Apply for funding

Ensure your request aligns with the following criteria:

• Your request must propose activities or initiatives that elevate the services that Devon Partnership NHS Trust provides.
• The request should contribute to the improvement of patient care or enhance staff wellbeing, demonstrating a positive impact on care quality.
• If there will be any recurring costs or maintenance costs related to your request, please provide a plan detailing how these expenses will be funded once the charity funding has ended.
• The request should focus on elevating and enhancing care, treatment and services rather than sustaining a specific service or treatment that lacks available funding.
• The request should align with our purpose and values and be positively perceived by the public.
• Ensure your request has the appropriate supports and where applicable indicating its importance within the context of your role and responsibilities.

Be aware that we cannot fund:

• Requests that solely benefit individual staff or patients.
• Financial aid or assistance to individuals or specific cases.
• Gifts, gift vouchers, memberships, staff social event, team away days, leaving gifts or alcohol.
• Anything considered ‘core’ provision by the Trust/NHS, including basic equipment, services typically provided and mandatory staff training.
• Activities or initiatives that have already taken place.
• IT equipment, unless part of a larger application for a new post, like a pilot project.
• Replacement of lost or damaged equipment or items.
• Anything that could negatively impact the public’s perception of appropriate fund usage.

There are no specific lower or upper limits for grants.

Align your request with the charity’s values:

• Inclusivity and Empowerment: Engage staff in creating activities that prioritise development and wellbeing, fostering an inclusive workplace culture.
• Sustainability: Plan for long-term sustainability, ensuring the continuity of positive impacts on staff and patient care.
• Shared Value: Foster a sense of shared value among staff teams, aligning with the mission to enhance patient care.
• Strategic Grant Distribution: Evaluate requests based on alignment with our purpose and strategic pillars. A panel will determine fair and equitable distribution based on a tangible and measurable impact.

Requests for the Staff Wellbeing Fund should align with the overall funding guidelines. Please note:

• The fund cannot be used to sustain specific services or treatments unless a sustainable funding source or commissioning arrangement is in place.
• Personal training and development requests should be managed through the Trust’s career development and professional development framework.
• The fund will not support requests that solely benefit individual staff, provide financial assistance or personal aid or cover gifts, gift vouchers, memberships or alcohol.
• It must not be used for items or services that should be covered by the NHS or for expenses that could be considered staff remuneration or an inappropriate use of public funds.

Consider appropriate expenditures, including but not limited to:

• Projects and initiatives that improve the experience, wellbeing and outcomes of people using mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services.
• Enhancements to therapeutic, clinical or recovery environments, both indoor and outdoor.
• Specialist equipment, resources or therapies that add value beyond statutory provision.
• Initiatives that support staff wellbeing, skills and capacity to deliver high-quality care.
• Innovative, preventative or community-based approaches to support and recovery.
• Activities that raise awareness, reduce stigma and promote inclusion within the community.

To maintain a positive public perception and align with values, avoid:

• Violating standard Trust procedures, including budgetary control, procurement, and petty cash policy.
• Failing to declare conflicts of interest, which must be appropriately considered before expenditure approval.