# Modernisation Fund distribution plans revealed

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/10/23/modernisation-fund-distribution-plans-revealed/
- Published: 2005-10-23T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The government fund worth £18 million to assist the voluntary sector in Northern
Ireland to modernise has produced draft guidelines. The Modernisation Fund has been
established to provide resources above normal funding mechanisms to help promote
modernization and change within the voluntary and community sector and to enhance
the capacity of the sector to deliver services.

The draft guidelines produced by the Department of Social Development indicate 
that the fund will only support those organizations which are already directly involved
in delivering services. One element of the fund will distribute £3 million towards‘
innovation, organizational restructuring, joint working, partnerships or mergers
and improving governance. The remaining £15 million pounds will be directed at improving
service delivery through physical infrastructure with a particular priority on services
in support of children and on improving accessibility to services.

There is no funding limit for projects and while the funds will be distributed over
three years the government is clear they do not want to ‘create a resource trail.’
In other words, they do want long term funding commitments and all initiatives have
to be one-off.

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Application is through an open two stage process. Applicants will initially be invited
to submit a concise expression of interest after which successful expressions of
interest will be asked to submit a full application for appraisal. An unusual aspect
of this process will be the requirement in advance to get the endorsement of the
government department responsible for the service or activity delivered.

It appears that the fund will be open very shortly, with the draft guidelines indicating
applications by the end of October.

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