CAPABILITY STRENGTHENING SUPPORT OPEN FRAMEWORK

Description

Power to Change is looking to build a trusted pool of suitably qualified and experienced providers for the provision of capability strengthening support to community businesses in England through to 2025. An Open Framework has been set up to be used for the provision of this support; this means that we will take applications to join the framework throughout its lifespan. The anticipated service areas have been split into Lots and interested providers can apply to deliver services from more than one Lot. Please note that the framework is classed as 'open' as there is no deadline to apply to join the framework and suppliers can apply at any point during its life. Currently, the majority of capability support to be delivered in 2022 will be through the Powering Up programme. Powering Up is a programme for community businesses that need support shifting from an emergency mindset as a result of Covid-19 to investing in future planning. It aims to support community businesses in the key areas of digital growth, climate action and sustainability, and financial resilience, with a cross cutting theme of diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to the requirements of Powering Up, it is anticipated that as new programmes of work develop, the framework will be used to ensure Power to Change is able to access suitable providers that meet the identified needs of the programmes and the community businesses they will serve. We actively encourage receiving applications to join the Framework from a wide variety of providers, especially those who can demonstrate alignment with our values and can demonstrate social impact within their business aims and objectives. We welcome applications from both national providers and local and regional providers that focus their services in particular geographies. We will particularly welcome applications from organisations that focus their support on communities that experience racial inequity, support younger people and those working in areas of highest economic deprivation (IMD 1-3). Approval to join the open framework and to deliver support services is a multi-stage process (as set out in the application documentation); the first stage is to submit an application questionnaire and the second stage is to respond to a call-off opportunity for programme specific services. Please see the links at www.powertochange.org.uk/about-us/work-with-us/ for further details on the framework and the application documentation. Lot 1: Digital Digital capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Improved business processes and operational efficiencies: website and search engine optimisation, data management, finance management, comms and social media, stock and asset management; as well as enhanced ways-of-working through better use of digital tools Lot 2: Climate change/ sustainability Climate change and sustainability capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Climate and sustainability leadership and policy, policy/ regulatory/funding landscape, new market opportunities and sustainability focused business models, technical carbon management and reduction, building and business energy audits, impact measurement and reporting, understanding and using data to support climate mitigation, building energy efficiency and renewables, community engagement, advocacy, lobbying and partnership building. Lot 3: Diversity, equity, and inclusion Diversity, equity, and inclusion strengthening support services for community businesses: Issues impacting leaders, staff and clients who face discrimination and exclusion, regulatory frameworks, embedding change in policy and practice, action and development planning, monitoring impacts and evaluating improvements and assisting organisations to learn and improve and extend leadership, client and customer bases. Lot 4: Strategic and Business Planning Strategic and Business Planning capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Strategic and Business Planning and Advice, including change management, Specialist Advice for Start-up and Early-Stage development, conflict resolution, succession planning, stakeholder mapping, cyber security, and covering cross-cutting expertise, risk management, policy development. Lot 5: Financial - Management and Control Financial - Management and Control capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Financial Management and Control including cashflow and debt management and crisis / turn-around planning. Lot 6: Financial - sources and access to funding Financial - sources and access to funding capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Identifying, understanding and assessing the sources and providers of finance for community businesses, including commissioning, social investment, grant funding, loans and more. Lot 7: Human Resources Human Resources capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Human Resources, including employment, redundancy, board effectiveness, staffing, volunteer management and equal opportunities, diversity, equity and inclusion in staff support and recruitment, succession planning, team building. Lot 8: Operations Operations capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Business and IT Infrastructure and Systems - Business and IT Infrastructure and Systems, including digital services development and delivery. Building & Facilities - Health and Safety and Buildings Management, Capital Projects, including planning, design, build stages. Legal and Governance - Legal and governance advice, including VAT advice and corporate structuring, understanding alternative legal structures (eg community benefit society, co-operative models). Lot 9: Service Engagement and Delivery Service Engagement and Delivery capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Community Engagement, including diversification of audience, equity and inclusion, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Impact Measurement, Product and Service Design, including digital services development and delivery, user research, network and stakeholder mapping and development. Lot 10: Community engagement Community engagement capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Organising and facilitation of community engagement activity, stakeholder mapping, community research and participatory budgeting skills. Lot 11: Communications, Public relations and Marketing Communications, Public relations and Marketing capability strengthening support services for community businesses: •External communications and story-telling, particularly through an inclusive and diversity-sensitive lens • Digital communications and social media management • Press and media relations in the national, regional and local contexts • Crisis communications management and reactive public relations • Stakeholder mapping and external engagement expertise Lot 12: Coaching Coaching capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Professional development and leadership coaching for individuals or with teams. Support a range of staff at different levels within a community business. Exploring emotional intelligence and different leadership styles. Support professional development plans. Coaches should be registered with an appropriate organisation such as: • The Association for Coaching • The European Mentoring and Coaching Council • The International Coaching Federation Lot 13: Peer Mentoring Peer Mentoring capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Professional peer to peer mentoring to support community business leaders and staff teams. Share experiences of managing or leading within a community business or social purpose organisation. Provide regular mentoring sessions based on the needs of the mentee. Lot 14: Mental Health and well being Mental Health and well being capability strengthening support services for community businesses: Supporting individual and team resilience and wellbeing, conflict resolution, succession planning, team building. Supporting with climate anxiety, support staff teams recovering from the social impacts of COVID. Support individuals with work overwhelm. Helping to create a safe and supportive culture.