Guidance Notes for Applicants

Transcription

1 Guidance Notes for Applicants These notes are to be read before completing your application form and are designed to help you with your application. It is recommended that you discuss the project with the Admin Team prior to completing the application form. V101114

2 Landfill Communities Fund The Landfill Communities Fund is a private scheme that enables Landfill Operators to voluntarily donate a percentage of their Landfill Tax liability to Environmental Bodies. Environmental Bodies are able to award this donation to eligible projects within 10 miles of qualifying landfill sites. Essentially, the aim of the scheme is to enhance the environment of communities living in the vicinity of landfill sites. Viridor Credits Viridor Credits Environmental Company is a company limited by guarantee (No ) and is an Environmental Body registered with ENTRUST, the regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund (Reg No ). It is also registered as a charity (No ). Viridor Credits was set up to administer the Landfill Communities Fund on behalf of Viridor. It is, however, a wholly independent company, separate from Viridor s operations. Viridor Credits is based in Taunton, Somerset. Steering Groups Viridor Credits has established Steering Groups in each area eligible for funding. These Steering Groups are managed directly by Viridor Credits. The postcode search on our website will indicate which Steering Group your project falls under. Steering Groups are made up of local representatives in order to best direct Landfill Communities Fund funding for maximum benefit to the community. Eligibility and Compliance All applications received by Viridor Credits are checked for compliance; that they adhere to the Regulations set by ENTRUST, and eligibility; that the project contains aspects that Viridor Credits is able to fund. Each application is judged on its individual merits. Viridor Credits is unable to reconsider projects that have already been unsuccessful. Eligible Applicants Any organisation or group which is properly constituted and is not-for-profit can apply. The organisation may be registered as an Environmental Body with ENTRUST, but it is not a prerequisite to applying for funding. If funds are awarded, Viridor Credits will act as the Environmental Body and register the project on behalf of the applicant in all cases. Project Objectives Projects that fulfil the following objectives may be eligible for funding: The protection of the environment, the provision, maintenance or improvement of public amenities and parks, which are open and accessible to the public. Object D. The protection of the environment, the enhancement, protection and/or promotion of biological diversity of a species or habitat. Object Da. The protection of the environment, the maintenance, repair or restoration of a building of historic or architectural interest, and is open and accessible to the public. Object E. Project Priorities Viridor Credits-funded projects must demonstrate: Proof of a need and local support for the project; promotion of community participation (volunteering) and partnership approaches Environmental sustainability Value for money; projects must maximise the benefit of Landfill Communities Fund Self-sustaining and have long-term management plans Funding from Viridor Credits Certain conditions must be met in order to qualify for funding: Awards will be for capital expenditure only Applicants will have to secure a contribution from an independent Contributing Third Party, separate to any award from Viridor Credits (see below) - 2 -

3 The project must be successfully approved by ENTRUST before the commencement of any works. If ENTRUST approval is not given, for whatever reason, any offer of funding will be automatically withdrawn Two Funding Agreements, provided by Viridor Credits, will need to be signed and returned to Viridor Credits before the commencement of any works Where there is a change in the foot-print of a building, whether by extension or new build, or where land is purchased, a Restriction may be required on the land to protect the Landfill Communities Fund monies invested in the project. Projects must be started and begin drawing down funding within 12 months of the date of the Offer Letter and be completed within 24 months of this date. Ineligible Elements The Landfill Communities Fund is a highly prescriptive and tightly regulated scheme. Because of this, Viridor Credits is unable to consider funding for the following elements: Aspects of a project that have already started Contingencies, fees and preliminaries Proportional projects Salaried posts or revenue funding Core costs of an organisation e.g. rent, energy bills, supplies Works to public highways; anything that may be the responsibility of the local authority Purchase or lease of vehicles Projects located on/in: o Allotments o School grounds o o Facilities owned and managed by a local authority (except parks and play areas) Facilities primarily used for service provision or not considered a general public amenity, such as hospitals, day centres, hospices or accommodation Multimedia or CCTV equipment, events, CDs, website or marketing materials Energy saving or green technology projects that generate an income, such as Feed in Tariff or Renewable Heat Incentive Contributing Third Party Payments The Contributing Third Party payment is a transaction between a third party (that is neither the applicant organisation nor Viridor Credits) and Viridor Waste Management. When Viridor Credits awards funding, it awards a gross amount to the applicant, which is inclusive of the ENTRUST fee. 10% of this gross amount is the total sum payable by the Contributing Third Party to Viridor Waste Management. Example: An organisation applies for and is awarded 10,000. This equates to an award of 10, and carries an ENTRUST levy of (2.17%). This makes the nett amount awarded and available to the project 10,000. From the gross figure, the 10% Contributing Third Party payment is calculated. This payment is necessary match funding to allow the Landfill Communities Fund to operate as a private scheme and allows Viridor Credits to match fund with public monies. The Contributing Third Party payment is not deducted from the award from Viridor Credits, and does not form part of the total project cost; e.g.; A project costing 20,000 is awarded 20, gross, 20,000 nett by Viridor Credits. In order to access this funding, the applicant must source an additional 2, (10% of the gross award) from a Contributing Third Party or fundraising, payable to Viridor Waste Management. This payment cannot be funded by legacies, Landfill Communities Fund monies (including from Viridor Credits) and is not refunded. Who Can Be a Contributing Third Party? - 3 -

