The Community Support Fund is a community-based package of financial and non-financial support for disabled people in the areas affected by the Remploy factory closures. Full details here: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund

1. July 2012
Community Support Fund Information Pack for:
Disabled People’s User Led Organisations / Voluntary and
Community Sector Organisations
This pack is divided into the following sections:
1. What is the Community Support Fund (CSF)
2. Local organisations role in the CSF
3. Community Support Fund criteria and conditions
4. How decisions to award funding will be made
5. Examples of CSF funding
6. Other local organisations in your area
7. Disabled Peoples User Led Organisations Ambassadors
8. Community Support Fund Application Form
9. Community Support Fund Guidance Notes
10. 3 “Road to the Community Support Fund” Diagrams (in separate Powerpoint documents)
Further information on the Community Support Fund can be found on the Office for Disability
Issues website at:
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
Or you can send enquiries by email to:
ODI.BUSINESSPERFORMANCE@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK
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2. July 2012
Section 1 – What is the Community Support Fund (CSF)?
Background
The Minister for Disabled People announced a £1.5m Community Support Fund as a part of the
comprehensive £8m People Help and Support Package for disabled Remploy employees who
have been made redundant.
The Community Support Fund will offer financial and non-financial support to local disabled
people’s user led organisations (DPULOs) and voluntary sector organisations (VSOs) to deliver
projects and activities to meet the specific needs of disabled ex-Remploy employees.
The aim of the Community Support Fund
The overall aim of the Community Support Fund is to make a positive difference to the lives of the
individuals and families affected by the Remploy factory closures.
Section 2 – Local Organisations role in the CSF
The Community Support Fund is targeted at local organisations, such as DPULOs, charitable and
voluntary sector organisations, in geographical areas where ex-Remploy employees live.
Local organisations in the areas surrounding the factory closures will have the opportunity to apply
for funding to take forward a variety of projects and or activities to support groups of ex-Remploy
employees.
To qualify for funding organisations will need to work with individuals affected by the factory
closures to identify activities and interests, which will help them to become more involved in the
local community, maintain links with work colleagues or move into a new job.
What the project/activity looks like is for the organisation and the ex-Remploy employees to
determine. To help organisations with applications for funding the Disabled People’s User Led
Organisations (DPULO) Ambassadors will be available to offer advice or support to develop ideas.
Details about the ambassadors are is included in section 7.
To provide stronger outcomes for the local area the Community Support fund will welcome and
encourage partnership working. Applications will be considered to be stronger if they show the
development of, or demonstrate effective partnership working.
To support you with this a list of other local organisations in the area is included in the next section
of this pack.
If you are aware of any other organisation who should be added to this list, please email the
details to us at: ODI.BUSINESSPERFORMANCE@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK
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3. July 2012
Section 3 – Criteria and Conditions
To qualify for funding local organisations will need to complete an application form, which clearly
demonstrates input from disabled ex-Remploy employees and provide details of projects, or
activities that deliver one or both of the following two key outcomes:
Community-
• To support disabled Remploy employees affected by factory closures to play a more active
role in the local community. This could include taking part in a variety of group activities to
maintain relationships with ex-work colleagues, or create new friendships within the
community.
And / or
Employment
• To support ex-Remploy employees to move from sheltered to mainstream employment.
This could include taking part in volunteering opportunities or learning and development
activities to develop new skills.
Who can apply for funding?
Local organisation in the areas around the factory closures can apply for a modest amount of
funding and fall into one of the categories below:
• A Disabled People’s User-Led Organisation (DPULO)
• A Voluntary and Community Sector Organisation
• A Charity
• A Social Enterprise
• A Community Interest Company
• A Non-Profit Organisation
How much funding is available?
There is no maximum amount an organisation can apply for, however the Community Support
Fund Board is likely to request more detailed information about outcomes and value for money for
any application that is at the higher end of the range of awards (above £15,000).
There is no minimum amount an organisation can apply for, however, applications will be
considered by the Community Support Fund Board to ensure a fair geographical spread in the
areas affected by the Remploy factory closures.
How many applications can an organisation make?
Organisations can make more than one application for funding – for example, if an organisations
proposes to work in partnership across several geographic areas, applications will be considered
as long as:
- The application differs from any other application
- There is a proven need for the funding
- Capacity to deliver across all the applications is proven
- Funds are still available having taken into account the funds distributed to date.
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4. July 2012
How many applications can each area make?
Areas can make more than one application but each application will need to demonstrate:
- There is no duplication with any other application
- There is a proven need for the funding
- The number of bids is proportionate with the scale of activity anticipated (see Annex 2
for further information)
- Demand in all other areas has been met
- Funds are still available having taken into account the funds distributed to date.
Section 4 – How decisions to award funding will be made
The Community Support Fund Board
Decisions on funding awards will be made by the Community Support Fund Board. This decision
making group will be drawn from DPULO Ambassadors and representatives from VCS
organisations. It will be jointly chaired by the DPULO Programme National Leads.
The Board will consider the first round of applications within at least two months of the launch of
the Community Support Fund. Subsequent board meetings will be arranged as necessary and will
focus on areas that do not receive an award in the first round.
