Together Fund FAQs
This page details frequently asked questions regarding applications for the Together Fund in Lancashire. Find out how to make your application.
Can we fund an organisation that is already in receipt of other Sport England funding?
Yes, so long as the purpose for the Together Fund funding does not duplicate the purpose of the other Sport England funding. This should be separate from or complimentary to any other funding previously secured from Sport England. Where appropriate, please highlight other Sport England funding as part of any proposal. Please also note FAQ 34 where an organisation has received previous TF support.
What type of organisations can we fund through the Together Fund?
To be eligible for Sport England and lottery funding, organisations need:
- To be constituted
- To be a not-for-profit organisation/company
- To have a minimum of three unrelated/non-cohabiting trustees or directors
- To have decision-making/voting rights equitably distributed with no persons of
significant control
- To deliver high-risk sport with the appropriate affiliation/qualified professional(s)
- To be based within the UK
- To be committed to becoming or already be compliant with Tier 1 of Sport England’s Code for Sports Governance (for organisations awarded more than £10k)
As much as possible, we want to continue to support organisations that meet these requirements.
However, partners are able to take a judgment call on how flexible they want to be in applying these requirements to individual organisations, projects, and recommendations, in line with their lead responsibility for their Together Fund award. To support partners with making that decision, we have provided this organisation FAQ flow to help weigh up the decision/risk associated with taking a more flexible approach.
Where there is no applicant for us to use locally e.g. where a group has yet to form a constitution or legal structure, can we use our own partnership (where we have charitable status) to hold the money for them?
Where there is absolutely no other option and the group provides a vital connection or service to one or more of our target audiences this can be done. There should be no financial benefit to the Active Partnership or National Partner e.g. management fee. The following options could also be considered:
• Can you help fast-track the organisation to become constituted (with support from you or your local Active Partnership?)
• Could it use another Accountable Body such as a Voluntary Community Service to support it and act as the applicant/manage the funds for them?
• Will this investment support the organisation to become more sustainable, such as providing governance support?
Can we fund activity that will be directly delivered by Local Authorities or other statutory bodies such as schools or NHS Trusts?
Broadly speaking, we would expect activity to be provided by community sector organisations. That said, where you believe a statutory body is best placed to connect to an audience and they can evidence a proven track record of doing so and/or there are very few local community organisations doing the same work/reaching the same audience this is acceptable. In any event it will be important to demonstrate the approach is providing additionality, meaning the activity we are supporting is distinct from any statutory provision.
For example, any activity delivered in schools should not take place during curricular time. All activity should be delivered before or after school, during lunchtimes or during holiday periods. Where possible, partners should also be looking to ensure any activity is delivered as part of a more sustainable programme of activity, rather than a one off. If looking to bring applications forward from NHS Partners, this should not be for the continuation of existing, or setup of service delivery that should be the domain of Integrated Care Systems/Public Health/NHS Commissioning systems, for example where physical activity is included within the clinical guidance for care pathways. This might include; ongoing falls prevention services, cardiac rehab or cancer services for example. We would however be supportive of bridging the gap between clinical services and community care/delivery to help improve pathways (i.e. supporting patients to move from rehab services into community sport and PA provision to continue their longer term recovery. We could also fund mental health first aider training and similar approaches that support community organisations to strengthen the quality of the experience that beneficiaries receive).
Can we fund religious groups through the Together Fund?
We welcome the contribution of all faith groups particularly given the role that many can play in connecting with the priority audiences. You should be confident that they can deliver. Please be aware that any funded activity should not be used to promote the religious beliefs of the organisations.
Can we work with non-affiliated clubs?
The key factor in deciding which clubs to work with should be the safety of the participants. Active Partnerships and National Partners should ensure that any club they are working with has appropriate risk and safeguarding practices in place, relevant insurance and the organisation is using an affiliated/qualified coach or instructor.
Please highlight the measures organisations are taking as part of any proposal. Special attention should be given to those sports who are deemed to be high risk or dangerous. You can find out which sports these are here – activities considered to be ‘higher risk’ for the purposes of Sport England funding are marked with an asterisk (*).
The Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts recognises clubs or providers in England who have d emonstrated that they have reached and maintained good safeguarding standards. Information on these martial arts organisations can be found here. For organisations delivering martial arts activity, it is expected that they will be signed up to the Code or proactively working towards code recognition to receive Together Fund investment. Where
it is the best course of action for the club (e.g. for insurance / safeguarding) then affiliation fees can be supported.
