size must be no smaller than Arial 12. There is no requirement to submit supporting documentation along with the Concept Note.

31. You will receive an automated response/e-mail upon receipt of your CN. A CN reference number will follow within one week (this number should be quoted in all correspondence). You should receive a decision within six weeks of receipt of your CN reference number.

32. You must only submit one CN per e-mail sent. If you wish to submit more than one CN you must send each separately.

33. If we approve your concept note:

• You will receive a letter/e-mail inviting you to submit a full proposal. In this letter we may raise a number of issues which must be addressed in your proposal.
• Please note that if we invite you to submit a full project proposal, this is not a guarantee that your application will be successful. It is therefore important that you do not enter into any formal commitments or raise the expectations of your partners or other funders while you are going through the application process.

34. If we reject your Concept Note:

• You will receive a letter/e-mail explaining why we are not inviting you to submit a proposal.

Back to top

Full Project Proposals

35. Proposals must be received no later than 30 November 2008 in the format set out at Annex A (which is a new application form this year), in order to be considered for funding from April 2009. Any proposal not complying with this format will be returned unappraised. Further guidance on the content of your full proposal document is provided below.

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

When will DFID make decisions on new project proposals?

37. We will endeavour to notify applicants of the outcome of the assessment process by 31 March 2009 and to provide full feedback to unsuccessful applicants by 31 May 2009.

Financial and reporting requirements

38. 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?

39. If, having carefully read both the Building Support for Development strategy paper(104 kb) and these Guidelines, there are any areas where you feel you need clarification or further guidance, please contact Triple Line Consulting Limited on 0208 788 4672 or send your query to daf@tripleline.com .

Back to top

Additional Guidance on completion of full proposals

How should project proposals be presented?

40. Applicants must submit:

• the DAF 2009/10 Full Proposal form at Annex B;
• the Budget template at Annex C;
• the Project Framework at Annex D;
• Supporting documentation (see below).

41. The Full Proposal form, Budget and Project Framework should be downloaded, completed and submitted by e-mail only to dafproposal@tripleline.com . The Full Proposal form provides an indication of the length for each section but the total proposal must be no more than 12 sides, not including the budget and (now compulsory) Project Framework and other supporting documentation. The form should be completed using a font no smaller than Arial 12 pt. Supporting documentation (see section below) should also be e-mailed to the same address with your proposal. All supporting documentation must be submitted by the deadline of 30 November 2008.

Back to top

The content of the full project proposal

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

43. Applicants must demonstrate in their proposal that each project has been carefully researched, that it has a clearly defined purpose and outcomes, and how these contribute to DFID’s DAF programme objectives. Proposals should also describe effective monitoring and evaluation procedures.

44. 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 the project outcomes are cost-effective.

Budget

45. Applicants must complete the Budget Template at Annex C, referring to the additional budget guidance notes provided on the template. The budget table should not cover more than one side of A4 paper.

46. DFID will fund up to 100% of the projects costs, up to a maximum of £100,000 per annum, for a maximum of 3 years.

47. Please note that the ’Years’ columns in the budget template relate to the respective DFID financial years that run from April to March. If your project is expected to start later in the financial year, the ‘Year 1’ budget will be for a part year only. If this is the case and your project is likely to run into a fourth DFID financial year, please add a ‘Year 4’ column. However, please note that your project cannot run for more than 36 months in total.

48. Paragraph 23 above lists some items that can not be supported with DAF funding. As a general rule budgets must demonstrate good value for money and should not include your organisation’s core costs which are not directly related to the implementation of the project. DAF is designed to provide funding for discrete projects rather than supporting organisations to undertake their on-going work.

Project Framework

49. Project Frameworks are now mandatory. Applicants must complete the project framework. This will help to show the links between the project inputs, activities, outcomes and the overall project purpose. It will also help to show how the project is contributing to the achievement of the selected DAF programme objectives. The indicators clarify the quantitative and qualitative targets that the project is aiming to achieve and provide a means for measuring progress compared to the pre-project circumstances.

Supporting documents

50. Applicants must also send the following supporting documents by e-mail to dafproposal@tripleline.com .

• 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 and how the organisation is governed and managed.

• Latest audited/certified and signed accounts.

• A copy of your organisation’s Equal Opportunities (race, gender and disability) and Data Protection statements.

• Latest Annual Report.
• All letters of support from intended partners or beneficiaries.
• A copy of your organisation’s child protection policy (if your project is working with children (aged 16 or under).
• Letters of support form your local EES Coordinator (if your project relates to local EES strategies)

51. If electronic copies are not available you may send hard copies to Triple Line Consulting Ltd at the address mentioned above. All supporting documents must be received by the deadline of 30 November 2008 and should clearly indicate the project proposal to which they relate. 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 or e-mail.

Annex A – Concept Note form (mandatory format) (159 kb)

Annex B – Full Proposal form (mandatory format) (197 kb)

Annex C – Budget template (mandatory format) (116 kb)

Annex D - Project Framework (mandatory format) (60 kb)

Back to top

Annex E

Development Awareness Fund: Mini-Grant programme

Last updated 07 July 2008