What happens when funding is approved?
Having secured funding for the activity/project from the Community Support Fund, your
organisation will continue to work with the individual, or group, to ensure the activity, or project
takes place.
Section 5 – CSF Examples
What the project/activity looks like will be up to the individuals and it is likely to be different in each
area but here are some examples of the types of activities the CSF can fund.
Employment Focused Activities
A group of ex employees would like to explore setting up as a micro enterprise – for example
as a gardening business or in recycling furniture. A local voluntary organisation, working
closely with a social enterprise like Community Catalysts or Business in the Community,
applies for funding to support the group. This project will enable the group to develop their
skills, set up a business model, develop their marketing and support them to find potential
clients.
A local DPULO applies for funding to provide a peer-to-peer service that will provide advice,
guidance and support planning for people going through the social care process. People
contributing to this can choose to be paid or provide pro bono support. The DPULO uses the
CSF to fund the training development programme for a group of ex-Remploy employees over
6 months.
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5. July 2012
A number of ex employees have experience and expertise in understanding access issues for
disabled people. A local DPULO applies for funding to provide an accredited training course
for these individuals to become qualified access auditors, as well as support them to find
opportunities to use their new qualifications.
More generally, DPULOs can apply to run a variety of courses to support individuals to
develop skills in several areas. For example DPULOs can run Train the Trainers courses to
support any individuals who would like to become a trainer on topics such as Disability
Equality Trainings.
Community Based Activities
A local association helps to maintain a local park / community space, as well as explore the
history of the park. A group of ex employees have an interest in local history. A voluntary
sector organisation applies for funding to work with the local association to support the group
to have access to the meetings and contribute to its work. This activity will help the group
interact with the local organisation.
A group of ex employees have a particular interest in film and cinema. A DPULO applies for
funding to set up a local film club, and works with a local cinema in the longer term to find
ways the group can maintain their interest. This activity will allow the group to meet on a
regular basis and become more involved with the local community.
A group of ex Remploy employees are keen supporters of their local football team. To support
the group a local disabled people’s organisation works with the football club and existing
volunteers to enable the group to regularly attend football matches and support the club’s
local fundraising activities at various events. This activity enables the ex employees to
maintain links with work colleagues.
Section 6 - Other local organisations in your area
A list of local organisations in your area will follow within a few days (in word format).
If you are aware of any other organisation who should be added to this list, please email the
details to us at: ODI.BUSINESSPERFORMANCE@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK
Section 7 - Disabled Peoples User Led Organisations Ambassadors
What is a DPULO Ambassador?
Ambassadors are well-respected people who, through their position, experience, expertise and
work, can provide a voice for disabled people in the local area, share good practice, make links
within the local area and are experts in developing project plans.
Further information on the role of Ambassadors can be found on the Office for Disability Issues
Website.
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/odi-projects/user-led-organisations.php
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6. July 2012
Additional Disabled People’s User Led Organisations (DPULO) Ambassadors have been recruited
to ensure all areas are covered and to support local organisations to apply for funding Community
Support Fund (CSF).
DPULO Ambassadors, location and contact details
Margaret Simpson, MBE Tom Raines
• Scotland • Manchester (other areas to be
Email: margaretdpulo@live.co.uk agreed)
Email: tomrainesdpulo@gmail.com
Cerrys Hill Taiba Yasseen
• Wales • Rotherham (other areas to be
Email: cerrys.dpulo@hotmail.co.uk agreed)
Email: taiba.dpluo@yahoo.com.
Barry Ginley Aidan Toomey
• Kent • Lancashire
• Surrey • Merseyside
• Sussex • West Yorkshire
Email: b.ginley@vam.ac.uk • Manchester
• Burnley
Email: Aidan.ToomeyDPULO@gmail.com
Lynne Turnbull Rachael Wallach
• Cheshire • London
• Staffordshire • Buckinghamshire
• Derbyshire • Oxfordshire
• Preston Email: rachael.wallach@Lewisham.gov.uk
• Lancashire
Email: lturnbull.dpulo@btinternet.com
Mark Baggley Mike Adams
• East Yorkshire • Essex
• South Yorkshire • Bedfordshire
• Nottinghamshire • Hertfordshire
• Lincolnshire • Suffolk, Norfolk
• Leicestershire • Cambridgeshire
• East Midlands • East London Boroughs
Email: mark@choicesandrights.org.uk Email: madams@ecdp.org.uk
Oliver Wood Sue Rickell
• North Yorkshire • Bristol
• Durham • Gloucestershire
• Northumberland • Somerset
Email: oliverwoodnkau@gmail.com • Wiltshire (South)
• Cornwall
Email: sue.rickell@alliesinchange.org.uk
Tess McManus Tom Hendrie
• Dorset • Cumbria
• Devon • North Yorkshire
• North London • Lancashire (north of the Pennies)
Email: tess.mcmanus@gmail.com Email: tom.hendrie@btinternet.com
Tina Jones
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7. July 2012
• Shropshire
• Worcestershire
• Herefordshire
• Northamptonshire (South)
• Birmingham
Email: tina.jones@listennotlabel.org.uk
Further information about the Strengthening DPULOs Programme, National Lead / DPULO
Ambassador roles, and financial support available through the Facilitation Fund can be found at:
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/odi-projects/user-led-organisations.php
Section 8 - Community Support Fund Application Form
Thank you for considering applying to the Community Support Fund.
