We are delighted to announce the launch of the 2019 “Network Support Fund” to support statutory, community, and voluntary organisations leading or co-ordinating networks, learning communities or fora promoting increased understanding and use of evidence informed approaches to prevention and early intervention services for children, young people and their families. The activities funded should focus on building on existing or emerging best practice in the areas of prevention and early intervention for children, young people and their families. We encourage applications from Networks made up of specific disciplines, such as Teachers, Public Health Nurses, Social Care workers, as well as multidisciplinary networks.
While additionality is a condition of funding, we expect that successful applicants will include existing collaborations that seek to enhance their practice and share their learning and challenges in a more structured, systematic and reflective manner.
The funding is being provided under strand three of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs’ (DCYA) What Works Initiative:
Professional development and capacity building working strand: The aim of this strand is to enhance the capacity and skills development of policymakers, providers and practitioners in the appraisal and application of evidence informed approaches in prevention and early intervention for children and young people through capacity building and development.
Network Support Fund
Goal
The capacity of policy makers, providers and practitioners in the appraisal and application of evidence informed prevention and early intervention approaches is enhanced through provision of collaborative programmes of development eg coaching, mentoring and networking, with a view to improving outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Objectives:
- To improve the use of evidence informed approaches to service design and delivery for children and young people and their families;
- To facilitate formal and informal knowledge sharing explicitly focussed on enhancing professional dialogue and curiosity around evidence informed prevention and early intervention
- To bring stakeholders together to consider latest thinking and practices and learn from best practice nationally and internationally
- To Increase capacity to adopt an evidence informed approach including:
- needs analysis
- uses of data
- service design
- outcomes focused planning
- measurement
- monitoring, evaluation and review
Eligible Costs:
- Peer to peer networking and knowledge sharing events
- Knowledge sharing tools or resource development
- Training workshops and seminars
- Action Learning Sets
- Coaching and mentoring programmes
- Facilitator fees
- Venue hire and catering
- Administration costs – not to exceed 15% of overall funding awarded
- Substitution/cover costs
Ineligible Costs
- Staff costs
- Overheads
- Capital costs
- Equipment purchase & rental
- Costs already specifically covered by other funding
- Funding for individuals
- Travel costs
Funding Availability
The Network Support Fund is funded by DCYA using Dormant Accounts Funding. Limited funding is available to support this scheme.
The Network Support Fund will be open to applications for funding support on a rolling basis, meaning that you can apply at any-time during the year and decisions are made several times per year.
The 2019 Network Support Fund is open for applications until 5 November 2019.
The closing date for applications may be revised, subject to funding availability.
Grant allocations will be awarded on an annual basis, minimum of €1,000 and maximum of €20,000 per year per applicant. On-going funding will not be available.
All funding must be expended by 31 December of the year funding is awarded. Funding that has not been fully spent by this date must be de-committed i.e. returned to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
Selection and Assessment process
- Please submit your application form at least 6 weeks before the start of your project or activity. You may be requested to send additional documents or information to support your application.
- There is limited funding, therefore not all applications can be funded. Each application will be judged by a DCYA panel on its eligibility and the extent to which it achieves the stated goals of the scheme.
- If approved, an appropriate small grant contract will be agreed, after which the funding will be released. Applicants who have been successful must agree to the Terms and Conditions of the DCYA Contract.
- All Applicants will be notified in writing the decision of the panel. The Assessment Panel’s decision is final.
- All funding provided must be expended by end December 2019. Any unspent funds at the end of the calendar year must be returned to DCYA.
- Only one application per year by organisation/network/fora.
- The number of awards will be dependent upon the quality of applicants at the time of application. All awards are based on funding availability.
- Canvassing will disqualify.
The following core criteria will apply:
- Applicants must demonstrate the use of data, evidence and intra- and inter-disciplinary sharing of innovative practice & emerging thinking from research;
- Applicants must focus on prevention and early intervention
- Applicants must have a built in assessment or evaluation of impact
- Applicants must demonstrate the existence or potential of a strong self-sustaining network, learning community or forum
- Applicants must be based in the Republic of Ireland and make its impact in the Republic of Ireland.
Monitoring and verification
Financial and activity monitoring and verification information and documents will be required on project completion, including:
- The grantee should provide access to relevant records including expenditure profiles, cash profiles, regular management accounts and annual audited accounts. These reports should be accompanied by a certificate of assurance signed at management level, (in general by two responsible persons for example at management or board level), certifying that the public money granted was used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant.
- A financial and a narrative report on the project within six weeks following completion of the proposed activities.
- An article and/or case stories from participants or beneficiaries of the project as appropriate, along with photos.
- Grantees must comply with the Statement of Principles for Grantees of Circular 13/2014, Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds.
Communications
- You may be contacted to provide updates on the project to DCYA throughout the year. You are required to provide a swift response to these requests and agree that this information can be used for reporting and promotional purposes.
- All resources, tools and publications developed as a result of the funding must be made freely available on the What Works website.
- We expect that participants benefitting from the fund will be willing to attend relevant learning events.
- Any public statement concerning the project should include a statement that the project is supported by DCYA as part of What Works, funded by the Dormant Accounts fund and where possible, any promotional material should incorporate the DCYA and What Works logo and branding.