4 Anyone can be a Contributing Third Party, providing they do not gain a unique benefit from the project put forward for funding. Below is a list of examples of organisations that may be Contributing Third Parties: Private Companies Public Sector organisations Local Authorities, County Councils Charities Voluntary organisations Private donors Monies from fundraising Who is Excluded From Being a Contributing Third Party? Any individual or organisation directly connected to the landfill operator, Viridor, or a contractor of the project Any individual or organisation who gains a unique benefit from the project Other Environmental Bodies see guidance issued by ENTRUST for further information visit FAQs Q. I am applying to Viridor Credits for 5,000. Does the Contributing Third Party payment mean I can only apply for 90% of the project cost and the Contributing Third Party payment makes up the other 10%? A. No. Applicants may apply for 100% of the capital works cost of the project. The Contributing Third Party payment is always 10% of the gross award. Applying for 90% of a 5,000 project ( 4,500) will require a Contributing Third Party payment of , and 4,500 will be available to the project from Viridor Credits. Q. I am applying for 100% funding from Viridor Credits. Does the Contributing Third Party payment mean I will only receive 90% of that amount? A. No. If you are awarded 100% of the funding, that is what will be available to the project. The CTP payment cannot come out of the award from Viridor Credits and must be paid by an independent third party or through fundraising. How does the Contributing Third Party payment work? For every paid by a Contributing Third Party, Viridor Credits is able to distribute to the project they are supporting Contributing Third Party Landfill Operator 2.21 Viridor Credits via LCF ENTRUST Project - 4 -

5 Completing the Application Form Front Page This summarises some of the key information of the project, for use by the Admin Team. You can ascertain your local Steering Group in Appendix 1 of these guidance notes. Section 1 Organisation Details a. The full name and permanent correspondence address of the organisation applying for funding. b. The primary contact is the person to whom Viridor Credits will discuss any aspect of the application. If the primary contact wishes to share this responsibility, please add a secondary contact. Viridor Credits is unable to discuss the application with anyone other than these two contacts. c. This part confirms whether you are a fully constituted, not-for-profit organisation that is eligible to apply for funding though Viridor Credits. d. Describe the objectives of your organisation as a whole. e. Written confirmation of relevant insurance policies, e.g. building insurance, Public Liability Insurance. It is a condition of funding that your project has the necessary insurance cover before submitting an application. You cannot include this in your project costs for funding. In addition, you must enclose a copy of: Your constitution, trust deed, or memorandum and articles of association. A formal agreement by the organisation to apply for funding from Viridor Credits, e.g. the relevant minute of a meeting Section 2 General Details a. The name of the project. Viridor Credits may assign a different name to the project. b. The address of the project. Viridor Credits can only consider projects that are site-specific. c. Viridor Credits can only consider projects that are within 10 miles of an active Viridor landfill site. Use this box to confirm that the project is in an eligible area (please use the website to check this information, or call a member of the Admin Team). d. If your project is already registered with ENTRUST, enter the details here and include a copy of your registration certificate with your application. In all cases, Viridor Credits will register the project with ENTRUST. e. Please include as much detail as concisely as possible in this field, clearly indicating the elements of the project you would like Viridor Credits to fund. f. Use this section to describe why there is a local need for the project, such as lack of facilities or the upkeep of a locally or nationally important structure or building, and the overall objectives of your project. g. This question describes how large a population or area will benefit from the project. h. Please describe how the community suffers from and is affected by social or environmental deprivation

