Wales, the Assembly’s Voluntary Sector Scheme and the Funding Code of Practice: 3. How to pursue a case under the Funding Code

• Gather evidence
  Collect together all of the documentation between you and your funding body, document the key events and discussions in chronological order. Establish who is affected by the decision, are other organisations affected, does it affect service users who may be eligible for free legal advice?
  
• Identify the breach
  Look at the relevant funding agreement and at the Funding Code to identify where the behaviour falls short of what it ought to be. Breach comes in a variety of guises. It can be a sudden withdrawal of funding, unfair performance appraisal of existing projects or proposals for tendering for services.
  
• Know your strengths
  Identify the impact/outcomes of the service which is being provided. Recognise quantify and evaluate what additional outcomes are being achieved which could not easily be supplied by a different supplier. This could be the increased impact of the service due to the involvement of local volunteers. Value for money is not about the cheapness. It is about providing an excellent service at a reasonable price at least taking into account the need for full cost recovery.
  
• Set clear goals and review your finances
  When challenging bad practice decide what it is you wish to receive and set target dates for those goals to be achieved. Are those goals achievable? Have your trustees considered whether your organisation financially viable in the interim? If not, then ensure that they do so.
  
• Influence and refer
  Identify the key decision makers. What factors will influence them to support you? Who are they influenced by? Thinking of your target audience develop a practical plan for influencing the decision making process. This could involve getting your local Councillor, Assembly Member or MP involved in asking questions in the relevant fora or writing letters on your behalf. Press releases to local radio and newspapers may assist in raising awareness, gathering evidence and building popular support. WCVA’s Voices for Change Cymru project can help you to identify the relevant decision makers and assist you in influencing them. For information about the project’s services www.voicesforchangecymru.org.uk or contact help@wcva.org.uk

Find out when and where key decisions will be made and attend those meetings. Where possible meet/ talk with the relevant people in advance of those meetings. If your initial targets do not respond favourably who do you contact next, ombudsman, can you use the Funding Code complaints procedure and contact the WAG Compliance & Funding Committee?