Applying for Funding
- Who is eligible for funding
- Criteria for funding allocation
- When will funding be available
- How to apply for funding
- How to claim funding for successful applicants
- Post Award / Conditions of Award
Who is eligible
The following may apply for funding (i.e. those that are invited to apply for funding):- Permanent Employees of universities and colleges (the definition of Permanent Employees within this scope is those with permanent contracts of employment with Higher and Further education institutions that are charitable bodies and not for profit HE/FE sectoral centres of expertise).
- They must be involved in managing a material part of the Procurement process although it does not have to be, at this stage in their career, a role that is fully Procurement focussed.
- Individuals or groups covered by the scope may apply for funding for collective delivery to those that meet that defined scope.
- There are limits to how much one individual can apply for and be awarded from the fund, this being £2,000 over any two consecutive year period.
- The Fund will make allocations based on its own selection i.e. Trustees will utilise their knowledge and understanding of the sector to establish when such activities would bring enhanced capability based value to the sectors.
Criteria for Funding Allocation
The amount of funding that will be made available each year will be restricted, therefore the requests that most strongly meet the criteria, in the opinion of the Trustees, will be awarded grants / funding. The primary criteria are as follows:- Applicants must first have requested for partial or full funding from their employing institution. Where in the opinion of the Trustees that a refusal or only granting of partial funding by the employing institution is deemed reasonable, but where the development need still has reasonable merit, then this can be considered for an award of funds.
- Applications where the applicant has secured or made all reasonable efforts to secure part funding from other sources, and / or where the applicant is making a reasonable contribution from their personal funds, will be looked on more favourably.
- The level of capability improvement that the proposed training / education / development activity will deliver will be a key award criteria.
- Individual circumstances of the applicant may in some cases also have a bearing of the likelihood of the success of the application.
- Trustees may also from time to time apply relevant topical or business / sector need criteria in considering applications.
- Trustees will establish at each funding round if there is specific criteria to be considered beyond that above. In such cases, when the funding round is advertised, such specific criteria will be made clear.
- Trustees will for each round, score all applications accordingly, with those with the most merit being awarded funding.
- Although a cap will be set for each round of funding, there will be no minimum value set for award.
- Applications may not be considered where funding has been awarded previously and development activity was not completed.
- Awards may not be made if, in the view of the Trustees, any application is not deemed to be appropriate.
When will funding be available
There will be four Funding Rounds per academic year. Advertising of the deadlines etc shall be undertaken approximately three months before each deadline. This shall be done through relevant media.How to apply for funding
Intending applicant must first complete the application form and request approval by a senior responsible procurement person in their institution. When the application form has been duly approved and signed, it must be sent to the fund trustees for consideration.Download the form in Microsoft Word format here.
Please email a scanned copy of the approved form to enquiries@hpdf.org in the event that COVID-19 restrictions are still in force in the timeframe of the funding round. During this time, hard copy mailed applications will not be processed/considered.
How to claim funds for successful applicants
Successful applicants should email their claims for awarded funds to the treasurer@hpdf.org. Please ensure that scanned copies of all relevant receipts are attached.
Post Award / Conditions of Award
- The primary condition of award of funding will be that the Applicants / Applicant Lead will do what they state they will do in the application in line with the timings set out in the applications.
- Applicants / Applicant Leads will in all cases be required to provide an update to the Trustees of the Fund on progress of achievements against the aims set out in the relevant applications (where relevant). Successful applicants will be required to provide feedback to the Trustees, when their training is completed, on the benefits accrued to the individual /sector to help demonstrate the success of the fund.
- The Trust will reserve the right to apply appropriate conditions to awards of funds and to stagger payments based on development milestones etc where appropriate.
- If an Applicant / Applicant Lead does not undertake what they propose to do within a reasonable or defined period, they must repay all of the funding received, or if the Trustees are satisfied that some material value has been achieved from a part completion, an appropriate amount, as agreed by the Trustees shall be repayable to the Fund. The Trustees will use reasonable judgement in applying this condition.
- Funds paid within the 12 months preceding the date of leaving should be paid back if an applicant leaves the HE/FE sector up to one year after completing the funded course or training and the process relating to loans or other returnable funds received by applicants from their organisations should be clarified if referred to in an application in relation to how the trustees allocate funds. The institutional application 'approver' shall be responsible for ensuring that the funds, in liaison with relevant staff within the institution, are paid back under the above circumstances through institutional HR processes and policies.
- A minimum of 25% of the allocated funding must be used in the first year or the entire allocation will be forfeited, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
- Full use/draw down of previously awarded funds must be completed before new funding awards can be made or confirm that remaining funds are no longer required and released back to the fund prior to new awards being made.