6 i. This question requests evidence for community backing for the project. Community support may include offers for volunteering, fund-raising, questionnaires or written letters from community groups. j. Describe how the aims of the project are for the protection of the built, social or natural environment. k. The project must utilise local or national media in order to help Viridor Credits make others aware of the Landfill Communities Fund. Describe how you will do this. l. You are encouraged to create local youth volunteering opportunities, where appropriate to the project. m. Detail any other voluntary or employment opportunities. n. The access statement is a compulsory part of your application. This tells us that the project fulfils the criteria for open access and that there are no restrictions to the general public. Where possible, it would be helpful provide a typical weekly timetable of use with your application. In addition, you must enclose: A copy of your approval letter from ENTRUST (if obtained). If the project is awarded funding, Viridor Credits will register the project with ENTRUST Evidence of local community and/or agency support to identify a need and support for the project, e.g. letters, surveys, consultation activities An indication of which areas or communities will benefit from the project Relevant photographs that may help your case for funding Section 3 Object-Specific Details This section seeks to identify the Landfill Communities Fund object that your project fulfils, and how the project will fulfil it. Object d, da or e Use these descriptions, and your objectives tick list (3a) to ascertain which objective your project meets and complete the relevant form below. a. This question will help you to ascertain which object the project fulfils. Tick as many boxes as applies to your project. b. The project may have overlaps into more than one object. Please describe these overlaps here. Object da Form a. Identify the specific species or habitat(s) that will benefit from the project. b. Describe how the project will fulfil conservation of biodiversity, relating to the species or habitat in a. c. Your application may benefit, if you have the support of other conservation groups. Object e Form a. This box measures the significance of the building or structure in architectural or historical terms. b. This informs us how important the building or structure is to the local community. c. Describe how urgent the repairs are, e.g. are they aesthetic or structural reparations? - 6 -

7 Section 4 Ownership and Permissions This section tells us about ownership, leases and any land factors that may affect your application. a. Please name the person or organisation that has permanent ownership of the land, building or site of the project. b. Please name the person or organisation currently in control of the land, building or site of the project. c. If you have a lease, please provide details here. Viridor Credits requires that the applicant has a minimum ten-year lease on any land or building involved in the project. Where Viridor Credits is funding a land purchase, building extension or new build, a minimum 80-year lease will be required. A Restriction on the deeds to the property may also be required by Viridor Credits which must be in place prior to draw down of funding. d. Provide details and documentation of any consents required for the project, e.g. planning permission, land owner s consent etc. e. Designated land or structures may require certain additional permissions or add importance or prestige to the project. f. If the monies awarded will enhance the value of land or buildings (real estate), please arrange for this to be assessed independently prior to your application. In the event of land being sold following completion of the project, the value of the award and any enhancement must be repaid to the Landfill Communities Fund via Viridor Credits Environmental Company. g. Viridor Credits is committed to protecting the environment. Please detail here how the project will help us to achieve this through the materials used. In addition, you must provide: A copy of the lease, signed and dated Any formal written evidence you have of permission(s) or consent(s) for the project Site plans (where appropriate) Relevant photographs in support of your application (these always help decision making) Arrangements for an independent assessor to carry out an evaluation of land that will be enhanced through project funding (where appropriate) Section 5 Finance In this section, you will provide us with information of any other funding, how you expect any award to be spent and information on the Contributing Third Party (CTP). a. This gives a breakdown of how your organisation is generally funded. b. The total cost of your project. c. Please supply a detailed breakdown of project costs. d. The total of funding for aspects you would like Viridor Credits to consider. e. The percentage of the project cost covered by the application amount. f. Please indicate whether you are VAT registered and whether you will reclaim VAT. If you intend to reclaim any or all VAT, then Viridor Credits will not be able to pay any portion of the VAT. g. This section tells us whether or not any income will be generated by the project, and if so, how much

