charity bid writers Archives - Tender Consultants

Hudson Secure Another Tender! – West Wales Action for Mental Health

John Hudson — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:36:52 +0000

Another tender secured! – West Wales Action for Mental Health

We’re very pleased to share that our talented tender writers delivered yet another successful tender for our clients!

West Wales Action for Mental Health (WWAMH) are a mental health charity based in Carmarthen, Wales. They reached out to us in December 2022 requesting our Tender Mentor service, where we reviewed their tender writing, provided constructive feedback and helped them submit their tender with confidence. Due to our team’s experience working with charities and non-profit organisations, we were able to lend our expertise to the WWAMH team and helped them get onto the framework for Wellbeing and Mental Health Support at University Local Health Board and Ceredigion County Council.

Angie, the Director from WWAMH, informed us that she was very happy with the support that we provided, ensuring that a potentially daunting process was made much less overwhelming. Angie also provided us with a lovely testimonial (see below)!

We would like to extend our thanks to Angie and her team for their consistent open communications with us, allowing us to help WWAMH submit a winning proposal. We look forward to working together again in the future!

We would also like to extend our congratulations to our Global CEO, Jill Hudson and Global Head of Bid Management, Zoe Tumelty for overseeing this tender from start to finish, providing support and exceptional feedback for our client.

“The help and support we have received from Hudson has been phenomenal. The service and experience from start to finish has been very prompt, efficient, and helpful. The transition to my first contact with Joshua, and the handover between Jill and Zoe was extremely smooth and I didn’t need to repeat information – they just hit the ground running. Jill and Zoe are very knowledgeable and experienced RFP professionals, and explain things so well – this was constantly demonstrated in the reviewed content that I received back. As a small Charity it was vital for us to have access to such expertise, as these procurement processes sometimes do not feel small Charity user-friendly. The help from Hudson navigated us through the bewildering, and sometimes overwhelming, world of procurement and tendering. Thank you for your calm and compassionate help and support, it was extremely reassuring to have you by our side throughout this process.” – Angie Darlington, Director of West Wales Action for Mental Health

Looking for support on a tender for your charity or non-profit organisation? Please get in touch and request a quote from our team!

The post Hudson Secure Another Tender! – West Wales Action for Mental Health appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Council Tenders and the Community

Katherine Kane — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:55:56 +0000

Council Tenders and Adapting to Change

Last updated: Dec 17, 2021 @ 9:49 am

The world has entered new territory following the spread of COVID-19. Individuals, communities and businesses must rapidly respond to local and global news and changes. These changes affect every part of our lives and livelihoods – these are unprecedented times.

At Hudson, we are doing everything we can to support our clients going forward into this new landscape. We will continue to do so – we are in this for the long haul. Our team at Hudson will do all we can to adapt, thrive, and ensure our clients can too.

Making the future matter now

In times like these, it is essential to maintain a positive approach to the future. The choices and actions that business owners take now will affect their future prospects. Let’s make those prospects good ones – not just for businesses, but for our communities.

Key workers play an essential role in the fight against coronavirus, and the public sector fully recognises this. Communities supporting each other makes sense, now more so than ever. Council tenders will seek out businesses who add real social value to their work during these difficult times.

For now and in the coming weeks, we are in a unique situation where proximity to others is limited. The government, health officials and individuals are coming together to tackle the spread of COVID-19. Ultimately, when a resolution is found, businesses will be in a unique situation.

Councils and public sector bodies will look for businesses who championed social value during this time. Turning this crisis into an opportunity to make a difference to communities is essential. Doing so will benefit our wellbeing, our community relationships and our economy in ways previously unimagined.

What can I do?

Many people will have heard of the term ‘social value’. Put simply, social value is the positive social impact that businesses have in society. We create this impact directly and purposefully through our business practices. This impact can be generated in the form of:

Policies and procedures
Spending
Training
Volunteering
Mentoring
Community engagement

We can deliver positive social impact through delivering public sector and council tenders.