Can we fund sole traders through the TF?
Please also see FAQ 2. Whilst Sport England do not usually fund Sole Traders, we understand how important Sole Traders are to the sport and physical activity landscape and we have been working to update our guidance on supporting Sole Traders on the Together Fund. If you wish to distribute funding to a Sole Trader, please include a copy of the Sole Trader Guidance and Checklist to evidence why the organisation could be funded
under this programme when submitting ‘For Decision’.
Can TF projects support activities for Under 5s?
We cannot support projects that focus on under 5s as the main audience. However, where a project includes a small number of this age group as part of a wider audience e.g. part of a family engagement project, this can be supported. Applicants should set out the intended audience and balance of the focus clearly in their submission to avoid confusion and delays in the approval process.
Can we the Together Fund to support Ukrainian refugee groups?
We have previously supported activity for refugee groups through the Together Fund and do not see the ask to support refugees from Ukraine as any different. As a reminder any proposed activity should fit the purpose of the fund (and the 6 TF questions) as set out in the Together Fund guidance.
If a proposal you have sits outside of the above, it might also be worth looking at the the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Fund, which has slightly different criteria and might be of help.
Further information can be found here.
Can we fund things like food distribution and other welfare needs in our communities through this funding?
This fund can be used to join up resources locally with other funding bodies/approaches established to support community groups through the COVID-19 crisis. We expect a line of sight to Physical Activity in the funding decisions you propose for Sport England funding.
Our line of sight is in keeping people in a position to be active – in order for people to be active we recognise that some of their other basic needs must be met. That’s why we have supported things like Holiday Hunger programmes – where young people get fed alongside being active but our focus here is on ensuring that people engage in the activity with food provision a conduit to ensure people are effectively able to engage in the physical activity offer. We encourage you to think about what is “reasonable” support in the current context which would include being part of a joined up approach in a place but not taking on responsibility for wider welfare needs in communities where statutory bodies and other charities are established to do so and their articles reflect that purpose.
Can we use the funding to support the employment of those who do not sit within community organisations? (e.g. intern positions to connect to priority audiences)
This work is designed to support community organisations that connect to priority audiences therefore this type of employment does not fit this underlying principle. Additionally, the TF is designed to support in the short term to address inequalities arising as a result of COVID-19 therefore employment for a longer period of time e.g. two years also does not fit with the principle of the fund.
Can we use money from the TF to fund gardening/Conservation projects?
Generally, this funding cannot be used to fund the sole purpose of gardening/conservation. However, if the gardening activity is part of a wider project that involves other forms of physical activity such as walking, cycling, outdoor gym exercise, we may consider this. For example, a project is running a series of walks that will help get people back into activity and create a healthier lifestyle and as part of that walk they will do some conservation/gardening work. Please get in touch and we can discuss specific cases.
Can the funding be used to offset membership fees at a club / organisation for people facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19?
Providing lower or no cost activities for people on low incomes is an acceptable use of TF funding. It would be preferable to support the actual costs which any membership fee relates to e.g. coaching, equipment or facility hire fees, rather than the encompassing membership fee itself. In any event this funding should not be used to distribute funds to individuals to meet their costs.
Can the TF support football focused projects?
The Together Fund will support football projects that are achieving the aims of the Fund and are supporting at least one of the fund’s four priority audiences. Football can be the main/sole activity and sport being delivered or be part of a multi-sport project. We would ask partners to consider two factors before bringing projects forwards:
• That funding will support recreational football and activity that is delivered in community settings. This fund is not set up to support FA Charter Standard, Accredited and Affiliated clubs/organisations with football specific activity to support existing teams or provision and/or create new teams.
• That there is no other support available from other sources for football related activity. This includes support from the Football Foundation or the Football Association. Please also consider what support is available locally too i.e. via County FA’s and Local Authorities. This includes Active Through Football – Sport England investment into 25 target areas to support the place-based delivery of recreational football.
Can we fund on-costs, administration, co-ordination and management fees?
We want as much money as possible to reach the organisations and their audiences/participants/beneficiaries at this time. TF will only support funding for direct project costs and for an appropriate and proportionate share of an organisation’s overheads in delivering this project. Direct project costs are ones that clearly relate to a
project i.e. coaching costs, volunteer expenses, a tablet to loan to self-isolating or shielding participants.
