Investing in Communities Fund round two: final funding guidance

Assessment process

Note the following:

• all applications will first be reviewed against the basic eligibility criteria for applicant organisations
• ineligible and/or materially incomplete applications and project budget templates will be rejected and will therefore not be assessed
• eligible applications will be assessed against the aims and objectives of ICF and within the broader context of strategic priorities and anticipated outcomes from the project. See the assessment criteria
• we may share information from your application with the relevant Third Sector Interface and Local Authority Community Team to help us understand the fit of your project within the community and against wider locality priorities.  We may also share this information with Scottish Government colleagues and other agencies including other grant making bodies
• all eligible applications will be considered by the Independent Panel – currently expected to meet in November or December 2022
• as an open challenge fund, with a finite budget, we will be looking for proposals that demonstrate clear positive impact for their community that best fit with the fund’s purpose, aims (areas for action), and outcomes
• we will assess if your project budget demonstrates value for money relative to the project’s outcomes / impact. Please be aware that we may not offer an award at the full amount requested, this may be if we consider any of the costs ineligible or do not provide best value 
• while dependent on the volume, quality and geographical location of applications,  consideration will be given to the spread of investment across local authorities areas
• the Independent Panel’s decision will be final and the panel will not revisit decisions. There is no appeals process
• we expect to advise all applicants of the outcome of their applications by the end of December 2022
• feedback will be provided for applicants of unsuccessful project proposals
• applications recommended for support may require financial and/or technical checks to be completed prior to the issue of a formal offer of grant.  Details of the grant claims process and other relevant information will also be provided at this time 
• we anticipate that formal offers of grant for all successful applications will be issued no later than March 2023