Project Selection
Stage One
When the application form is submitted a Funding Gateway Panel, drawing on the expertise from various functions within Cumbria LSCi, will assess the application. As per the requirements set out by Government Office North West (GONWi), where ESFi tenders are concerned, the Panel will contain external representation. A member of the European Liaison Unit (ELU) will fulfill this role.
Appraisal and Selection
The information the Provider submits on the application form will be assessed against a standard objective scoring framework. The table below sets out the questions on the application form and relevant maximum scores available.
| No. | Question | Maximum Score |
Aavailable Pass Mark |
| 1 | Description of activity | 15 | 10 |
| 2 | Activity rationale | 10 | 7 |
| 3 | Geographic area(s) of delivery | 5 | |
| 4 | Activity lifespan/timeframe | 4 | |
| 5 | Target groups | 10 | 7 |
| 6 | Outcomes | 15 | 10 |
| 7 | Added value | 10 | |
| 8 | Partner organisations | Not scored | |
| 9 | Horizontal issues | 6 | |
| 10 | Financial information | 15 | 10 |
| 11 | Delivery process | 10 | |
| 12 | Additional information | Not scored | |
| TOTAL | 100 |
The Funding Gateway Panel will use the following appraisal system to categorise the score achieved by each application:
- RED – Applications that do not at least achieve the pass mark in those sections where a pass mark has been identified. The application will be rejected and the applicanti organisation will be given feedback on their application form
- GREEN – Applications that meet the pass mark in those sections where a pass mark has been identified. Those applications that meet the pass marks will be placed in order of their overall score (i.e. out of 100). Those applications appraised as ‘GREEN’ but with the highest scores (dependent on funding available) will then be recommended by the Funding Gateway Panel to move to stage two
Following the Panel’s assessment, a recommendation will be made to the Senior Management Team (SMT), which has the responsibility of selecting applications. When an application is selected by SMT, Cumbria LSC will contact the provider to progress to stage two.
Feedback Arrangements
All applicants will receive feedback on their applications. Details of successful providers will be published on both the LSC and GONW websites. In the interests of openness and transparency, Cumbria LSC will also publish headline reports on the progress of successful projects.
As part of the feedback process, the LSC will encourage providers to work together resulting in more integrated proposals, especially where providers are addressing common themes and proposing similar or linked projects.