We are happy to support salaries or contributions to salaries that are directly involved in delivering activities to participants and primary audiences, however we will be looking for organisations to have considered how this salary/role/post will be sustained/maintained beyond TF delivery given it is a critical role in supporting participants to be physically active.
Overheads are costs that partly support a project such as rent or utility costs. The inclusion of on-costs and other organisation overheads which are not related to direct delivery will not be supported. Additional management and administration fees in addition to direct delivery costs will not be supported.
Partners should be confident that costs submitted for Sport England approval meet these
definitions.
Can we fund research and evaluation through the Together Fund?
We will consider appropriate requests for M&E costs through the TF to help organisations monitor their impact for the purposes of building resilience and sustainability. These costs should be proportionate to the overall envelope. If you are unsure as to what feels proportionate then please contact us via [email protected] for a further conversation.
What costs are ineligible for TF lottery funding and therefore cannot be included?
There are certain items that are not eligible for lottery funding as follows:
• Activities or costs which are already covered by other government funding including rates
• Capital works
• Activities promoting religious or political beliefs
• Where there is personal benefit to an individual
• Any private business or profit-making organisations unless they are a Social Enterprise or Community Interest Company
• Partnerships and freelancers
• Loss of Sponsorship or loan repayments.
• Replacement of general equipment for reasons unrelated to the Together Fund (its broken, tired, torn etc).
• Contingency costs and VAT organisations are seeking to recover.
This list is not exhaustive, if you are unsure please do get in touch.
What kinds of costs are eligible for inclusion in awards we make to community organisations?
In supporting community organisations in your localities, you might receive requests to support the following which are eligible items of expenditure for this fund at this time:
a. Staff costs
b. Training costs
c. Rent / Facility hire
d. Utility costs
e. IT costs
f. Insurance
Can TF funding support capital projects?
The Together Fund monies should not be used to support projects involving construction or refurbishment of property, putting up temporary buildings or land improvement. Also, we can’t fund fixed items of equipment including goals and nets that cannot be easily moved, as well as fixed equipment which may require planning permission or may impact on any lease.
Can the TF support activities that an organisation will also charge participants for?
This use of funding is acceptable if the costs are appropriate to the audience and they do not present a barrier to participation.
Can we fund one-off events?
Generally, the fund will not support one-off events unless they have a clear purpose to engage or re-engage with an audience and can demonstrate that they are either at the beginning or end of a wider piece of activity for those involved. We are aware that there are many holiday activity projects coming through and we are keen to support children’s activity during the holidays, even if it is for a short period. We would encourage holiday activity projects to be linked to a longer-term activity or a suitable exit route.
Can we fund retrospective costs?
Retrospective costs should not be included for projects funded through the Together Fund. This is particularly important for purchase of equipment and direct delivery where organisations have already chosen to undertake this activity before being aware of this funding support. In exceptional cases National Partners and Active Partnerships can put forward projects where they find organisations that are in emergency situations and can demonstrate clear financial difficulty where investment into retrospective costs will ensure the organisation’s survival.
Can we use TF money to provide vouchers for participants?
This cost is appropriate if reflected in the following scenarios:
• The vouchers are low in value and will be used as a tool for engagement.
• The vouchers have no monetary value at all and if the user does not use the voucher, they would not be entitled to receive the value of the service in cash
• The vouchers would be redeemed for activity within a not for profit community organisation only. They should not be distributed for commercial organisations such as gyms where the longer-term involvement of the participant could result in a profit to the organisation.
• The person eligible for the voucher would be selected because they are one of Sport England’s key demographics.
• The value of any unused vouchers should be returned to the recipient organisation and where they cannot repurpose the amount in line with guidelines, should return to the appropriate sector partner (Active Partnership or National partner).
Can we include spend on incentives/prizes/kit for projects to encourage people to
take part e.g. vouchers as rewards for taking part?