8 h. Tell us how you will spend any income, e.g. upkeep and maintenance of the amenity. i. Provide information on other applications for funding in relation to this project. It may help your application if you provide details of other sources of funding. j. Please detail any Landfill Communities Fund monies received by your organisation in the past. k. Please provide a simple timeline of the project, including estimated start/finish dates and estimated expenditure timescale. l. Describe how the project will be maintained beyond the project completion date. Give details of how it will be managed and funded. m. The name of the person or organisation paying the Contributing Third Party Payment. If you have raised this sum through fund-raising, please provide details of the events held and what proportion of the community was involved. You must provide: A copy of your annual audited accounts (last 2 years, if available) Three comparable quotes, estimates and suppliers costs for all expenditure. In some cases, architect s or QS costings may be acceptable. Your application may be deferred or even rejected if you can provide no evidence to justify your cost estimates. In all cases, quotes must be provided before the application can be considered by the Steering Group Confirmation of other funding or funding applications contributing to the same project, and confirmation of other forms of partnership support and resources contributing to the project Section 6 Declaration Please read this section carefully before signing the application form. Please note, at this time, we are unable to accept applications via , dropbox or any other electronic method. We can only accept hard copy applications. Appendices Appendix 1 Quotes Use this table to detail exactly what works are included in your quotes as well as what items have been quoted for. We will base our award on the lowest quote, though you may use any of the contractors for which you have been supplied quotes. When requesting quotes, please remember that Viridor Credits is unable to fund deposits, advances or any other up-front payment. Appendix 2 Enclosures Use this checklist to ensure you have supplied us with all the paperwork we need to assess the project. Further Information Assessment of Applications Applications are assessed by the Admin Team on the basis of whether they meet the eligibility criteria. The contribution of the project to the Landfill Communities Fund s priorities will also be taken into consideration. Site visits and/or telephone assessments will be required by Viridor Credits to ascertain whether an application fulfils the eligibility criteria. Once the Admin Team are satisfied that a project is eligible and compliant, the application is forwarded to the local Steering Group with any other applications for consideration shortly before the meeting date. Local Steering Groups meet quarterly to consider current applications. Viridor Credits reserves the right to request further information from the applicant following these Steering Group meetings. Funding is always subject to availability of Landfill Communities Fund monies at any given time

9 It is the policy of the Viridor Credits Board of Trustees not to disclose the reasons for declining a request for funding. Payment Schedules Letters will be sent to all applicants to inform them of funding decisions within ten working days of the local Steering Group meeting. If a project is successful, the applicant will be sent a funding Offer Letter together with a Successful Applicant s Pack. This will detail any conditions we may attach to the award in addition to those outlined above. Funds will be paid on completion of works, and on receipt of a completed Payment Request Form and detailed invoices. Monitoring and Evaluation As part of the standard conditions, all organisations will agree to a programme of monitoring and evaluation. This will include: Producing quarterly progress reports for Steering Group meetings. Producing an end of project report, when requested. A statement and evidence of all expenditure, when requested. Site visits by members of the Viridor Credits team. Compliance inspections as required by the Regulator. Publicity and Acknowledgement All organisations will be required, as a condition of the award, to recognise the funding received from Viridor Credits in any material and/or publicity associated with the project. Our in-house Communications Manager is on hand to assist you with any publicity and media releases before they are released. We can provide banners for you to publicise our award at the project site during site works and a plaque once the project is finished. Further Information If you would like further information or support with your application form, please contact: Sarah Gauntlett Viridor Credits Environmental Company First Floor, Aintree House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton, Somerset Tel: TA1 2PX sgauntlett@viridor-credits.co.uk - 9 -

10 Appendix 1 List of Steering Group Areas Steering Group VC Cornwall VC Derbyshire VC Devon (Heathfield) VC Devon (Broadpath) VC Dorset VC Essex VC Greater Manchester VC Greater Manchester VC Hampshire VC Kent VC Oxfordshire VC Scotland (Dunbar) VC Scotland (Rigmuir) VC Sheffield VC Somerset (Dimmer) VC Somerset (Walpole) VC Suffolk VC Suffolk VC Thames VC Wiltshire Region Lean Erin Heathfield Broadpath Trigon Elsenham Pilsworth Whitehead Squabb Wood Shelford Ardley Dunbar Rigmuir Parkwood Dimmer Walpole Masons Wangford Beddington Calne