Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE
The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector has a vital role in improving people’s health and wellbeing in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. The VCSE Brokerage Framework enables the full breadth and depth of the VCSE sector to play this role.
The VCSE Brokerage Framework is a new system-wide approach to enable a diverse range of VCSE organisations to deliver health and wellbeing improvements in local communities, through investment from Integrated Care System (ICS) health and social care partners. The Framework provides a standard, robust and inclusive process for assessing the best proposals for community activities.
How it works
The Framework is hosted by the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance and co-developed in partnership with NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and ICS partners. It is funded by Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB and is being piloted in 2024, with an anticipated full launch in 2025.
The VCSE Brokerage Framework is being co-designed and tested by a partnership of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and ICS partners, including Sirona care & health, the local authorities and VCSE sector.
The Framework will help integrate thousands of VCSE organisations with public sector bodies in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It offers a fair and simple way for public sector managers to engage diverse VCSE groups, including smaller organisations.
Public sector requests of VCSE organisations on the Framework might include:
- Proposals to provide community preventive activities.
- Data, insights and/or intelligence on a particular issue.
- Co-production of new services.
To develop proposals for the pilot programmes, VCSE organisations need to join the Framework.
Benefits of joining
The benefits of joining the Framework include:
- Easier funding applications.
- Fewer entry barriers to the public sector – process is proportionate to the size of your organisation.
- Networking and relationship building with VCSE peers.
- Skill and practice sharing.
- Greater community voice in public sector decisions.
- Collaborative system reform and service design.
Who can apply to join
Any VCSE organisation operating for over 12 months can apply to join the Framework if they meet the following criteria:
- A registered charity, unincorporated association, Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), Community business (company limited by shares with a clear community purpose and benefits), Community Interest Company limited by guarantee (CIC, the common form of social enterprises), Community Interest Company limited by share (Schedule 2 with 100% asset lock), Community Benefit or Industrial Provident Society, or company limited by guarantee.
- Have robust governance and sound financial management proportional to organisation size, as set out in the Brokerage Framework Quality Assurance requirements.
- Based in and/or already delivering services and conducting activities within Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.
- Focused on at least one of the many aspects that affect health and wellbeing – including things like inclusion, work, housing, education, money, air quality, safety, transport, social and community connections alongside health and care advice, support and services.
- Be willing to collaborate with other organisations on the Framework.
- It is recognised that a community business, which has clear community purpose and benefits, may be a company limited by shares.
We encourage all VCSE organisations, even the very smallest, to apply. The joining process has been intentionally designed to be proportional to size.
How to join
Applications to join the Framework can be made by completing the VCSE Brokerage Framework application forms.
VCSE Brokerage Framework Application Form - part 1 VCSE Brokerage Framework Application Form - part 2Once you have completed the application form, it will be reviewed by the Brokerage team and the assurance panel. We will aim to tell you the outcome of your application as soon as possible.
Questions and feedback
The VCSE Brokerage Framework is in a test-and-learn pilot year during 2024 and 2025. The learnings and feedback gathered during the pilot will be used to further refine the Framework, with the intention of a wide-scale launch in 2025. Please share your experience of participating in or using the Framework by completing our feedback form.
We are also developing a Frequently Asked Questions overview which will be available on this webpage shortly. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding the Framework or require assistance completing the application forms please email contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org.
Pilot programmes
The VCSE Brokerage Framework will be tested via four pilot programmes during 2024 and 2025. Learnings will be gathered through this process and used to inform the further development of the Framework.
The summary information about the four intended pilot programmes is presented in the table below. Please note that all pilot programmes are currently in development and not finalised. Detailed information will be available in due course. The pilots are expected to open in Autumn 2024.
Programme |
|
---|---|
Communities Against Cancer programme |
With investment from the SWAG Cancer Alliance, this ICB programme aims to engage communities and support the earlier diagnosis of cancers to improve outcomes and survival. Work that encourages:
Investment: £150,000 - to be confirmed.
|
Children’s Wellbeing |
This programme will focus on children’s wellbeing, mental health and healthy weight in North Somerset. Co-funded by Sirona care & health, North Somerset Council and the Locality Partnerships, activities will build a coordinated wellbeing offer for children in North Somerset for targeted referrals and self-referrals. Anticipated fund: £120,000 with potential match-funding – to be confirmed. |
Falls prevention |
The prevention of falls and prolonged lying on the floor after falling has a large impact on people’s health. This programme will build on established, proven activities (for example, strength and balance classes) and coordination across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (through the Falls Collaboratives) to ensure effective and inclusive delivery in targeted communities. Anticipated fund: £720,000 / year over 3 years – to be confirmed |
Work Well |
The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire WorkWell programme is an integrated approach focused on supporting Disabled People and people with health conditions to start, stay and thrive in work. It aims to tackle health, social and employment barriers that can lead to people leaving work, or being unable to return after sickness, and will provide tailored support and advice for up to 3,000 people and their employers (where relevant) within the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire area. Grants may cover increased delivery capacity, encouraging innovation, facilitating collaboration between health and work initiatives and capitalising on learning opportunities. |
Key dates and supporting information
Applications will be assessed by the VCSE Brokerage Framework Assurance Panels. The first Assurance Panel will be held on 5 September 2024 and then monthly, in the first week of the month.
Applications submitted up to the end of the third week of the month will be reviewed at the upcoming panel. Applications submitted after the third week of the month will be reviewed at the following month’s panel.
Assurance panel and application dates
Application submission deadline to be reviewed by upcoming panel | Assurance panel date |
---|---|
23 August 2024 | 5 September 2024 |
20 September 2024 | 1 October 2024 |
25 October 2024 | 6 November 2024 |
22 November 2024 | 3 December 2024 |
To ensure applications to join the Framework are assessed in time to allow participation in the pilot programmes, VCSE organisations are advised to submit applications by 20 September 2024. Applications will remain open after this date, but the Brokerage Team cannot guarantee that applications will be assessed in time for participation in the pilot programmes.
Drop-in support sessions
If you require support in completing your application or to ask any questions please register for our Brokerage Framework Drop-in Sessions.
Upcoming dates:
- Wednesday 4 September at 11am to 12pm
Application summaries
To help you gather relevant information to complete the application, these summary documents show all of the questions included in the application form:
- Brokerage Framework Application part 1 – summary of questions (PDF)
- Brokerage Framework Application part 2 – summary of questions (PDF)
Overview of the Brokerage Framework Quality Assurance requirements
Category | Example | A. Up to £100k | B. £100k-£250k | C. £250k-£500k | D. £500k-£1m | E. >£1m |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governance | Governing document: Constitution or Memorandum & Articles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Annual report (at least 1 year of operating) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
List of trustees/directors | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Financial management | Bank account +3 months of bank statements | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Statement of Financial Activities | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Accounts: Independent Examination | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Full accounts | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Projected budget | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Inclusive practice | Equality/Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Policy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
EDI data analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
EDI action plan | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Evidence of public / patient involvement | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Safe practice | H&S law compliance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Insurance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Safeguarding policy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
DBS checks if appropriate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Continuous improvement | Complaints Procedure | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Monitoring, evaluation and learning policy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Demonstrable improvement from monitoring data analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Socio-economic contribution | Social value policy/statement | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Demonstrable commitment to local supply chain (including VCSE) | ✓ | |||||
Collaborative practice | Track record of collaboration – case study | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Example of used collaboration/ partnership agreement/ MOU | ✓ | |||||
References from previous partners/ sub-grantees/ sub-contractors | ✓ |