Appendix C Adult Social Care - Conditional Grants Grant Arrangement

Purpose of grant The conditional grant fund has been aligned to the Adult Social Care commissioning strategies and the development of the local voluntary sector to provide innovative models of service which focus on the key commissioning priorities and the Personalisation Programme. The grant is aimed at facilitating organisations to develop flexible and responsive services which will offer choice to service users and carers to purchase services upon the implementation of Individual Budgets. The Council has already been through a commissioning process in relation to overarching service provision for information and advice, advocacy, support brokerage, direct payments support service, carers services and day opportunities. The successful organisations were selected during a competitive bid procurement exercise and were evaluated using a price/quality model. The grant is intended to provide organisations with short-term funding that will assist in the development and implementation of services. This funding will be particularly relevant to smaller organisations to ensure their sustained existence in the coming year and to enable them to work with other voluntary sector Providers to formulate partnerships and social enterprises. Criteria for award A. Eligibility criteria All voluntary sector organisations will be eligible to apply for conditional grant funding. B. Determination The allocation of funding will be based upon evidence that the proposed service model meets the joint commissioning priorities which are outlined in the Adult Social Care commissioning strategies. It will also be a requirement that organisations can demonstrate that they have consulted with service users and carers in receipt of services and that the outcome has influenced the funding application. A panel will be convened consisting of the lead portfolio holder, commissioners, care management and service user representation to evaluate each organisations application. A scoring matrix will be adopted to provide an audit trail for the award of grants. Organisations will be eligible to apply for funding to the maximum value of 75,000.

Process outline and timeline February 2011 - Voluntary sector organisations will be notified of the grant March 2011- Dissemination of information to the wider voluntary sector on the conditional grant application process. April 2011 - Funding will be allocated up to a maximum of 75,000 May 2011 - 50% of payment will be made to organisations Length of award The length of the award will be for 11 months in 2011/12 which takes into account the extension of voluntary sector contracts until the 30th April 2011. Additional in year funding may become available as attrition from block contracts as a consequence of the implementation of Individual Budgets is realised. Awards of funding and associated timelines will be apportioned to the remainder of the financial year. Application A short form and method statement will need to be completed. This will require applicants to outline the service proposal and evidence how it meets the strategic commissioning priorities and the Personalisation Programme. Evidence will also be required to demonstrate service user and carer consultation and how this has influenced the application. Organisations will be required to provide a breakdown of how the funding will be allocated to the service inclusive of running costs and staff and volunteer expenses and to declare any sources and amounts of grant funding or other funding that they are in receipt of. Those organisations that did not submit a tender in the recent commissioning programme they will be required to evidence that they have an Equalities Policy and a constitution and provide a recent bank statement. Payment arrangements: 50% of the grant aid will be paid on 1st May 2011 The remaining 50% of the grant will be paid on 1st October once evidence of how the initial 50% has been spent has been submitted. Part year funding will be apportioned accordingly. Organisations will be expected to submit invoices with supporting evidence in line with the spend profile submitted with the application.

Failure to supply this information will result in a commensurate reduction in the final payment. Funding allocation The total budget available to support the conditional grant aid arrangement is 200,000. Additional funding may be available in year as attrition from block contracts is realised. The funding allocation is intended to develop the voluntary sector market to meet the requirements of the Personalisation Programme and to contribute to the provision of services to meet the strategic commissioning priorities not captured within the overarching voluntary sector services. Monitoring Process Monitoring of the grants will be proportionate with the level of funding provided. The following monitoring thresholds will be applied:5,000 - 10,000 monitoring against the method statement, mid year return and end of year return 10,000 - 75,000 full quarterly monitoring process based on the balanced scorecard methodology.