Application guidance

• Geography – We prioritise projects which reach and support communities where Bernicia tenants live.  See our Operating Area for details and our Geography for our current funding priority areas.  We take into account the volume and value of grants already awarded in each area, relative to our presence in that community
• Our Priorities –  Applications will be assessed on how they meet our primary objective and then how they meet our secondary objective
• Core Costs – You can apply for a specific project or, for eligible organisations, a contribution to core running costs.
• Social enterprises like CICs are not eligible for core cost  funding or for project delivery costs.  
• Social enterprises like CICs are only eligible for charitable start up costs.
• Sports – Delivering sports activity or requesting funds for club refurbishments will not be considered a high priority for funding. Sports and arts applications should be able to demonstrate a strong community benefit against one of the key fund criteria.
• Equipment – If it supports our inclusion objectives, we’ll consider purchasing small items of equipment like furniture and computers.
• Capital funding – Requests for larger capital funding will be considered but must be backed up by a robust business case.
• Client Led – Priority will be given to applications that are client-led and show how their work meets funding priority aims.

Applicants for the Inclusion Grant should demonstrate how their work is client-led and how it meets our priority objectives in priority geographic locations. You should identify three objectives related to the work set out in your application. Then tell us how you will measure your progress and success in delivering the objectives.

SMART stands for:

Specific You should state exactly what you intend to do with the grant.
Measurable Make sure it is possible to collect evidence of what is achieved with the grant.
Achievable Be realistic, and only set grant objectives that you are able to deliver.
Relevant Remember we are interested primarily in what difference our grant will make.
Timescaled For each grant objective tell us exactly when you hope to have achieved it.

An example might include:

To run sessions focused on promoting employability skills:

1. 40 young people will take part between June and August 2024.

2. 12 sessions will be held of 2 hours duration in Summer 2024 covering soft skills, resilience, equality and diversity, benefits, housing issues, health and safety, CV writing and job search.

3. By September 2024, we will measure how many participants achieve full time or part time employment.  We will collect “before and after” evidence to see if participants confidence and attitudes to employment have changed.

Our advisors will review your grant objectives when we consider your application and may suggest changes to them if necessary.