To assist you in completing this form we have created some guidance notes. Accessible versions
of this form and the guidance notes are also available. All of these can be found on our website:
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
Please read the guidance notes before you complete this application form. They contain useful
information about the Community Support Fund, including by when your application should be
submitted for consideration in each funding round.
If you have any questions about your application please contact us by emailing
odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Your contact details
Name of your organisation:
Name and position in the organisation of the person completing this form:
Postal address:
Telephone number:
Mobile phone number:
Email address:
Organisation website:
1. About your application
1.1 Is this a partnership/joint application?
Yes (see questions below) / No (proceed to Section 2)
Please note: Applications to the Community Support Fund from organisations working in
collaboration – that can develop and demonstrate effective partnership working, especially with
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8. July 2012
disabled people and their organisations – will be particularly encouraged. See Section 9.2 – Area
3 of the Guidance Notes.
1.2 Are you the lead contact/organisation? Yes / No
Please note only the lead organisation can make the application
1.3 List the name(s) of the organisation(s) who you are working with you in this project/activity
1.4 Is/Are the organisation(s) you are working in partnership with one or more of the following:
• A Disabled People’s User-Led Organisation (DPULO) Yes / No
• A Voluntary and Community Sector Organisation Yes / No
• A Charity Yes / No
• A Social Enterprise Yes / No
• A Community Interest Company Yes / No
• A Non-Profit Organisation Yes / No
• An employee- or member-owned organisation Yes / No
• Other (please specify) Yes / No
• Working in collaboration with another organisation (Please provide details) Yes / No
2. About the lead organisation
2.1 Are you:
• A DPULO Yes / No
• A Voluntary and Community Sector Organisation Yes / No
• A Charity Yes / No
• A Social Enterprise Yes / No
• A Community Interest Company Yes / No
• A Non-Profit Organisation Yes / No
• Other (please specify) Yes / No
3. Your location
3.1 Are you:
• In one or more local community/communities affected by a Remploy Factory closure?
(A list of geographical areas is included in the Guidance Notes.) Yes / No
Please state which area(s):
• 3.2 If not, can you demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs of the local
community/communities affected by the Remploy Factory closure?
Please supply supporting evidence.
4. Funding
4.1a Can you confirm that your organisation has not received funding for this particular
project/activity from UK Government or the Devolved Administrations
Yes/ No
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9. July 2012
4.1b Can you confirm that this project/activity is over and above what your organisation is
delivering with any funding from central government or the Devolved Administrations
Yes/ No
4.1c Have you received or applied for funding from either the Community Support Fund or
Strengthening DPULOs Programme Facilitation Fund1 before?
Yes / No
If yes, please provide your reference number(s):
4.2 Please provide confirmation that you are applying for the funding as the lead officer for the
organisation and have regularly audited accounts that could be made available on request:
Yes / No
4.3 Please confirm you can receive payment of any award made through the Community
Support Fund
Yes / No
4.4 Please provide confirmation that you have read and understand your obligations with
regards to de minimis awards received, detailed in Schedule 3
Yes / No
4.5 What is the total amount of de minimis aid your organisation has already been granted
during the previous two fiscal years and the current fiscal year?
4.6 Please confirm that the amount of grant applied for will not result in the total amount of de
minimis aid received during the previous two fiscal years and the current fiscal year exceeding
€200,000:
Yes / No
4.7 Please confirm that you will retain details of this grant and produce it on any request by the
UK public authorities or the European Commission:
Yes / No
5. About your proposed activity / project
5.1 What is the name of your proposed activity / project?
5.2 How much you are applying for?
5.3 Please summarise your proposed activity / project (150 words max)
5.4 Please use the Project Plan template contained at Schedule 1 to tell us your proposed key
activities, outputs and associated timescales
5.5 For each activity and associated output(s) please use the Budget Breakdown template
contained at Schedule 2 to tell us what money you require
1
Question only applicable to England-only organisations pre-July 2012
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10. July 2012
6. Delivering the outcomes of the Community Support Fund
6 How will your proposed activity / project make a positive difference to the lives of disabled
people affected by the Remploy Factory closure?
To do so, it should cover one or both of the following bullets:
• Support individuals to become actively involved in their local communities
or/and
• Support individuals to make the move from sheltered to mainstream employment. (100
words)
(See Sections 2 and 3 of the Guidance notes for more information about the the aim and
objectives of the Community Support Fund)
7. Developing Communities and working in partnership
• Important note: you must clearly demonstrate how disabled people affected by the Remploy
Factory closure have been involved in developing the proposed activity / project. See Area
2 of the Essential Criteria in the Guidance Notes.
7.1 What individuals or groups have you engaged with to develop your proposed activity /
project? Please list all of them here.
