Innovation Key to finding New Ways to Tackle Serious Stress
In our latest article on the new programme; we explore innovation, and the power of new ideas. To read our article on evaluation click here
The Tackling Serious Stress in Veterans, Carers and Families programme is all about innovation. It was one of the first programmes launched by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, and the first to be informed by a public consultation. The online list has reached over 60 organisations; all looking to connect to build portfolios that will make a real difference to veterans, their carers and families.
We caught up with Carol Stone, Director of Grants at the Trust and her team who highlighted the importance of new ideas and collaboration to address long standing issues.
“Through this programme we want to see ideas that are genuinely new, and to encourage collaboration, and give organisations space to try something different.Have a look at the list of the 60 organisations that are interested in the programme, and if you think your ideas may be complementary to some of theirs but no one has yet come forward as a lead organisation for you to jointly work with, why not step forward and lead yourself?”
With 6 weeks to go to the programme deadline, organisations have been getting in touch with the team at the Trust to ask questions on the guidance as they start to put their bid together.
Steven Inman, Strategic Grants Manager at the Trust, is the operational programme lead
“We tend to be asked similar questions.
Firstly, people ask ‘am I too small to be a lead?’. We’ll chat this through with organisations, but typically we’ll tell potential lead organisations it’s about the quality of their idea, and the potential that it has to help. We’ll also explain that they need to have relevant experience in managing similar sized projects.
People will also ask about the best way to calculate management costs. We know this can be complex, and are always happy to discuss our guidance in more depth with potential leads.”
Carol had some closing messages for potential leads
“The last area that we get questions on is around the area in our guidance where we’ve discussed making a small number of large grants. , While this is certainly our expectation, we’ll go where innovative ideas lead us and we are very keen to get and respond to good bids from across the UK.”
The New Ways to tackle Serious Stress in Veterans, Carers and Families Programme closes to applications on 31st December 2018
For more information, visit our programme pages