Governing Body Support Programme 2021-22
Frequently Asked Questions
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09/02/21 |
Question Have all applicants been allocated the
same 3 scenario amounts in their proposal documents? Response Each applicant has been allocated a set of scenarios that is
commensurate with the club membership details submitted within the Expression
of Interest. The majority of sports have been allocated the same range of
scenarios, although some will have a range that is different, reflecting
higher membership. All scenarios are within the identified range of
investment for the programme of £5,000 to £30,000. |
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09/02/21 |
Question The guidance document indicates that
applicants must meet the minimum threshold of 40% to be considered for
investment. Is there sufficient budget if all applicants reach this
threshold? Response Sport Northern Ireland
has developed the various investment scenarios in order to provide a series
of options to be brought forward in the Business Case for approval. There is
sufficient budget secured to invest in all organisations who have progressed
to the proposal development stage. However, it is important to note that all
proposals will be subject to assessment and in order to receive investment
organisations must meet the threshold of 40%. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Other Sport Northern Ireland
investment programmes have required applications to come through the grants portal. Is this a different approach? Response Yes, the nature of the
information being submitted for the Governing Body Support Programme is
slightly different, therefore all the requested documentation is to be
emailed to sportingclubs@sportni.net by 4pm on
Friday 5th March 2021. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Some of the documentation to be
submitted is likely to require signatures. Given the current circumstances,
are electronic signatures acceptable? Response Yes, electronic
signatures are perfectly acceptable at this time. Applicants may also wish to
keep emails of appropriate approval trails, where appropriate. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Is Sport Northern Ireland in a
position to act as a sounding board for ideas that applicants may have in
regard to their proposals? Response Given the limited size
of the team working on the programme and requirement for a fair and
transparent assessment process to be conducted, it will be difficult for
Sport Northern Ireland to provide guidance to applicants on an individual
basis. However, applicants are advised to utilise the sportingclubs@sportni.net email
address for all queries and where appropriate, Sport Northern Ireland will
provide a collective response via the FAQ updates. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Although a list of eligible
expenditure has been included within the guidance document, it is still not
absolutely clear which spend would be allowed. For example, some sports may
wish to consider the development of virtual learning programmes to support their
clubs and workforce. Response Applicants are advised
to utilise the sportingclubs@sportni.net email
address for all eligible expenditure queries and where appropriate, Sport
Northern Ireland will provide a collective response via the FAQ updates. |
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09/02/21 |
Question We are the recognised umbrella body
for our sport and will be applying on behalf of one of our disciplines? In
regard to the requested information, do we submit membership and the
workforce information specific to that particular discipline? Response Yes, umbrella bodies
should submit membership and the workforce information specific to the
disciplines involved in the Governing Body Support Programme proposal. Should
the applicant be successful in receiving an award, all investment will be
paid to and managed by the umbrella body. Applicants are advised to utilise
the sportingclubs@sportni.net email address for all
queries and where appropriate, Sport Northern Ireland will provide a
collective response via the FAQ updates. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Reporting accurate membership demographic
(e.g. disability) data may prove a challenge for some
applicants. How should this be approached in the proposal documents? Response Where an applicant does
not collect data in relation to a particularly demographic, ‘no data’
should be recorded. Where an applicant does collect data on a particular demographic,
they should include the information as it has been reported to them. |
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09/02/21 |
Question Would it be acceptable for applicants
to focus on capacity building, as well as, or as an alternative to, growing
their membership? Response Yes, applicants may
identify the need to build capacity within their sport and the governing body
itself within their proposal, with a view to longer term sustainability and
readiness for future investment. |
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02/03/21 |
Question In relation to the internal and
external contributions referenced above, does Sport NI have any specific
requirements around minimum % contribution and/or match funding? Response No, Sport NI does not
have any specific requirements in regard to minimum % contribution and/or
match funding within this particular programme. However, where additional
contributions have been committed, it is important for you to include them
within the form, as they may be relevant for the overall programme business
case. |
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02/03/21 |
Question If an applicant is only proposing to
directly impact on one element (i.e. club membership
or workforce) of the investment, should they still include information on
both elements within their proposal? Response Applicants will not be
penalised for focusing on one specific element of the investment and the
assessment process has been designed to enable this to happen. However, it is important
for applicants to include baselines and projections for both club membership
and the workforce within the Finance and Data excel document, even if they
are only proposing to focus on one particular area within their proposal. This
will allow Sport NI to have an overview of the sport and gain insight on its
current position and future projections. Should applicants choose
to focus on one specific element of the investment, they should record ‘not
applicable’ within the Proposal word document in either 3C (Club Support) or
3D (Workforce). This will allow your proposal to be assessed accordingly. It is important for
applicants to consider if an indirect impact may still occur within the other
area of investment and, if so, they should detail this within their proposal.
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02/03/21 |
Question What score do applicants need to
obtain during the assessment process to be considered for investment? Response All proposals will be
subject to assessment and in order to receive investment organisations must
meet the threshold of 40%. |
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02/03/21 |
Question Which element of the workforce
population should committee members be considered within? Response Committee members should
be considered within the Volunteer element of the workforce
population. |
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02/03/21 |
Question Does Sport NI have a specific definition
of disability for this programme? Response The Disability
Discrimination Act defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment
which has a substantial and long-term adverse effective on a person’s ability
to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The Equality Commission
for Northern Ireland, in its Disability Code of Practice, provide
clarification that the adverse effect must be substantial (that is, more than
minor or trivial); adverse; and long-term (that is, it has lasted or is
likely to last for a least a year or for the rest of the life of the person
affected). Physical or mental
impairment includes sensory impairment.
Hidden impairments are also included (E.g.
mental ill health, learning disabilities, dyslexia, diabetes and epilepsy). |
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02/03/21 |
Question The financial section of the excel
document refers to internal and external contributions towards the project.
Can you clarify what these terms mean? Response Internal Contributions:
Finance Generated by the Sporting Organisation (E.g.
Membership Subs, Sales, Fundraising etc.) External Contributions:
Finance Secured from Funding Bodies & Sponsors. |
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02/03/21 |
Question Some of the data with our Finance and
Data excel document may be incomplete, particularly around specific
demographics. Where should we note this within our proposal? Response Where data has been
included within the Finance and Data excel document but may be incomplete,
please reference this in Section 2b) Membership Categories, within the
Proposal word document. |
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