For example:
• Ex-Remploy employees?
• Remploy factory?
• A DPULO Ambassador/National Lead?
• Other local organisations?
• Local Authorities?
• Local employers?
• Anyone else?
7.2 How have you engaged these individuals / groups to develop your proposed activity /
project? (100 words)
7.3 How will you be taking forward the partnership working to meet the objectives of this
project/activity? (100 words)
7.4 How will your activity / project develop, or strengthen links within the local community? (100
words)
7.5 If you haven’t discussed this activity / project with anyone else, please tell us why (100
words)
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11. July 2012
Please enclose any relevant letters of support with your application as this will strengthen your
application.
8. Capturing impact, sustaining involvement and sharing learning
• 8.1 How will you capture and understand the impact the proposed project / activity has to
ensure it makes a positive difference to the lives of people affected by the a Remploy
Factory closure? (100 words)
• 8.2 Where possible, we would like to see the impact of the Community Support Fund
extend beyond the funding period. How will you try to sustain the involvement of people
affected by the Remploy Factory closure in your work beyond the time of the formal
project? (100 words) Please note: This question is for information only. It will not be
marked.
8.3 How will you capture the wider learning from your activity / project for the benefit of
DPULOs and VCS organisations more generally, especially in working with disabled people? (100
words) Please note: This question is for information only. It will not be marked.
9. Confirmation
I confirm that if my application is successful I am happy for details of my award and my
organisations name and any partner names to be published on the ODI website and used in press
releases to publicise the fund.
Yes / No
This application form has been completed and authorised by:
Signature:
Print name:
Position:
Organisation:
Date:
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12. July 2012
10. Sending us your Community Support Fund application
Your completed application form for the Community Support Fund should include all of the
following:
• This application form
• Letters of support
• A completed project plan (Schedule 1)
• A completed budget breakdown (Schedule 2)
Once you have completed your Community Support Fund application form, please send it to the
Making a Difference team at:
• Email: odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
• Post: Office for Disability Issues, Ground Floor, Caxton House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London
SW1H 9NA
You will receive confirmation from us that we have received your Community Support Fund
application within 7-14 working days.
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13. July 2012
Community Support Fund Application: Schedule 1 – Your project plan
Name of your organisation:
Please complete this project plan template to tell us more about your proposed activity / project in more detail (to answer Question 5.4 of the
application form).
Activity Output Timescale
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Please add further rows as necessary
Community Support Fund Application:
Schedule 2 – Budget breakdown
Name of your organisation:
Please provide a breakdown of the costs you think will be covered by any funding awarded (to answer Question 5.5 of the
application form).
Activity number this
Item of expenditure relates to (from your Budget (UK sterling)
project plan)
1.
2.
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14. July 2012
Activity number this
Item of expenditure relates to (from your Budget (UK sterling)
project plan)
3.
4.
5.
Please add further rows as
necessary
Total:
This budget breakdown has been completed and authorised by:
Signature:
Print name:
Position:
Organisation:
Date:
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15. July 2012
Community Support Fund Application: Schedule 3 – State Aid requirements
What is State aid?
Where a public body provides financial support to an organisation engaged in commercial and economic activity, it is necessary to
consider whether such support constitutes State aid.
State aid applies if:
• Aid is granted by a Member State or through its resources;
• It favours certain undertakings or the production of certain goods
• It distorts threatens to distort competition ; and
• It affects trade between Member States.
Key questions to consider if a payment will fall within the state aid regulations:
1. Is the support provided granted by the State?
This includes all public and private bodies controlled by the state to distribute
public funds. For example, Lottery, tax exemptions, grants, subsidies.
2. Does the support confer a selective advantage to an undertaking?
A benefit which is granted for free or on favorable (non-commercial) terms to
some selected organisations (but not others), could be state aid.
Definitions:
Advantage: An advantage can take the form of direct payment of state
resources in the form of grants and subsidies as well as indirect benefits that
affect the public budget such as tax breaks, rate rebates, low interest loans, sale
of public land below market value and the provision of services for free or at
below-market rates.
Selectivity: Support that targets particular businesses, regions or types of firm
e.g. SMEs or particular sectors and not others is selective.
Organisations - do not have to be profit-making as long as the activity carried
out is one which, in principle, has commercial competitors. This can include
voluntary and non-profit-making public or public authorities when they are
engaged in economic activity. Charities, universities, research institutions,
voluntary entities, social enterprises and public sector bodies will be considered
when they are engaged in economic activity.
Economic activity: Offering goods or services on a given market and which
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16. July 2012
could, at least in principle, be carried out by private actors in order to make
profits.
3. Does the support distort or have the potential to distort competition?
If the funding has the potential to strengthen the position of the organisation
relative to other competitors then this criteria is likely to be met.
The potential to distort competition does not need to be substantial or
significant, and this criterion can apply to relatively small amounts of financial
support and firms with little market share.
4. Does the support affect trade between Member States?
Commission's interpretation of this is broad - it is sufficient that a product or
service is tradeable between member states, even if the recipient of support
does not itself export to other EU markets. This test is not met only in very
limited circumstances.
