Big Lottery Guidance – Questions and Answers
What are the rules for the turnover of the organisations who would be interested in being a lead and being a partner? Does BBO funding have to be less then a certain % of their total turnover?
We have no specific rules regarding turnover. However, when assessing an application we will be undertaking a thorough review of the lead organisation using Big Lottery Fund’s standard procedures in order to review their experience, expertise, previous track record and resources in terms of managing European funding and complex projects. As such we would expect the more established organisations to apply as lead, although clearly we have to consider open competition.
Similarly we will undertake research into the partner organisations to determine their reach and expertise to deliver their projects as well. However, this will not be in quite as much detail depending on the number of partner organisations.
Can the lead can be chosen just to manage the grant and the partner providers, provide evaluation etc. OR it can do this and some delivery on the project as well?
The lead partner in any partnership bid does not necessarily need to itself provide any of the delivery to participants. ESF is complex and a lead partner can support the coordination of all partners and ensure compliance with ESF requirements and reporting without itself working on the front line of delivery.
BBO will clearly also be open to applications where the lead partner does some of the delivery work themselves. These applications will be assessed in exactly the same way, including for value for money, and will also need to show how the partnership will comply with ESF requirements.
How much can be spent on the management – is it up 5% of the total grant?
As BBO works on an ‘actual costs’ basis, the lead partner will not be charging a flat management fee or making any profit, but will be paid for the actual costs incurred.