By doing so, we create a positive impact in terms of wellbeing, resilience and other factors. It makes business sense to support communities. In turn, communities will increase engagement with businesses long-term. The challenge here is doing so within the current limitations we have. It is challenging – but not impossible.

Where do I start?

There are four key areas of social value which we can contribute to. These are:

Economic impact. This considers:

Employability, work placements and recruitment
Training opportunities, apprenticeships and upskilling
Graduate schemes
Volunteering
Using local resources

Environmental impact. This considers:

Sustainability
Carbon footprint
Energy reduction
Minimising waste
ISO 14001
Embodied carbon
Passivhaus

Community impact. This considers:

Supporting charities
Supporting local and cultural heritage
Community groups

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This considers:

All of the above
A region’s Strategic Economic Plan
Policies
Supply chain management

How these apply to your organisation is sector dependent. Each sector will have its own unique opportunities and challenges to do the above. In procurement, buyers will prioritise certain matters. For example, council tenders who need cleaning services may prioritise the environment. On the other hand, those who need HR services may prioritise community and economic impact.

How do I know what to look for?

The key here is to identify where your organisation can make a difference and implement this in your bid management strategy. This way, you can judge what buyers may look for within your sector. You can do this in a number of ways:

As a business owner, self-reflection. Is there anything you have been overlooking that you could improve?
Ask your team. Feedback is essential. Take comments on board, particularly if several people are providing the same feedback. Similarly, if a team member has an innovative idea, consider it.
Review your policies and procedures through an internal audit.
Produce a Social Value Action Plan. Map out what you are doing now, and what you will do in future.
Listen to past experience. If you have tendered before, don’t ignore issues where you may have tripped up in past submissions. Do you have the certification, policies or evidence the buyer asked for? If not, don’t ignore it. Implement those changes. It will benefit your social value responses further down the line.

What council tenders & public sector contracts are there?

In the coming weeks, public sector and council tenders will request services including:

Facilities Tenders.

These include cleaning contracts for schools, offices, hospitals, social housing and more. These are essential and will be in high demand. Councils will seek to protect their staff and individuals as much as possible from illness. Other contracts may involve manned security or building repairs.

Logistics Tenders.

This can involve contracts for vehicle hire, transport and deliveries. They might involve courier services or storage. Effective logistics which limit physical proximity will be essential in upcoming contracts.

Hospitality Tenders.

These tenders can involve catering contract services and laundry service contracts. These are essential to ensuring key workers whom council tenders may serve are supported.

HR Tenders.

Opportunities here might include contracts for recruitment, HR or restructure planning. New opportunities may arise in the form of virtual and offsite staff. Swift changes in how we must communicate with colleagues digitally can stimulate new types of council tenders.

Going forward, councils and public sector bodies will seek businesses who demonstrated social value in the face of adversity. When tendering, they will ask how you delivered social value during the crisis. The critical question will be:

How did your business go over and above what was asked, whilst delivering what was needed?

Of course, buyers will be mindful of the impact on businesses. Organisations must keep a balance between supporting others and staying afloat. It is critical to reflect on your organisation’s ability to support others. We must be proactive, innovative and pragmatic to meet these challenges.

Delivering social value is critically dependent on our ability to maintain business, first and foremost. Businesses without essential plans in place to tackle the crisis will lack the capacity to deliver social value. Reflection now is essential for future delivery. It is useful to reflect on aspects such as:

How do I keep my staff safe from COVID-19 to do their job? Is it possible at this stage?
Do I have the finances in place to deliver? If not, have I looked at available support?
How will the impact of COVID-19 change the way my service is delivered in future?

How do I move forward?

In these uncertain times, there has been huge support from communities across the country. Individuals and businesses are rallying to volunteer across the UK. They are providing services such as deliveries, driving and phone calls.