We would discourage using TF monies to pay for incentives to encourage individuals to take part in sport. There is limited evidence to show that this type of approach can be successful in the long term. Additionally, lottery funding should not be used to provide direct benefit to an individual where there could potentially be a cash value to what is being given e.g. amazon or iTunes voucher. Where partners feel that they wish to use incentives that provide a personal gain to an individual that is not essential to their participation in the activity we advise that they seek other ways of supporting these locally e.g. through donations, alternative sources of funding or sponsorship. We can support reasonable costs which were linked to the activity to encourage participation. This could include kit/clothing that is seen as a reasonable requirement to allow the individual to take part in the activity. For example, We have funded trainers for refugee’s as they would not be able to afford and this was a small element of the overall project.
Can we include the cost of childcare within TF projects where this is a barrier to participation?
Where childcare is found to be a real barrier and will align to the delivery of the activity then we are happy to support this i.e. the childcare is at the same site for the time covering the activity period. Off-site childcare provision would not be eligible.
Can training costs for individuals be supported?
We can support reasonable individual training costs where it is essential to the delivery of the activity or the sustainability of the organisation being funded. The training would need to support delivering activity to TF priority audiences.
Can groups use the funding to purchase equipment?
Yes, relevant equipment that would support communities to be more active in this current period can be purchased through the fund. This fund is not about longer-term equipment replacement however as there are other funding programmes that offer that function. Do think about how any equipment groups request will remain in circulation/use beyond the short-term immediate response.
Can we use the TF to purchase defibrillators?
The inclusion of defibrillators & associated training will be considered where it forms part of a wider TF funding request (not just purely seeking a defib). The need may be for supporting safety, reassurance to people resuming activity and ensuring suitable medical training and equipment is available. Please note there are some free Sport England funded training courses available, but we are aware that this might not always be the right option for individual community groups. Where funding for defibrillators is approved, we recommend the following award condition is added: The organisation agrees that by accepting the funding for the defibrillator it will ensure the equipment is suitably maintained and they have sufficient numbers of trained volunteers/staff to operate it. Where organisations are seeking support solely for the purchase of a defib you may wish to direct them to charities such as British Heart Foundation or Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Can TF funding be used for PPE?
Yes, where this is a reasonable amount and will clearly support people to take part or enable the delivery of activity. Organisations should follow Government guidance as to PPE requirements and standards. This does not include the provision of Covid-19 tests and kits. Individuals and organisations should follow government advice about testing procedures and make use of free to access testing kits and services.
Should we submit projects for approval in one block or on a rolling basis?
With the system we have put in place, you can work flexibly and at the pace of individual requests you have. We will be signing off all submitted requests twice a week on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and aim to respond to all new projects within 10 working days. In some instances, there may be a query with a submission which we will advise on the smartsheet. In a small number of instances this might require you to supply some additional clarification/information.
Can we input projects via the submissions form that won’t be delivered immediately?
Normally, we would expect projects being submitted to be ready to start within six weeks as the TF is designed to address here and now need. However, we understand that despite many restrictions being lifted that some audiences are still apprehensive with engaging in activity, particularly face to face. Organisations should be encouraged to look at other routes to engage this audience. Sharing case studies or a call out to other TF partners via Teams may be a useful tool here.
In some cases, activity may be planned more than six weeks in advance because there is no other timing option for delivery e.g. school holiday activities. Where this is the case these will be considered if a clear start date is provided.
Can we add a project for approval that has already started?
No, projects should not start delivery until they have been approved via the Smartsheet. Please also note FAQ 22 regarding retrospective costs. If activity does commence prior to approval then this is at the risk of the partner.
Can we add the same applicant more than once if we know a little about what they want to do now but expect to do more with them in future?
Yes, this feels sensible as it would allow a partnership to work in an iterative way with community organisations and it speaks to acting in 'real time'. It would be important that any further amounts of money committed to that organisation provide additionality to that which was initially funded. Please reference that the organisation has previously been funded in the subsequent application(s).
Can organisations be awarded more than £10k?
Active Partnerships and National Partners should refer to our main guidance document (point 9) for full details relating to this query however, in broad terms:
a. The maximum amount of funding for a community body in any single phase of TF is £10,000
b. Where a community body is being supported over more than one phase of the fund, we will consider a £30,000 total award cap across the full Together Fund programme (May 2020 – March 2023)
c. This doesn’t mean requests in the new Together Fund alone can be £30,000 but the accumulation if, up to £20,000 has already been awarded in previous phases. For example, a sector partner has received £3,000 to date in a previous phase, the maximum amount they can receive overall would be £13,000.