If all four questions are met State Aid applies.
Additional information about de minimis aid previously received
You are being considered for assistance under the De minimis Regulation (Regulation 1998/2006). This may allow an enterprise to
receive up to €200,000 de minimis aid over any period of three fiscal years.
- To establish whether you are eligible to receive de minimis aid you must declare the full amount of de minimis aid which you
have already been granted during the previous two fiscal years and the current fiscal year.
- Any assistance you may have received from a public body could potentially be de minimis aid. This might include assistance
received from central, regional, or devolved governments, as well as from other agencies or local councils.
- You should have received a letter informing you if you were given assistance under the de minimis regulation. If you are unsure
as to whether or not any public assistance you have received is de minimis aid, please contact the granting body to clarify.
Please provide information about any public assistance under €200,000 you have received in the last three years in question 6 of
the application form.
The following is not a comprehensive list of all possible forms of aid. However, it should provide an indication of some of the most
common forms of de minimis aid which you may have been awarded over the past three years.
Forms of possible aid:
• State grants;
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17. July 2012
• Interest rate relief;
• Tax relief;
• Tax credits;
• State guarantees or holdings;
• State provision of goods or services on preferential terms;
• Direct subsidies;
• Tax exemptions;
• Preferential interest rates;
• Guarantees of loans on especially favourable terms;
• Acquisition of land or buildings either gratuitously or on favourable terms;
• Provision of goods and services on preferential terms;
• Indemnities against operating losses;
• Reimbursement of costs in the event of success;
• State guarantees, whether direct or indirect, to credit operations preferential re-discount rates;
• Dividend guarantees;
• Preferential public ordering;
• Reduction of, or exemption from, charges or taxes, including accelerated depreciation and the reduction of social contributions;
• Deferred collection of fiscal or social contributions;
• Assistance financed by special levies;
• Capital transfers;
• Certain State holdings in the capital of undertakings.
Section 9 - Community Support Fund Guidance Notes
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18. July 2012
Thank you for considering applying to the Community Support Fund. To assist you in completing the application form we have
created these guidance notes.
Please read these guidance notes before you complete your application form. They contain useful information about the Community
Support Fund.
Accessible versions of the application form and the guidance notes (including versions with no tables) are also available. All of these
can be found on our website, along with more information about the Community Support Fund at:
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
If you have any questions about the Community Support Fund please contact us by emailing
odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Contents
Name of your organisation:.....................................................................................................................................................................13
Please complete this project plan template to tell us more about your proposed activity / project in more detail (to answer Question
5.4 of the application form)......................................................................................................................................................................13
Name of your organisation:.....................................................................................................................................................................13
Please provide a breakdown of the costs you think will be covered by any funding awarded (to answer Question 5.5 of the
application form)......................................................................................................................................................................................13
What is State aid?.....................................................................................................................................................................................................15
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................................................19
2. Aim of the Community Support Fund..................................................................................................................................................20
3. Objectives of the Community Support Fund.......................................................................................................................................20
4. Principles informing the operation of the Community Support Fund..................................................................................................21
5. How much can I apply for?
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
6. When will a decision be made on my application?.............................................................................................................................22
7. What the Community Support Fund can support ...............................................................................................................................23
8. Exclusions and limitations to the Community Support Fund..............................................................................................................23
8.1 Fund Exclusions.................................................................................................................................................................................................24
8.2 Fund limitations .................................................................................................................................................................................................24
8.3 State Aid.............................................................................................................................................................................................................25
9. Assessment criteria.............................................................................................................................................................................26
9.1 Qualification criteria...........................................................................................................................................................................................26
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19. July 2012
9.2 Essential criteria.................................................................................................................................................................................................27
9.3 Scoring criteria...................................................................................................................................................................................................29
13. Terms & Conditions.........................................................................................................................................................................29
Annex 1: Other support available to individuals affected by the Remploy factory closures...................................................................30
1. Introduction
In the UK Government’s response to the Sayce Review, the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, announced a
comprehensive £8m people help and support package for disabled Remploy employees affected by the Remploy factory closures.
The help and support package contained a mixture of individual and community support. £1.5m of this has been allocated to the
Community Support Fund.
In July 2012, the Minister formally opened the Community Support Fund for bids from disabled people’s user-led organisations
(DPULOs) and voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations2.
The overall aim of the Community Support Fund is to make a positive difference to the lives of the individuals and families affected
by the Remploy factory closures.
It will do this through financial support to local DPULOs and VCS organisations to deliver support and services. The Community
Support Fund will be focussed around the geographical areas affected by the Remploy factory closure. DPULOs and/or VCS
organisations that are locally based or have local knowledge are able to apply for a modest amount of funding to support individuals
affected by the Remploy factory closures to become actively involved in their local communities or/and support individuals to make
the move from sheltered to mainstream employment.
Applications received from organisations working in collaboration that can develop and demonstrate effective partnership working,
will be particularly encouraged. See Section 9.2 – Area 3 below.