Even if your organisation does not have the resources, the best asset you have is time. Make some time.
As an organisation, you can engage with your local community through volunteering and advice.
When business is slow, use this time wisely to develop your policies and procedures. Can you implement current needs into future policy?
Develop your training and mentoring programmes to respond to the new social and economic climate. Refine and hone how you do things not just now, but for the future.
Be adaptable. Demonstrate this in facts and figures.
Use social media. It can be an easy trap to fall under the radar – don’t. Communicate with your clients. Demonstrate that you are taking positive steps forward. Engage with your community through social media. This uncertain time highlights now more than ever that we are all human. If you have good news or have achieved something locally, let people know. Celebrate the successes of others, let them know that your organisation cares.

By doing so, you will have a bank of social value evidence for council tenders in future.

How can we help with your Council Bid?

To support you, at Hudson Succeed we offer our Tender Mentor service. This is for businesses who want to ensure the bid they have produced is the best it can be. Here, we will externally review and advise on all aspects of your written submission. This way, you can be sure that your responses – including social value – will be persuasive and engaging. Through this service, we will mark your bid against scoring criteria, in advance of submission. If you have done your research, produced your draft and are looking for bespoke consultation, get in touch.

Council Tenders – Looking to the future

Businesses are in a unique and intimidating position during the COVID-19 pandemic. When we look outwardly at news reports, the situation seems bleak. It is so important to look inwardly – at our team members, local communities and business practices. We can find ways of helping our communities. Our approach must be a mindset of not just mitigation, but planning for an optimistic future.

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Council Tenders and the Community appeared first on Tender Consultants.

How to Write a Lottery Funding Tender

Nick Eyley — Fri, 03 May 2019 09:00:56 +0000

Writing a Lottery Funding Tender

Last updated: Dec 17, 2021 @ 12:59 pm

The National Lottery funds over £600million per year to communities across the UK. Bid Writing for Lottery Funding varies depending on the grant you are tendering for.

How you write your bid will change depending on which of the Lottery funding options you are targeting. The National Lottery Community Fund (previously known as the ‘Big Lottery Fund’) splits it’s opportunities down as follows:

Funding under £10,000
Funding over £10,000

Lottery Funding under £10,000

National Lottery Funding can help make a difference in your community.

National Lottery Awards for all provides funding opportunities from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities.

The National Lottery will fund organisations with great project ideas that:

Shape the places and spaces that matter to communities
Bring more people together and build strong relationships in and across communities
Enable more people to fulfil their potential by working to address issues at the earliest possible stage

Who is allowed to apply?

You can apply for lottery funding under £10,000 if your organisation is a:

voluntary or community organisation
registered charity
constituted group or club
not-for-profit company or community interest company
social enterprise
school
statutory body (for example: town, parish and community council)

What kind of things can I apply for?

With these grants, the National Lottery is willing to fund:

Equipment
One-off events
Small Capital Projects
Staff Costs
Training Costs
Transport
Utilities / Running Costs
Volunteer Expenses

You should note that if your project requires things that aren’t on this list, you should still get in touch. We can work with the National Lottery Community Fund to agree if they will fund your requirements.

Great, this is for me! How do I apply?

Your application for the Lottery Fund – Awards for All begins with you confirming the location your project idea will be delivered:

England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland

You should note here that lottery funding does not cover projects outside of the UK.

You will then need to write a comprehensive bid for the lottery funding which covers the following information:

Contact Details

You will need to give the names, contact details and dates of birth of two unconnected people from your organisation, one who will be the point of contact for any grant awarded.

Hang on, what does Unconnected mean?

By unconnected, the National Lottery Community Fund means not related by blood or marriage, in a long-term relationship or living together at the same address.

Organisation Details

Following on from writing about who you are, your bid will need to describe who the company or organisation or group are who are tendering for funding. You will need to provide:

Full legal name and address of your organisation
Confirmation of what type of organisation you are. E.g. Charity / Not for Profit / Local Authority etc.

Accounting Details

Next, you will need to provide your accounting information, specifically:

Your accounting year end date and total annual income figures

Note: Depending on your organisation, you need to provide Annual Accounts or confirmation that your organisation is less that 15 months old, and therefore unable to produce annual accounts.