The above said, we expect that the vast majority of awards will continue to sit below £5,000 given the majority approved (80%) to date have been under this level with the average award being just £3,500. We want to reach as many individual organisations as possible.
Can we promote the fund locally?
Yes, we encourage you to promote the fund and the impact it is having locally. There are resources available to support you with this, including a draft press release and key messages. You can find them in the Comms Support file in the Together Fund Teams Channel.
If you wish to publicise information about the awards made to the community organisations and partners that you are supporting through the TF, then please ensure you bear the following in mind when doing this:
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Your own organisation's data protection policies and privacy statement
• What you have communicated with your partners about your intention to do this
• Sport England's branding guidelines
You can see how we share our awards information on our website
Can we join this SE funding up with other sources locally? ie other funding programmes?
We are supportive of the notion of partnerships joining up opportunities at the local level and maximising the value and reach of this Sport England funding. If this is something you are exploring please make early contact with us directly to discuss your thinking/how it would work so we can arrive at informed decisions.
In any event Sport England will:
1. Need to retain approval/authorisation of recommendations as set out in this and
the original guidance.
2. Be appropriately accredited for the use of Lottery Sports Funds in any award and
media coverage.
What should I do if the group I want to support cannot accept lottery funding?
We are aware that for a variety of reasons certain groups and individuals cannot accept Lottery funding, and they are often part of the priority audience for the Together Fund. We encourage you to have those conversations as Sport England is committed to finding alternative sources of funding to support those groups. If you’re able, it will be particularly helpful to get a rough idea of how much funding will be required early on. This will enable
Sport England to plan for and source the likely request effectively.
What should we do if a project that we have previously supported and given money to changes or cannot deliver? (i.e. because the organisation is no longer in a position to deliver or has ceased operating)
As set out in our award agreement, as partners you retain the strategic overview, direction, and lead responsibility for your Together Fund award. We want partners to be able to take a judgment call on changes locally in as many cases as possible, without requiring additional approval from Sport England. However, depending on the scenario and changes required, there are some minimum requirements we expect partners to follow. The following guidance applies:
Repurposing a project:
• If the intent of the project remains the same i.e. same audience, same organisation, same overall cost and the re-purposed activity/costs remain eligible under lottery guidance, then a partner can agree these project changes in line with the original approval and without needing further Sport England permission.
• Examples include: moving activity from face to face to online and the associated costs or repurposing the time of a coach to focus on continued engagement with participants as opposed to delivering planned physical activity/sports sessions.
• If a project wishes to repurpose it’s spend and this requires an increase in their overall award or a change that is outside of the above guidance, Active Partnerships and National Partners should contact us directly for advice using [email protected]
Withdrawals refer to the early ending of a project or transferring of the project to another provider (i.e. an organisation can no longer deliver or has ceased operating). In this situation it is important that you take the following action:
• Inform Sport England (via [email protected]) that the project is no longer taking place and explain the reasons for this. Once we have the information required, we will acknowledge the withdrawal, move the project to the withdrawals sheet on the smartsheet and update your overall spend amount.
• If appropriate, you will be required to retrieve the funding from the community partner and there should be provision within any SLA or contract in place with them to do so.
• If the funding is being transferred to another body to continue delivery, the above steps should still be followed, and a funding agreement should be put in place with the new delivering body. The decision to give funding to another organisation will require Sport England approval.
Ideally, we would like to avoid taking money back from community organisations at a time when they need it most.
• If there is an opportunity for the project to extend their delivery in line with their original proposal, please do this in line with the guidance on repurposing a project.
• Should the community organisation wish to use the money for a completely different purpose that is not in line with the original proposal, please contact Sport England either through the teams channel or the [email protected] inbox to provide details in order that we can amend and approve as appropriate.
• If all else fails and you need to withdraw funding from a previously approved project, please do this in line with the guidance on withdrawals.
Please note - in all cases where changes are agreed locally, we would encourage that any changes of this nature are formally recorded and acknowledged between Active Partnerships/National Partners and the organisations they are funding.
What checks do we need to make regarding safeguarding?
Active Partnerships and National Partners should follow appropriate standards for children and adults in line with the work that you already do with CPSU around standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport and Anne Craft Trust around safeguarding adults in sport and activity. Please give attention where you are putting forward investment to support video production. Information available here may provide some useful guidance in this area.