I CAN grants

Awyr Las has £6,000 in I CAN funding available to support staff working in (or very closely with) mental health services who have an innovative idea to tackle a problem facing their service. This is your chance to test out a new way of working, get an idea off the ground, or start to do things differently for the benefit of your patients.

Eligibility

Your idea must:

• Support a BCUHB ward, department or project in mental health services (or one that is very closely aligned with mental health services)
• Be mental health themed
• Be led by a BCUHB member of staff
• Contribute to the BCUHB key strategic goals
• Be charitable and in line with the Awyr Las financial procedures

Assessment process

The Head of Fundraising and the Charity Accountant will review all applications received before the deadline (23:59 on 12/11/2019). A maximum of ten applications will then be placed on a shortlist. A panel of six assessors, comprising members of the Mental Health Services Charity Group, will score the shortlisted applications. The projects that score highest will be successful in obtaining an I CAN grant. Three senior members of staff within mental health services will determine final prioritisation and allocation of funds.

The maximum number of successful applicants will depend on the amount of money requested by each applicant, but a minimum of six projects will receive a maximum of £1,000 each.

The panel wants to see projects that are new and exciting. The grants can’t be used to fund ongoing work, or a project that has been done before in exactly the same way.

Assessment criteria

When it comes to choosing who will get a grant, the projects that address the following assessment criteria will score highest:

• The total number of patients that could benefit
• The type of patient that could benefit – this grant scheme is designed to support the most vulnerable people
• The sort of benefit patients will receive and how this will improve their experience
• How innovative the idea is
• How likely it is to make a difference, improve quality, and enhance care - and the evidence provided to support this
• Whether or not there are plans to continue the project after the initial £1,000 grant, and if there is a fundraising plan in place to support this
• How robust the method of monitoring and evaluating the project is

How to apply

Complete the application form below. You must get the necessary authorisation before submitting your application – see question 6 in the FAQs below.

Deadline

Applications must be received by 23:59 on Tuesday the 12^th of November. Any applications received after this will not be considered for shortlisting.

When will we know?

We will let you know by 5pm on Tuesday 3rd December 2019.whether your idea has been selected to receive an I CAN grant.

FAQs

1. Is my ward, department or project eligible? All BCUHB wards, departments and projects that come under mental health services are eligible to apply. You might be eligible if you do not work within mental health, but your work is very closely aligned with mental health services. You might also be able to apply if you’re an external charitable organisation that works in partnership with BCUHB’s mental health services. Please check before applying – email awyrlas@wales.nhs.uk or call 01248 384395.
2. Who can submit the form? You must be a BCUHB member of staff to submit the application. All projects must be led by a BCUHB member of staff. A BCUHB member of staff must have ownership of the project and remain involved for its duration.
3. Is there anything in particular you want to see in an application? All ideas are welcome – but remember that this grant scheme is designed to support the most vulnerable people, so the panel wants to see ideas the will benefit patients living with mental health problems, or early intervention projects.
4. Can I apply if my ward, project or department doesn’t have an Awyr Las fund? Yes - but if you get a grant, you may want to consider setting one up to continue your project after the initial grant is spent.
5. Can you help me to fill in the form? Absolutely – if you have any questions, please contact awyrlas@wales.nhs.uk or 01248 384395 (WHTN 1746 4395).
6. What will I need to do if my ward / project / department is successful? We will contact you with the next steps. You will be expected to complete periodic monitoring forms throughout your project (including photos and testimonials from staff or beneficiaries) and submit a short evaluation report after the project ends, but the Awyr Las Support Team will help you with this.
7. Who needs to authorise my application? You will need to get your application signed off by a member of staff who is Band 6 or senior. If you’re unsure who to ask, please speak with us before submitting your application - awyrlas@wales.nhs.uk or 01248 384395 (WHTN 1746 4395).