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FAQs

FUNDING

Q Can the full amount of the grant be used towards salary and on-costs?
Organisations can choose whether to allocate the whole grant (ie. up to £20,000) towards salary and on-costs or allocate up to £15,000 towards salary and on-costs and up to £5,000 as flexible funding to use in other ways to support the organisation.

Q Is it possible to apply for a part-time post, or does it need to be a full-time role?
The grant award level of £15,000 –  £20,000pa allows for a part-time salary and includes on-costs (eg pension contributions and payroll tax). Whilst we appreciate that not every organisation will wish to employ someone full-time we would like to see some level of financial commitment from the host organisation. This level of joint funding could however be any amount, and is not necessarily expected to be 100% match funding.

Q Can we apply for a salary of less than £20,000 per year?
Yes, you can apply for a grant for any amount up to £20,000pa.

Q Can we apply for funding for more than one post?
Applicants are welcome to apply for more than one grant however, with only 10 awards made annually, it is highly unlikely that your organisation will be successful for more than one award. The Trust will consider the use of this grant to fund a job-share for two employees, but the maximum of £20,000 will apply.

Q Is this a multi-year grant?
Initially the award is for one year for a grant of up to £20,000, however this is a multi-year award and applicants can therefore apply for a grant for up to three years (maximum £60,000), running to 2027. The subsequent years’ grant is only given after receipt of a satisfactory monitoring report.

Q Can the grant be used to fund an existing post holder, or does the grant need to fund a new post?
We would prefer this to be a new post, but will consider the funding of an existing employee in a new role.

Q Could the employment of an Outdoor Learning Officer be on a contract basis?
No, the employer needs to be the grant applicant and must pay the salary directly to their Outdoor Learning Officer and not to an external contractor.

Q If my organisation is already in receipt of a salary-funded grant from The Ernest Cook Trust, can I still apply for this grant?
Yes, but this grant must not be used as match funding for a previously awarded post and must be a distinctly different project or activity and/or located in a new geographical area.

APPLICANT ORGANISATION

Q Does the applicant need to be an environmental or educational organisation?
Not necessarily, as long as the project focus is aligned with The Ernest Cook Trust vision for an environmentally engaged society and focuses on Outdoor Learning, connecting with nature and learning from the land.

Q Does the applicant need to be a registered charity?
You do not need to be a registered charity, but your activities that we are funding must have a charitable purpose. You must be an independent not-for-profit making organisation whose purpose is something other than making private profit for directors, members or shareholders. We will consider applications from Community Interest Companies and companies limited by guarantee.

OUTDOOR LEARNING OFFICER ROLE

Q Is there an expectation to participate in any impact evaluation?
At The Ernest Cook Trust we use research and evaluation frameworks to ensure our funds are used to best effect. We run a number of specific programmes, including the Blue Influencers Scheme and The OWL Collaboration (Outdoor Weeks of Learning) where the measurement of impact is embedded in the programme. The evaluation includes measurement of impact for youth social action, nature connectedness, pro-environmental behaviour, mental wellbeing and educational engagement. We would therefore support and encourage projects designed to actively measure these impacts. The sharing of learning, information and research is an important component of the ‘funding-plus’ element of this grant.

Q What network opportunities does this grant provide?
We have established a network of organisations who are currently in receipt of the Outdoor Learning Officers Grant. The Outdoor Practitioners Education Network (OPEN) runs regular online and face-to-face meetings and is an opportunity to share best practice, training opportunities and peer mentoring support.

Q Do you require a job description for the Outdoor Learning Officers role?
Yes, as part of the Full Application process we would like to see what duties and responsibilities will be required of the post holder. There is an option to upload the job description document within the online application process.

GRANT PRIORITIES

Q What is your definition of ‘disadvantage’?
The priority is to support underserved communities and those with disadvantage. This could be for social, physical, economic or community reasons. For example the project could target young people in receipt of Free School Meals or Pupil Premium, or include those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Children Looked After, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), young carers and those with mental health problems. The Trust would like to see projects that include under-represented and minoritised ethnic groups.

Q Do you have a preferred geographical location?

For the current round of funding, The Ernest Cook Trust is offering a place-based approach within three defined geographical areas. The Outdoor Learning Officer Grant is therefore available to organisations located within the following postcode prefixes only, and the work must have a direct benefit to individuals or groups within these areas:
Cumbria/Lancashire hub area: BB, CA, FY, LA, PR
Gloucestershire hub area: BS, GL, SN
Leicestershire hub area: LE

If you are a charity/non-profit organisation whose work is predominantly within these postcode areas, but your office is registered elsewhere please contact the Grants team to enquire about eligibility.
Priority will be given to organisations working within areas of high deprivation.

Q Is the project limited to any particular age range?
The Ernest Cook Trust has a strategic focus on children, young people and their families from underserved communities, however we may consider applications that include inter-generational and community focused projects.

GRANT PROCESS

Q How many Outdoor Learning Officer Grants do you award per year?
This is an extremely popular award with 10 grants awarded per year.

Q When is the deadline?
The deadline for sending Expressions of Interest applications is 12pm on Monday 4 November 2024.