Tied in with this you also need to provide…

Bank Statements

You need to be able to demonstrate full bank accounts dating back for at least three months, or a welcoming letter from the bank if your account is newer.

This is important as it will be the account your funding is paid into if you are successful.

To meet with the National Lottery’s requirements at this stage you need to show the:

Organisation’s Legal Name
Address the statements are sent to
Bank Name and address
Sort Code and Account details
Date of documentation

What if I am a school?

If you are bid writing for Lottery funding as a school, you will have to work with your Local Authority who can provide a letter confirming your:

School Name
Bank Account Name and Number and Sort Code

Note: They should provide this on letterheaded paper, and it should be dated.

Project Details

This is the big one! You need to write your bid for funding as clearly as possible and tell The National Lottery Community Fund:

The name of your project
When your project will start (this must be at least 12 weeks from when you submit your application)
Where your project will take place
All the costs involved in your project
Whether your project targets a specific group of people and, if so, who.

There are a number of important things you need to consider when writing bids for lottery funding:

You have a fairly small word limit of around 500 words to explain what you want your project to do.

Your bid must focus on two key points:

You must meet at least one of the lottery funding priorities, which are:

bringing people together and building strong relationships in and across communities
improving the places and spaces that matter to communities

enabling more people to fulfil their potential by working to address issues at the earliest possible stage.
You must involve your community in the design, development and delivery of the activities you’re planning.

If you’re unsure how you should write your bid for lottery funding, if you feel you need further advice on writing lottery funding bids, or just wish to learn more about tender writing in general, get in touch with one of our Bid Writing Consultants.

Lottery Funding over £10,000

Again, the first part of this application is choosing your location(s) where the funding will be delivered.

Applications for funding over £10,000 are split again into a range of funding streams available for your location. For example, across England, the following opportunities are available in Spring 2019.

Reaching Communities England

Flexible funding over £10,000 for up to five years to organisations in England who want to take action on the issues that matter to people and communities.

Partnerships Fund

Through Partnerships funding, National Lottery funding make grants over £10,000 for organisations which work together with a shared set of goals and values

Youth Capacity Fund

The Government has directed The National Lottery Community Fund to invest up to £1.2 million from dormant bank and building society accounts in England, to develop the capacity of local, frontline grassroots organisations who help young people facing barriers to work.

Safeguarding Training Fund

The Safeguarding Training Fund is a joint funded programme between the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and The National Lottery Community Fund. It will provide funding over two phases until 2022.

#iwill Fund

The #iwill Fund will enable more young people to take part in social action through high-quality opportunities which create lifelong habits.

Location Specific Funding

Sometimes the National Lottery Funding Committee choose to fund a range of opportunities within a specific area. At the time of writing this blog post the current location is the West Midlands:

An Example:

On the weekend of Saturday 29 June and Sunday 30 June 2019, events will be taking place across the West Midlands to celebrate the Mayor’s Community Weekend. The aim of this is to celebrate diversity and bring people together and encourage people to go out, engage in their local communities and increase social interaction.

The National Lottery are working in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority to offer £100,000 of National Lottery funding to groups who want to run an event. They can apply for grants of up to £500 to fund either the full cost of a small event or as a contribution towards the cost of a larger event.

If this, or any of the funding streams explained above suit your proposed ideas, then get in touch with our Hudson Succeed team today and we can support your bid for these opportunities!

How do I bid for a large grant?

Bid writing for lottery funding above £10,000 is a lot more complex than writing smaller grant applications. Each funding stream has its own requirements on how you should write your bid.

Here at Hudson, we are experts in considering these requirements and developing winning bids which meet the funding needs of the buyer.

So if you’re considering applying for National Lottery funding opportunities, give our team a call to discuss how we can support you when tendering for contracts and through the tendering process.

Alternatively, have a look at our virtual learning environment, Tender VLE, the first of its kind to provide advice and tips on all things tendering.