2
Please note: by DPULOs and voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations we mean all non-profit distributing organisations, including: disabled people’s user-led
organisations, voluntary and community sector organisations, charities, social enterprises, Community Interest Companies, non-profit organisations and employee- or
member-owned organisations
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20. July 2012
In addition to the Community Support Fund there is a range of support available for people affected by the Remploy factory closures
including, for example, Personal Budgets. For your information, further detail on this People Help and Support Package is included
in Annex 1 below.
2. Aim of the Community Support Fund
The overall aim of the Community Support Fund is to make a positive difference to the lives of the individuals and families affected
by Remploy factory closures.
3. Objectives of the Community Support Fund
The objectives of the Community Support Fund are to:
Support individuals affected by the Sayce announcement to:
• Support individuals to play more of an active role in the local community, by taking part in a variety of group activities. These
could include maintaining relationships with ex-work colleagues from Remploy, or creating new friendships within the community.
And / or
• Support individuals to move from sheltered to mainstream employment. This could include taking part in learning and
development activities to develop new skills.
Furthermore, projects supported through the Community Support Fund should:
• Cover local areas affected by Remploy factory closures
• Clearly demonstrate how disabled people affected by the Remploy factory closure have been involved in developing the
proposed activity / project
• Appropriately cover all disabled people and impairment groups, i.e. learning disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental
health conditions, physical impairments and sensory impairments.
• Appropriately cover all people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
• Support a range of levels of innovation in the activities funded.
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21. July 2012
• Maximise other resources – both financial and non-financial – that can encourage participation in mainstream employment or
activities in the community.
4. Principles informing the operation of the Community Support Fund
The principles which inform the operation of the Community Support Fund were co-produced with key stakeholders and are
presented below.
• The Community Support Fund is accessible, inclusive and approaches this work from the social model of disability
• It aims to be proportionate and light touch, as applied to:
 The application process
 The approach to accounting for spending
 The approach to monitoring
• It aims to be open:
 Decisions will be clearly communicated with applicants, including the reasons why a bid was / wasn’t successful
 General information that is not bound by the Data Protection Act will be made available, including assessment criteria and
general information on awards made (e.g. average values, types of work supported, coverage etc.)
5. How much can I apply for?
We are keen to encourage applications such that the Community Support Fund is appropriately distributed across all of the areas
affected by Remploy factory closures.
To this end, we have provided some guidance on how the broad amounts of financial resource could be distributed. There is also,
however, a “common pot” available to reflect particular demand where it can be suitably evidenced.
Before developing or submitting any application, we strongly suggest you make contact with your local Ambassador to discuss how
much can be bid for from the Community Support Fund. You can find out who your local Ambassador is and what their contact
details are here: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
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22. July 2012
Key points:
• There is no minimum amount you can apply for. However, applications will be considered by the board to ensure a fair
geographical spread in the areas affected by the Sayce Announcement.
• There is no maximum amount you can apply for, however the Board is likely to request more detailed information about
outcomes and value for money for any application at the higher end of the range of awards available for each area affected by
the Sayce announcement.
• More than one application from an organisation – for example, if an organisations proposes to work in partnership across
several geographic areas, applications will be considered as long as:
o The application differs from any other application
o There is a proven need for the funding
o Capacity to deliver across all the applications is proven
o Funds are still available having taken into account the funds distributed to date.
• More than one application from an area will be considered as long as:
o There is no duplication with any other application
o There is a proven need for the funding
o The number of bids is proportionate with the scale of activity anticipated (see Annex 2 for further information)
o Demand in all other areas has been met
o Funds are still available having taken into account the funds distributed to date.
6. When will a decision be made on my application?
The decision to award funding will be made by the Community Support Fund Board. This decision making group will be drawn from
DPULO Ambassadors and representatives from VCS organisations. It will be jointly chaired by the DPULO Programme National
Leads.
The Board will consider applications in a series of rounds. The closing dates associated with each round are published on the
website: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
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23. July 2012
Alternatively, you can contact odi.businessperformance@dwp.gsi.gov.uk to find out the dates.
7. What the Community Support Fund can support
We strongly suggest you make contact with your local Ambassador to discuss what the Community Support Fund can support. You
can find out who your local Ambassador is and what their contact details are here: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
The Community Support Fund will provide one-off or short-term payments which will support organisations to support individuals
affected by the Remploy factory closures which will:
• Deliver focused outcomes that make a positive difference to the lives of the individuals and families affected by the Remploy
factory closures.
• Support individuals affected by the Remploy factory closures to play an active role in their local communities
• Support individuals affected by the Remploy factory closures who want to make the transition from sheltered employment to
mainstream employment.
By short term, we mean typically less than 18 months. Examples of activities / projects that can be supported include (but are not
limited to) the following:
• Enabling disabled people affected by the Remploy factory closures to have more choice and control over their lives
• Providing disabled people with support to participate and have a voice in their local community
• Developing a range of projects and activities that build skills, offer volunteering opportunities and provide training to support
disabled people moving from sheltered employment into mainstream work.
• Empowering individuals to understand and take control of the support available to them, including funding packages.
