WE Heal Eligibility and Selection Criteria
Before making an application to the WE Heal Fund, please read this guidance on Eligibility and Selection Criteria together with our Frequently Asked Questions and Glossary. This will help you to determine whether you or your organisation are eligible to apply, which type of WE Heal grant you can apply for and whether your project is likely to fulfil our selection criteria.
Eligibility
Who we can fund
WE Heal provides grant funding to:
a. enable individuals – working in partnership with a constituted organisation
- to develop, pilot and/or deliver therapeutic participatory arts activities and projects
- to provide short-term community-focussed therapeutic arts services
b. enable organisations
- to commission therapeutic / recovery-oriented arts activities / workshops / sessions
- to develop / pilot short-term projects in partnership with external individuals and/or other agencies and organisations
Individuals such as artists, arts therapists, community social workers, youth workers, creative producers and academics, can apply for WE Heal funding. To be eligible, individuals:
- Must be aged 18 or over
- Can only apply for WE Heal micro-grants of between £500 and £1,500
- Must be able to provide two reference letters supporting your project proposal
- Must be able to nominate an Islington-based constituted organisation that can accept a grant on your behalf
Organisations or consortia of organisations that are eligible to apply for WE Heal funding:
- Must be either an arts, cultural or heritage organisation, a healthcare or education setting or from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector including charities (registered and unregistered), community groups, community interest companies, friendly societies, social clubs, healthcare and education settings, voluntary, grassroots and faith-based organisations
Eligible constituted organisations can apply for WE Heal project grants of between £2,000 and £5,000 but must fulfil the following criteria:
- Have a written governing document or constitution
- Have a governing body with at least three unrelated members
- Have a UK-based bank or building society account in the name of the organisation, with a minimum of two unrelated signatories
- The organisation must have been active for at least one year and can produce annual accounts for a whole year
- Have safeguarding policies for working with children and vulnerable adults in place
- Be able to provide two reference letters to vouch for your work and your project proposal
Unconstituted groups or organisations who are unable to meet all of the above criteria are eligible to apply for WE Heal funding under the following conditions:
- Can only apply for WE Heal micro-grants of between £500 and £1,500
- Must be able to provide two reference letters to vouch for your work and your project proposal
- Must be able to nominate an Islington-based constituted organisation that can accept a grant on your behalf
Who is not eligible?
- Individuals under the age of 18
The following types of organisations are not eligible to apply for WE Heal Funding:
- Businesses and ‘for profit’ organisations
- Statutory organisations such as local authorities
- NHS bodies
Organisations should also note the following conditions for funding:
- The organisation must not have two years of late submissions to the Charity Commission/Companies House within the last two completed financial years
- The organisation must not have two years of net current liabilities within the two most recent completed financial years
- Organisations where Trustees are paid are not eligible unless evidence of approval is provided from The Charity Commission and/or this arrangement is referenced in the governing document
If you are unsure whether you or your organisation are eligible, please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing culture@islington.gov.uk.
Applicants do not have to be based in Islington but all will be expected to demonstrate a strong relationship with or affiliation to Islington communities e.g., an existing partnership with an Islington-based VCSE sector, arts organisation, healthcare or education setting; history of delivering work, services or volunteering in Islington.
The fund will particularly welcome applications from:
- Women’s community organisations working with women and families affected by Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
- Organisations led by and for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority women and girls focussed on ending VAWG
- Specialist grassroots organisations who provide services for marginalised groups (such as disabled women, LBTQ+ women, women with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), vulnerably housed women) working to end VAWG
- Individuals with lived experience of VAWG
What we can fund
WE Heal grants can be used to fund participatory arts initiatives and projects with recovery-orientated creative activities designed to improve the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of Islington women and children who have experienced violence.
Applications must present a strong case for support, clearly explaining what you will
do with the grant, who will benefit, how you know that the work you are proposing
will make a difference to the beneficiaries and how you will be able to measure this.
All proposed projects must therefore:
- engage with the WE HEAL theme: healing through therapeutic arts-based activity created in safe spaces
- directly benefit and engage Islington women and children who have lived experience of VAWG and/or have a relationship with Islington VAWG sector services – as participants and/or co-creators
- Clearly demonstrate how they meet all of the WE Heal funding selection criteria (listed in the separate section below)
What we can not fund
There will be no retrospective funding for activity that has already commenced or been completed.
We are unable to fund the following:
- projects which have already happened or are going to happen before the decision date for the grant application (March 2022) or projects due to finish after 10 December 2023
- spending that has already taken place or any costs incurred through application to the WE Heal fund
The following types of activities are not eligible for funding:
- purely commercial ventures or profit-making work
- responsibilities of statutory agencies
- work outside the UK or overseas travel
- party political activity or activities promoting religious beliefs
WE Heal grant funds can not be used to:
- fund capital costs such as care, repair or enhancement of buildings or facilities or the purchase of assets
- fund interest payments on loans
- meet the direct or indirect costs of statutory education, further education or higher education or to fund academic research
- to support prizes, competitions, fundraising activities or grant schemes, namely the funds will not be awarded on to another party, or ‘re-granted’
Selection Criteria
WE Heal aims to fund new, imaginative and empowering projects that:
- Promote mental health and wellbeing through the use of creative and expressive arts
- Deliver accessible participatory therapeutic arts-based activity with clear social, health and wellbeing outcomes
- Embed safety, recovery and belonging at the heart of the project
- Demonstrate understanding of VAWG survivor voice-led ethos, intersectional and trauma-informed approaches
- Demonstrate inclusion and equality by benefiting those from disadvantaged or under-represented groups highlighted in Islington’s VAWG strategy
- Demonstrate commitments to equality and diversity through project design, engagement and delivery methods
- Are well-managed
- Demonstrate partnership working
- Demonstrate value for money
See below a breakdown of the selection criteria.
