Gold Star is managed by WCVA on behalf of the Wales MDGs Task Force and BUILD, and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government 'Wales for Africa' scheme.
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THE SPRING GRANTS ROUND IS NOW OPEN, WITH AN APPLICATIONS DEADLINE OF 23:59 FRIDAY 5 MARCH (for dates of future funding rounds for 2010-11 click here). Please scroll down for downloadable application form and guidance notes; also for projects completion report form.
The Gold Star Communities (Wales - Africa Community Links) Small Grants Fund, managed by WCVA, is financed by the Welsh Assembly Government's 'Wales for Africa' Programme and aims to support Welsh communities with their linking efforts, to stimulate grassroots innovation and to encourage good practise. The fund is NOT intended to support general development projects, philanthropic or charitable activities, unless these have very clear outcomes that are specific to strengthening twinning links between two (geographic) communities. For alternative grant schemes or ideas on fundraising, view 'funding sources for community links'. Over 50 community linking projects between Wales and Sub-Saharan Africa have received Gold Star Grant Funding; projects funded to date can be viewed here.
The Gold Star Grants Panel are looking to support applications which:
- come from community-based groups,
- are focused on strengthening community twinning / partnership links between Wales and Sub-Saharan Africa
- complement and supplement communities' own fundraising initiatives
- support activities and projects with cross-community involvement
- resource activities not provided for by other funding schemes (see below).
You CANNOT apply to the Gold Star grants scheme if:
- You are a political organisation; or a for-profit venture;
- You are a National Organisation, unless a local branch with local management, accountability and bank account
- Your project activities will involve evangelising and / or prosthelytising (in any religion);
- Your project is not specifically related to developing a community-based twinning link between Wales and Africa;
- Your proposed activities focus solely on purchase of capital equipment to Africa;
- Your proposed activities are specifically resourced by another existing sectoral grant funding scheme eg DfID Global School Partnerships, DELPHE, NHS Health Links Fund.
The funding levels available within the grants scheme are tied directly to the phases within the Gold Star Framework (please read the guidance notes within the application form to be clear on which level is appropriate to your planned project activities):
- Up to £750: Community Involvement Grants – linked to Phase 1, Linking Communities'. Provides grants towards running (or set-up) costs of twinning groups, such as admin, communication eg. websites / leaflets, community meetings, attending events, mobilisation activities eg. talks and town stalls.
- Up to £1500: Partnership Building Grants - linked to Phase 2, 'Exchanging Understanding, Building Partnership'. Provides grants towards subsidising costs of exchanges (and communications) to / from or with African partners; development of plans for joint project activities; formalisation of steering groups, structures and partnership agreements between twinned communities.
- Up to £3000: Project Sustainability Grants – linked to Phase 3, 'Building Mutual Sustainability'. Provides grants towards stimulating active initiatives advancing community development for health, children, livelihoods, the environment or social harmony; engaging the wider communities in Wales and Africa with link development projects; embedding organisational sustainability; co-ordination with authorities. NB. Only link groups who are already registered with the Gold Star Communities programme may apply for Project Grants.
TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE GOLD STAR GRANTS FUND:
- Download the APPLICATION FORM AND GUIDANCE NOTES HERE (as MS Word Document) or HERE (as PDF document)
- Follow the instructions and guidance notes carefully while filling in your application; in particular, please keep your answers brief and clear.
- For advice, queries or guidance on making an application - or for hard / special format copies of the application form - please contact Gold Star Project Manager Craig Owen at WCVA on 08002888329, or email goldstar@wcva.org.uk.
- You must submit your application by email and / or post (as per instructions on the application form) by 23:59 on the day of the applications deadline.
- Click here for the full Terms and Conditions of the WCVA Gold Star Grant Scheme. If your application is successful, your grant offer letter will require you to sign a contract with WCVA agreeing to these conditions, before the funding can be released.
How are the grants allocated?
A standing grants panel meet following each grants round to agree on funding allocations. To inform their decision-making, all applications are scored against the criteria of the Gold Star scheme. The application form explains exactly what the grants panel are looking for under each section. Click here for more information on the decision making process.
What are the Reporting Requirements on completion of Gold Star funded projects?
The Gold Star scheme has been set up to be light touch and practical, whilst still encouraging community linking groups to adopt good practises and procedures which will help them with applications to other funders. On receipt of any Gold Star grant, groups will receive regular support and contact from the Gold Star Communities Development Officer and Project Manager as their project activities evolve.
On completion of a project's activities, groups must submit a completion report capturing the key activities, outcomes and learning from your project. If the group is preparing a report for their members or supporters anyway, and this covers the activities specific to the Gold Star grant, this may suffice. However, in most circumstances groups will find it easier to use this Completion Report Template linked here. (click here for PDF version). These should be returned by email to goldstar@wcva.org.uk, within one year of the grant being issued.
Failure to submit a satisfactory completion report, will result in groups being unable to apply for further grants from Gold Star or other WCVA / voluntary sector grant schemes until they do so.
