Community Fund Commissioning

Programme

Engagement event- part 1

24th April 2019

Agenda

• Welcome

• Overview of the commissioning process

• Q & A

• Round table discussion

• Networking

Croydon’s VCS Strategy

Why have we adopted a VCS Strategy?

• Croydon Council has committed to maintain our contribution

to the sector

• But, ongoing financial pressures (75% reduction in

government grant between 2011 and 2020)

• Cannot continue ‘as is’

• Focus our support more on Corporate Plan priorities

• Achieve Value for Money

• Increase collaboration and reduce duplication

• Different responses to different issues in different areas

Priority Outcomes for VCS (1)

1. People live long, healthy, happy and independent lives

• Visible, cohesive and resilient communities

• Healthy, happy and independent lives

• Access to effective health services and care services

2. Our children and young people thrive and reach their full potential

• Safe, healthy and happy; aspire to be the best they can be

• High quality education and youth facilities

• More young people involved

• Link to prevention of serious youth violence

3. Access to homes and prevention of homelessness

• All have opportunity to access a suitable home

• Avoiding homelessness and rough sleeping

Priority Outcomes for VCS (2)

4. Everyone feels safer in their street, neighbourhood and home. We pledge

to treat serious youth violence including knife crime as a public health

issue• Reducing crime in partnership, including:

• serious youth violence

• domestic abuse and sexual violence

• hate crime

• Tackling anti-social behaviour and environmental crime

5. Everybody has the opportunity to work and

build their career• More can develop their skills through apprenticeships, academic and technical courses

• More can access employment opportunities

Key principles for funding

1. Does the bid involve collaboration with other VCS

groups?

2. Is it tackling particular need in a locality?

3. Does it have a focus on prevention, early

identification and intervention?

4. Does it support the priority outcomes in this strategy?

5. Does the bid meet more than one of the priority

outcomes?

6. Is it evidence based?

7. Is it innovative?

Feedback from the sector on the process

What worked well

• Good support from the Council

• Training & support sessions

• Good mix of projects supported

• Openness and transparency of the process

• Outcomes focussed

Areas for improvement

• Using the procurement portal

• Timescales – allowing time for collaboration

• Process wasn’t proportionate

• Lack of clarity on a few areas e.g. maximum award for

application

VCS funding – the Community Fund

• Commitment to maintain funding to VCS sector - £2.77m p/a next

3 years

• Process being developed based on the feedback from the sector

• The commissioning process & monitoring will be proportionate

• Balances stability for sector & the ability to respond to emerging

need

Previously

• Multiple funding streams (Community Fund & Prevention Fund)

• Different commissioning processes and timelines

Now

• One fund

• Simpler & proportionate process

• One timeline

Infrastructure

Support01Services:

Carers

Advice Services02

Outcomes

03

The commissioning approach

Community Fund

• Stand-alone tender

• Specification developed based

on feedback from the sector

• Competitive tendering process

• Encouraging collaborative bids

• Contract for 3 years

• One stage process

• 2 stand-alone tenders

• Specifications developed

• Contract for 3 years

• One stage process

• Outcomes agreed as per

the CVS Strategy

• Prevention fund budget

ring fenced

• Allocation of funding

kept each year for

emerging needs

• One stage process

Outcomes approach

• VCS Strategy forms the basis of our commissioning prospectus: key

outcomes & principles

• Proportionate commissioning processes and monitoring

o £15k+ per year = commissioned process for up to 3 years (with

breaks), using the procurement portal. Proportionate contract

management

o <£15k per year = annual grant, with multiple funding windows, using

the small grants process – application form. Simple monitoring

• Aim is to make it easier for smaller, grass root organisations

• Start developing ideas now

– Community input and involvement

– Collaboration across VCS

Timelines

COMMISSIONING – OVER £15K

April & May VCS engagement to inform the

commissioning process

June Tender process opens

June – Sept Support sessions for the VCS

October Tender process closes

Oct & Nov Evaluation

December Decisions and contracts

awarded

Jan-Mar Decommissioning Support

April 2020 New Contracts go live

GRANT – UNDER £15K

April & May VCS engagement to inform the

commissioning process

June – Sept Support sessions for the VCS

September Grant process opens

October Grant process closes

November Evaluation

December Decisions and grants awarded

Jan-Mar Decommissioning Support

April 2020 New grant agreements go live

Engagement events

Note: you only need attend one event of each session

(all Part 1s are the same and all Part 2s are the same)

EVENT DATE (2019) TIME VENUE

Part 1 Wednesday 24/04/19 3.00 – 5.00 pm Croydon Conference Centre, Surrey Street

Part 1 Thursday 25/04/2019 1.00 – 3.00 pm Hampton by Hilton, Dingwall Road

Part 1 Thursday 02/05/2019 9.30 – 11.30 am Hampton by Hilton, Dingwall Road

Part 2 Tuesday 21/05/2019 1.00 – 3.00 pm Croydon Conference Centre, Surrey Street

Part 2 Tuesday 28/05/2019 1.00 – 3.00 pm Hampton by Hilton, Dingwall Road

Part 2 Wednesday 29/05/19 3.00 – 5.00 pm Hampton by Hilton, Dingwall Road

Presentation TitlePresented by John Smith

September 2013

Any questions?

_______________________

Round table discussions

1. How would you measure success against the

priority outcomes?

2. Would you want a maximum award introduced

and if so, how much do you think this should

be?

3. What support would you need to ensure you and

others can effectively engage in the

commissioning process?

4. What can we do this time round that we didn’t

do last time, to make the process easier?

Presentation TitlePresented by John Smith

September 2013

Thank you

_______________________

Networking & Collaboration