Guidelines and Procedures 2010/11

Tel: 0208 788 4672 

Introduction

1. The Development Awareness Fund (DAF) is a competitive fund, designed to support not-for-profit organisations carry out projects which raise public awareness and understanding of global poverty and how it can be reduced.

Background

2. The policy of the UK Government is set out in its four White Papers on International Development, published in November 1997, December 2000, July 2006 and July 2009. The central focus of the policy is a commitment to the internationally agreed target to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015, together with associated targets including basic health care provision and universal access to primary education by the same date.

3. In support of this, the Government’s aim is to build support for development by generating greater levels of awareness and understanding of international development issues across different audiences and geographical regions within the UK. In support of this the DAF focuses on a variety of target groups including formal education (DFID defines projects working in formal education as those seeking to embed global issues into the curriculum), the media, business and trade unions and faith groups. We also look for creative new project concepts which help to extend the reach of the DAF, to new audiences in new ways.

4. If, having read both the Building Support for Development strategy paper (104 kb) and the DAF Guidelines, there are any areas where you feel you need clarification or further guidance, please contact Triple Line Consulting Limited on 0208 788 4672 or email your query to dafconceptnotes@tripleline.com or dafproposal@tripleline.com.

DAF Programme Objectives

5. DAF projects must promote public understanding of development issues, with a focus on one or more of the following objectives:

• Building knowledge and understanding of the major challenges and prospects for development, in particular the challenge of reducing poverty.
• Building understanding of our global interdependence, and that failure to reduce global poverty levels will have serious consequences for all of us.
• Generating understanding of and support for international efforts to reduce poverty and promote development including the Millennium Development Goals. Promoting recognition of the progress so far made, and that further progress is affordable, achievable, and most of all vital.
• Building understanding of the role that individuals can play; enabling them to make informed choices with the knowledge of how their actions impact on the world around them.

6. Applications must address at least one of the DAF objectives. A project that meets more than one objective will not necessarily be considered preferable to a project that meets one objective well. Many projects were previously unsuccessful because they failed to show how they met these objectives. It is up to you to make the link between your project and the objectives of the Fund. You should also demonstrate a clear and logical link between the activities and the expected impact. You should also clearly explain what has led you to design this project in this way and why you have chosen to work on this project with this target group at this time. Do not expect the assessors to make these links for you.

Who can apply? Applicant Eligibility Criteria

7. The Fund is open to organisations who are:
(i) UK-based not-for-profit organisations or networks.
(ii) Not in receipt of a DFID Partnership Programme Arrangement (PPA)
We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups such as faith groups, unions, black and minority ethnic organisations and disabled groups.

How much funding can DFID provide?

8. DFID contributes funding for up to 100% of project costs. Funding ranges from £10,000 to a maximum of £100,000 per year, for up to a maximum of 3 years. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis, following an annual funding round.

9. Before applying to the DAF, please consider whether your project idea might be more suited to the Mini Grants programme.  This may be particularly appropriate for organisations that are new to development awareness or are piloting new approaches. Many successful DAF projects have been developed as a result of scaling up from a Mini Grant.

10. The Mini Grants programme for applications under £10,000 per annum is administered on DFID’s behalf by DEA (England), IDEAS (Scotland), Cyfanfyd (Wales) and the Centre for Global Education (Ireland). Please note that separate guidelines apply for application to the Mini Grants programme.

What kind of initiatives can be funded?

11. The Development Awareness Fund is primarily focused on UK audiences.

12. The DAF Fund will give priority to new projects, not repeat projects. All must clearly demonstrate how sustainability will be achieved.

What CANNOT be funded under the DAF?

13. Funds are not available for projects that involve:

• construction work;
• significant overseas travel (see point 14 below); 
• scholarships, for full time study even if part of a wider project;
• initiatives which clearly fall within the criteria of other funding programmes operated by DFID;
• direct lobbying of the UK government or of international organisations of which the UK is a member: or which involve lobbying for or against activities of particular companies, individuals or institutions;
• initiatives, which focus on development project activities overseas;
• overseas travel (to or from the UK) that in itself is designed to raise awareness and understanding of development issues;
• core funding (such as salaries of permanent staff, office rental and general running costs, except where these are directly attributable to the project).
  

14. DFID will not consider projects that involve significant overseas travel (to or from the UK) unless there is a strong justification for doing so. Clear Terms of Reference and costs for such trips must be provided with proposals that contain an overseas travel component.

15. Funds are not available for projects in which the following are the sole or a main purpose. These activities or items may be fundable if they form only a part of a wider project and constitute only a small proportion of the project budget:

• the production of materials or resource packs;
• the provision of items of equipment;
• seminars or conferences.

How and when to apply for DAF funding & deadlines

16. Please note that we run a two stage application process for the DAF. Please refer to the DAF Concept Note Guidelines 2010-11 and DAF Proposal Guidelines 2010-11 for further details.

17. The deadline for receipt of Concept Notes is 25 September 2009, and the deadline for full proposals is 30 November 2009. Funding for successful projects will be from April 2010.

18. We will endeavour to notify applicants of the proposal assessment decisions by 31 March 2010, and to provide full feedback to unsuccessful applicants by 31 May 2010.

19. Please note that projects approved in March 2010 must start in the financial year 2010-11 (between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011). Projects do not have to start in April 2010, but must be operational within 3 months of the proposed start date of the application.

DFID Contact Department

20. Outreach and Stakeholder Communications Team, Communications Division
Administration of the DAF.

21. The Fund is administered by Triple Line Consulting Limited on behalf of the Outreach and Stakeholder Communications Team in DFID's Communications Division. Any questions about the DAF should be addressed to Triple Line. Their contact details are as follows:

Triple Line Consulting Limited
3 Princeton Court
55 Felsham Road
Putney
London SW15 1AZ
Tel: 0208 788 4672

Freedom of Information and obligations

22. DFID is committed to open government and to meeting our responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 . Accordingly, all information submitted to DFID may need to be disclosed in response to requests under the Act. DFID has a policy of active disclosure where possible and we may decide to include certain information in the publication scheme which we maintain under the Act.

Applicant Obligations

23. If you consider that any of the information included in your application would prejudice your interests if it were to be disclosed to the general public, please identify it and explain (in broad terms together with a time period after which the information could be disclosed) what harm may result from disclosure if a request is received. Applicants must justify why they prefer any information to be withheld.

DFID Obligations

24. Applicants should be aware that, even where it is indicated in the application that they would prefer information not to be disclosed, DFID may be required to disclose it under the Act if a request is received. DFID recognises the legitimate concerns of applicants and will normally consult with the relevant applicant before disclosing information if it appears to be sensitive in any way. There is a 20 day deadline within which DFID is obliged to provide a detailed reply to all requests received under the Act.