Apply to the Scottish Veterans Fund

How to apply

Only applications made on the application form and submitted by the closing date will be considered. Augmenting material in support of an application may be provided under separate cover.

Before recommending a bid, the SVF panel must be satisfied that the applicant organisation has sufficient competency to deliver the project and to apply sound financial management. All projects must demonstrate a strong and robust business case, including sound financial and management arrangements. It is essential that all bids represent value for money and include evidence that grants will be spent effectively. Applicants must submit a summary copy of their last three audited accounts as evidence of current financial viability (or reports since trading commenced).

Section 1: Organisation details

If you are applying as part of a consortium bid between more than one organisation, please provide the details of the lead organisation in section 1. If applicable the details of the other organisations within the consortium can be provided at Annex A at the bottom of the application form. This annex can be repeated as necessary for the number of consortium partners.

Organisation’s Safeguarding Policy. All applicant organisations are required to have an appropriate safeguarding policy in place and provide a copy of this along with their application. According to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR):

“Safeguarding is the action that an organisation takes to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults to protect them from harm including physical, emotional, sexual and financial harm and neglect. This includes making sure that the appropriate policies, practices and procedures are put in place. Safeguarding includes child protection but goes further and extends to all vulnerable beneficiaries.”

For further advice on what a safeguarding policy may include please see the guidance provided by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or the safeguarding guidance provided by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO),

Section 2 – Project bid details

Section 2.2: Overview of the Project

This is intended to allow for the provision of a narrative summary of the project, the benefits it will bring and how it meets one or more of the aims of the SVF.

It should include:

• an explicit statement of which of the aims of the SVF the project will address
• an explanation of any engagement you have had with those who will benefit from the project and how this has informed the development of the project
• an explanation of the areas of the veterans community the project will benefit, such as service leavers, spouses or children
• a description of which areas of Scotland the project will cover. Please see below a list of regions and the Local Authority areas they correspond to

Section 2.4 Need for Project

This should provide an explanation of how the need for the project was identified and identify any evidence that has been gathered to support the identification of this need. If possible, this evidence should be quantifiable rather than anecdotal.

Section 2.5 Delivery of Project 

This should outline how you intend to deliver this project and the skills and experience that your organisation or delivery partners have in the delivery of this type of project or other relevant activities. All projects must demonstrate that they are realistically achievable with the resource available. They should be demonstrate sound financial and management arrangements, as well as adherence to Scottish Government Fair Work principles.

Section 2.6 Project Outcomes

This asks the applicant to list up to three outcomes for their proposed project, along with the associated outputs for the outcomes, to illustrate the impact of the project. When writing these, it is useful to clearly distinguish between Inputs, Outputs, Outcomes and Impact in order to provide clear information on the measurable impact that a project is intended to have. There are no absolute rules for defining whether something is an outcome or an output, but the following are included as a rough guide.

Impact

Project impact should reflect the contribution that your project will make on the veterans community in line with its higher level aims. This impact should be measurable or able to be assessed in some manner.

Inputs

The resources that are to be used to run the project; the money, people, equipment etc.

Outputs

Outputs are the direct, measurable results of activities undertaken as part of the project.  Achievement of the outputs should provide the conditions necessary to achieve the outcome, which will in turn contribute to the impact.

Outcomes

The project outcome should identify what will change and who will benefit as a result of the project. The achievement of the outcomes will see the see the realisations of the project’s aims and the resultant impact on the veterans community.

Hard outcomes can be things such as: reduced debt, increased employment, reduced homelessness, reduced family breakdown, reduced crime. Soft outcomes are much harder to measure but can include things such as: increased self-esteem, increased confidence, improved relationships, reduced isolation

Performance Measures: These are the tools or methods that you will use to track the performance of the project against its stated aims. Ideally these should rely on quantifiable evidence, such as from surveys or changes in reported date such as homelessness rates, but we accept that for many outcomes (particularly soft outcomes) you may be reliant on anecdotal evidence.

Targets: Where possible, a quantifiable target must be set for each outcome. If this is not possible because of the nature of the outcome, then an alternative means of measuring progress must be suggested.

Illustrative Scenarios for Section 2.6

Were we to fund new equipment within a residential home, the input would be the grant, the output may be the number of users using the equipment or the number of times the equipment was used over a period and the outcomes might be measures of the improvement in the quality of life of the individual beneficiaries as measured for example through better integration into the community (increased mobility), reduced isolation or better rehabilitation results.  Measures could include direct questions to staff and users, feedback from professionals working with the users or anecdotal evidence from either staff or visitors.

Were we to fund an advice worker to provide advice on benefits and entitlements then the input is the grant, the output may be the numbers receiving advice or the measurable increase in income for those individuals receiving the advice. The outcomes may be around an improvement in quality of life and disposable income leading to reduced poverty and less stress on those individual beneficiaries.  Measurement could be via a wide range of measures including questionnaires / phone surveys of beneficiaries, evidence of a reduction in court activity for debt or repossession (if case relates to rent / mortgage arrears) or evidence of less marital breakdown or family breakup. 

Section 3: Project funding

Section 3.2 Requested Funding

This section should outline the funding you are seeking from the SVF and include a high level breakdown of what the funding will be spent on – examples could include materials, labour, recruitment costs, advertising, IT, venue hire etc. This breakdown should be completed by quarter for financial year 23/24 and yearly thereafter.

Section 3.4 Delivery partners

Projects where additional partners deliver specific aspects of the programme on behalf of the applicant should highlight the roles of these partners and the value of work assigned to them here. Please only include details in this section if applicable.

Deadline

Applications must have been received by email by 11:59 pm on the 19 November 2022, accompanied by a copy of your Safeguarding Policy.