Promote mental health and wellbeing through the use of creative and expressive arts
Deliver accessible participatory therapeutic arts-based activity with clear social, health and wellbeing outcomes
Projects must be participatory with beneficiaries actively engaging in an art-making activity as the central focus of the project. Creative activities can be based on contemporary or traditional artforms and cultural practices as part of participatory workshops or delivered through arts and creative therapies. Activities must be accessible through primarily encouraging, nurturing and valuing creative expression, highlighting therapeutic benefits to participants relative to solely skills-based artistic learning.
Projects can include a trip to an arts or cultural institution as part of the project delivery where applicants can demonstrate this experience will be integral to the main participatory art-making activity and/or therapeutic process e.g. in order to access a unique resource or culturally specific object as a springboard to working with the beneficiary group.
Applicants must identity the transformations and restorative changes that they would expect participants to experience as a result of the project. Key social, health and wellbeing outcomes can also include any broader impact that the project seeks to make.
Embed safety, recovery and belonging at the heart of the project
Demonstrate understanding of VAWG survivor voice-led ethos, intersectional and trauma-informed approaches
Demonstrate inclusion and equality by benefiting those from disadvantaged or under-represented groups highlighted in Islington’s VAWG strategy
We are particularly keen for arts initiatives that deliver health and wellbeing benefits to disadvantaged or under-represented groups highlighted in Islington’s VAWG Strategy:
- Women and girls from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds
- Disabled women and girls
- Older women
- LGBTQ+ communities
- Women and girls who experience multiple disadvantages and/or complex needs
WE Heal supports the key aim within the VAWG strategy for safety planning, recovery and repair for children, and targeted therapeutic arts projects that promote the healing of affected children (i.e. not only girls), in addition to women, will be welcomed.
Demonstrate commitments to equality and diversity through project design, engagement and delivery methods
The WE Heal fund aims to support a diverse pool of arts projects and arts therapy sessions offering varied engagement options for Islington women and children, prioritising those often excluded from participation in high quality creative arts experience and those who are marginalised within current VAWG sector provision.
Applicants should consider different formats, models and methods of project delivery to support the successful recruitment, engagement and involvement of intended beneficiaries including but not limited to co-creation; socially engaged processes; the provision of peer-led, mentoring and leadership opportunities; targeted marketing practices; working with volunteers or community advocates.
Projects may take any appropriate form including:
- Participatory workshops or sessions which may stand-alone or culminate in a safe sharing event such as a performance, screening or exhibition of works created group arts therapy sessions (delivered by an accredited arts/music/drama/dance therapist)
- All projects should be designed to reflect relevant accessibility and adaptability considerations i.e., how the project will accommodate differing needs or requirements that potential beneficiaries may have e.g. variable formats for arts activities, the sourcing of specialist facilities or equipment, the use of community languages or other inclusive practices
Are well-managed
Applicants will need to demonstrate that the project will be well managed:
- demonstrating the fullest consideration has been given to the safety and impact of their project proposal including its environmental impact
- taking responsibility for meeting all statutory requirements relating to equal opportunities, relevant health and safety matters, safeguarding and project risk management and maintaining relevant insurances
- ensuring all appropriate permissions, licences and authorisations are in place if required for project activities to be delivered
- proposals should include clearly demonstrate a commitment to using environmentally friendly policies and practices with reference to Islington Council’s environmental policy and climate emergency guidance
- that project managers / organisers have the knowledge, skills and capacity to deliver the project effectively and safely – this includes demonstrating appropriate contingency planning
- that lead creative practitioners / facilitators / workshop leaders have the relevant artistic skills, knowledge and experience, and/or appropriate professional qualifications to deliver the proposed therapeutic arts-based activity
- organisers will also need to provide evidence of their planned approach to monitoring and evaluation for reporting purposes
Demonstrate partnership working
Applicants are encouraged to work with other individuals, agencies and organisations from across the arts, health, education and VCSE sectors that may be able to share costs, facilities and expertise, and support the involvement of participants or beneficiaries.
Demonstrate value for money
Islington Council is committed to providing value for money in all its services.
All project costs should be realistic, proportionate to the artform(s), methods and duration of the project and clearly itemised with income matching expenditure.
Artist or arts therapist fees and facilitation costs should be fair and appropriate, reflecting the level of experience and/or qualifications of lead creative practitioners / project facilitators.
Any project seeking funds from the WE HEAL grant that includes salary costs should be budgeted at the London Living Wage or above.
Art Materials costs should be fair, appropriate and cost effective, taking into consideration the project duration, number of sessions and the number of participants.
What type of costs we will fund?
You can apply for the follow project costs (the direct costs of the project activities) – this is not an exhaustive list:
- Artist / Creative practitioner fees
- Arts Therapist fees
- Materials / Props
- Project facilitation and coordination costs
- Direct Staff Costs
- Volunteer costs (expenses, training)
- Equipment hire
- Venue hire for workshops, performance, exhibition
- Marketing costs – printing and distribution
- Transport
- Translators
- Access costs