8. Exclusions and limitations to the Community Support Fund
We strongly suggest you make contact with your local Ambassador to discuss what the Community Support Fund can’t support. You
can find out who your local Ambassador is and what their contact details are here: http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/communitysupportfund
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24. July 2012
8.1 Fund Exclusions
For the purposes of the Community Support Fund the following which is not exhaustive list will not be funded:
• For ongoing running costs including day to day wage/salary costs, but this exclusion shall not apply to funding required for day
to day wage/salary costs for a project which the Community Support Fund wholly or partly funds
• To buy ongoing or regular services from a third party (note: one-off or short-term services are permissible)
• To reimburse travel/childcare costs
• To pay for rent/estates
• To fund IT equipment in excess of the £1,000 capital threshold
• To pay for refreshments
• To pay for gifts
• To fund working capital or retained to cover future running costs and expenditure
• To fund contributions in kind
• Interest payments or service charge payments for finance leases
• To fund any other UK Government Department or anybody funded from central government.
8.2 Fund limitations
Any funding given to support individuals affected by the Remploy factory closures which might be novel or contentious, or which
could potentially bring the UK Government into disrepute, requires advance approval by the Office for Disability Issues.
Funding can only be agreed and made to organisations that have auditable accounts. The only exception to this rule may be where
an organisation is being set up to deliver Community Support Fund outcomes.
If a problem arises after funding has been awarded, ODI reserves the right to recover any funding that has been fraudulently
claimed. A fraudulent claim for these purposes includes:
• Submitting false receipts
• Submitting receipts for purchases that are unassociated with the Community Support Fund
• Submitting receipts that are not duly reflected in the organisations’ auditable accounts.
The decision to award funding may be revoked if the organisation closes before funding is awarded, or where an invoice is not
submitted within three months of the decision notification and no reasonable explanation is given for the delay.
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25. July 2012
The Office for Disability Issues has discretion not to reimburse costs where a receipt, or invoice shows any materially misleading, or
inaccurate information.
DWP/ODI may also recover funding in the following instances:
• When the Organisation does not spend the grant within 3 months of the payment (where applicable) and has failed to provide the
Community Support Fund Board with a reasonable explanation for delay;
• The Organisation obtains duplicate funding from a third party for the same costs;
• The Organisation ceases to operate for any reason within a period deemed reasonable by the Community Support Board and
proportionate to the level of funding awarded.
8.3 State Aid
The Community Support Fund is classified as State Aid as defined under Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of
the European Union and is granted as ‘de minimis’ aid under the De Minimis Aid Regulation.
Where a public body provides financial support to an organisation engaged in commercial and economic activity, it is necessary to
consider whether such support constitutes State aid.
State aid applies to your organisation if:
• Aid is granted by a Member State, or through its resources
• It favours certain undertakings, or the production of certain goods
• It distorts, or threatens to distort competition
• It affects trade between Member States.
If all four questions are satisfied State Aid applies and we would need to consider details of any/all State Aid funding your
organisation has received.
Grants offered under the terms of the state aid de minimis regulations, funding will not be awarded where the Organisation has
received funding, in three years, in excess of the ‘de minimis’ limit of 200,000Euro.
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26. July 2012
9. Assessment criteria
Applications to the Community Support Fund will be assessed against two sets of criteria:
• Qualification criteria
• Essential criteria.
These are explained in more detail below.
9.1 Qualification criteria
The information below explains each of the qualification criteria and which questions (in bold) we will consider to determine if your
application meets these criteria.
Your application must be able to meet each of the qualification criteria below (unless stated otherwise).
Qualification criteria Evidence
The lead organisation is a DPULO or VCS organisation Question 2.1
If you are not the
lead organisation
you cannot apply
The proposed activity / project takes place within one or more local Questions 3.1, 3.2
community / communities affected by the Remploy factory closures
The application is for a piece of work / project that is not already funded Question 4.1a,
by the UK Government or any of the Devolved Administrations 4.1b, 4.1c
The organisation has regularly audited accounts (unless it is an Questions 4.2, 4.3
organisation in the process of being set up) and can receive payment of
any award
Declaration received from DPULO that ‘de minimis’ aid in excess of Questions 4.4, 4.5,
€200,000 in past three year period has not been awarded (Evidence 4.6, 4.7
from)
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27. July 2012
9.2 Essential criteria
The information below explains each of the essential criteria areas and which questions (in bold) we will consider to determine if
your application meets these criteria.
Essential criteria Evidence
Area 1: Individual outcomes – The proposed activity / project will: Questions 5.3,
• Meet the aim and objectives of the Community Support Fund 5.4, 6
• Support people affected by the Remploy factory closures to be
actively involved in their local communities and / or to provide support
for individuals to move from sheltered to mainstream employment
• Enhances options for relevant support, such as peer support or
emotional support
Area 2: Based on evidenced demand – The proposed activity / project: Questions 7.1, 7.2
• Is strongly based on demand or evidence of need identified by people
affected by the Remploy factory closures
• Has a strong focus on what people affected by the Remploy factory
closures want
• Clearly demonstrates how disabled people have been involved in
developing the proposed activity / project
• Takes appropriate account of impairment-specific issues
• Takes appropriate account of wider equality and diversity issues
• Ensures groups who are not well engaged / on the margins of DPULO
/ VCS activity have the opportunity to be involved
• Must demonstrate a clear understanding of the social model of
disability
Area 3: Partnership working – The proposed activity / project: Questions 7.3,
• Is delivered through partnership working with appropriate relevant 7.4, 7.5 plus any
organisations. supporting
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28. July 2012
Essential criteria Evidence
• Demonstrates evidence the lead organisation has considered or documentation
liaised with appropriate stakeholders
• Provides a compelling reason why partnership working isn’t required
• Includes letters of support
Area 4: Ability to deliver the project on time and to budget – The Question 5.4 and
application contains: Schedule 1 –
• Clear explanation of what the activities are project plan
• Clear explanation of how the activities will deliver the anticipated
outcomes
• Clear timescales by which the activities will be finished
Area 5: Value for money – The application contains: Questions 5.2, 5.5
• Total cost of the project and Schedule 2 –
• Evidence that this represents value for money Budget
breakdown
Area 6: Capturing impact, sustaining involvement and sharing Questions 8.1,
learning – The proposed activity / project has a clear approach to: 8.2, 8.3
• Capturing the impact it has on each individual supported
In addition, the following areas will not be scored, though we would like
information on them
• There is information on how involvement of individuals could be
sustained beyond the formal project
• Wider learning from the project is captured for the benefit of DPULOs
and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations more generally,
especially in working with disabled people
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29. July 2012
9.3 Scoring criteria
Applications to the Facilitation Fund will be scored against the essential areas above as follows:
• 3 points – answer clearly meets the criteria and provides good evidence to support this
• 2 points – answer partly meets the criteria and provides some evidence to support this
• 1 point – answer hardly meets the criteria and provides little/no evidence to support this
• 0 points – no answer to the question
The scoring criteria:
• A score of 18 will indicate the essential criteria are met in full
• A score between 13 and 17 will indicate a strong application
• A score of 12 will indicate an acceptable application
• A score below 12 will indicate a weak application
Please note: Decisions will be made based only on the information provided in the application form, supporting letters and any
clarification answers provided in response to questions from the ODI.
12. Frequently Asked Questions
The Community Support Fund was launched in July 2012. We will update these Guidance Notes with Frequently Asked Questions
based on the questions and queries we receive.
13. Terms & Conditions
1. The decision to award funding will be made by the Community Support Fund Board. Decisions will be made based on the quality
and detail provided in application. The Organisation will need to demonstrate how they meet the aims of the fund.
2. The Organisation will be advised in writing once the decision is made. If funding is awarded, the Organisation will then have the
responsibility for purchasing the items agreed and submitting an invoice and associated receipts to the Office for Disability Issues
for reimbursement within a 3 month period from the date stated on the award letter (where applicable). Schedule 1 should be
completed and returned with the application form to provide a breakdown of the proposed spend.
3. DWP/ODI forbids use of its DWP logos or imagery/copyright material or any Intellectual Property by Organisation and/or
indication to any affiliation to the DWP/ODI by references in documentation or spoken words unless through express written
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30. July 2012
consent granted by ODI.
Details of financial fund limitations are included in this guidance at section 9.
Annex 1: Other support available to individuals affected by the Remploy factory closures
The people help and support package is designed to be flexible so that support can be tailored to meet each individual’s specific
needs, including providing support to help people who have difficulties fitting into mainstream employment. The support package will
consist of the following key elements:
• One to one sessions with employees and families to offer work and financial advice, a skills audit, and identification of any
barriers to employment;
• Local Rapid Response Service teams will provide initial information and signposting sources of help to meet employment,
financial, tax and benefit advice and support needs. This will include identification and referral to suitable job and work related
opportunities;
• A Personal Case Worker to act as the central point of contact for the duration of the support period (up to 18 months). They will
help each disabled person develop individual action plans to address their specific range of needs, assist them select the most
appropriate route back to work and signpost them to appropriate support;
• Referral to mentoring and befriending services, supplied by local charity and third sector organisations. Mentors will support
individuals adjust to life outside of Remploy and provide support, advice and encouragement to help them find alternative
mainstream employment;
• Referral to existing back-to-work support the Department offers such as Work Choice, Work Programme, Access to Work,
Disability Employment Advisers and Work Psychologists.
• A personal budget to use on services not covered by other funding streams. We expect the average personal budget to be in the
region of £2500.
• Support from locally available Remploy Employment Services, who work with many individuals with similar disabilities to those
who may be displaced from the factory network.
• Access to other work related opportunities available from Remploy and Jobcentre Plus employer networks. Remploy found
20,000 jobs for disabled and disadvantaged people last year and hold around 600 - 700 vacancies a week.
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31. July 2012
• Referral to local Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations, charities and third sector provision of social and care support
functions. This will include personal assistance to access local provision and funding streams.
• Work is also be taken forward with employers and the Employers Forum on Disability to offer targeted work opportunities for
those affected by these announcements.
Section 10 - “Road to the Community Support Fund”
Please see the attached three Powerpoint diagrams.
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