Partnership And Compliance

1. Nature of Activities and Beneficiaries

All funded projects must deliver public benefit.

Activities must be free or low-cost, and accessible to community members including:

• Migrants and refugees

• Disadvantaged families

• Children and young people

• Adults and seniors

Project types may include (but are not limited to):

• Education and language support (e.g. ESOL classes, homework clubs, digital literacy)

• Sports and health activities (e.g. badminton, table tennis, exercise classes)

• Arts, culture and heritage (e.g. creative arts workshops, cultural festivals, community celebrations)

• STEM and skills development (e.g. coding, robotics, employability, career guidance)

• Funded activities will not involve politics, party promotion, or religious/faith-based activities.

2. Partnership Confirmation and Documentation

Before any funds are released, partners must provide written confirmation (via email or MoU) covering:

• Target audience and activity nature

• Use of funds

• Publicity and acknowledgement

• Image and attendance records

• For long-term or larger projects, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed.

3. Funding and Financial Compliance

Funds will only support community-benefit activities, including:

• Cultural performances and community events

• Volunteer support and expenses

• ESOL and educational sessions (e.g. tutor costs, learning materials)

• Sport and physical activity sessions (e.g. venue hire, equipment)

• Arts, creative and STEM workshops (e.g. materials, facilitators)

• Publicity, outreach and community engagement

Funds cannot be used for:

• Internal operational costs of commercial organisations

• Profit-making or private benefit

All expenses must have receipts or invoices and be recorded in EasyStepUK’s accounts, in line with Charity Commission transparency requirements.

4. Publicity and Acknowledgement

All publicity and announcements must include:

• EasyStepUK logo

• National Lottery acknowledgement: “Thanks to National Lottery players for supporting EasyStepUK.”

• Sport England logo (where applicable)

EasyStepUK’s branding may not be used in commercial advertising without consent.

5. Attendance and Image Records

Each session must have an attendance sheet recording participant numbers.

Events and activities must include photos or videos (with participant/guardian consent), for:

• EasyStepUK’s publicity (social media, website, reports)

• Reporting to funders

• Where appropriate (e.g. ESOL or classroom activities), images may include:

• Group photos, classroom scenes, learning materials in use

• Non-identifiable or blurred images if required for privacy

If such evidence is missing, funding may be withheld.

6. Feedback and Evaluation

Partners must submit monthly feedback, including:

• Total participants (actual vs expected)

• Beneficiary breakdown (children, youth, adults, migrants, seniors)

• Participant feedback/surveys

For education/ESOL and training projects, additional indicators may include:

• Attendance and progression rates

• Skills development or learning outcomes

A final impact report is required at project completion for National Lottery / Sport England review.

7. Non-Compliance and Breach

If partners fail to meet these commitments, EasyStepUK reserves the right to:

• Withhold or cancel funding

• Terminate the partnership

• Report non-compliance to funders

This ensures compliance with the Charity Commission’s duty of financial oversight and prevents misuse of funds.

8. Mission Statement

EasyStepUK is committed to promoting inclusion and integration through:

• Education and language support (ESOL, literacy, skills for life)

• Sports and healthy living

• Arts, culture and heritage

• STEM and skills development

• Community events and volunteering opportunities

All partnerships must uphold public benefit, fairness, and transparency, and must not involve political, party, or religious promotion.

Step 1 – Initial Enquiry

Partner contacts EasyStepUK or responds to an open call for project collaboration.

EasyStepUK shares:

• Partnership and Compliance Guidelines

• Application Form (online/Word/PDF)

Step 2 – Application Submission

Partner completes and submits the Project Application Form, including:

• Organisation details & contact person

• Project type (ESOL, sport, culture, STEM, arts, community event)

• Target beneficiaries and expected numbers

• Proposed budget and use of funds (with receipts/invoices commitment)

• Publicity and acknowledgement plan

• Agreement on attendance records and image consent

Step 3 – Internal Review by EasyStepUK

EasyStepUK reviews the application against:

• Charity Commission public benefit requirement

• National Lottery & Sport England compliance (funding use, evidence, inclusivity)

• Alignment with EasyStepUK’s mission (education, inclusion, health, culture, volunteering)

• Risk assessment (safeguarding, health & safety, GDPR compliance)

Decision:

• Approved in principle

• Request for clarification or changes

• Rejected (with explanation)

Step 4 – Agreement and Confirmation

For short-term or small projects: confirmation by email.

For long-term or larger projects: a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed, covering:

• Use of funds

• Publicity and acknowledgement

• Attendance and image records

• Reporting and evaluation requirements

Step 5 – Funding Release

Funds are only released after confirmation/MoU.

Payment methods:

• Direct payment to suppliers/venues (preferred for high compliance)

• Reimbursement with valid receipts/invoices

All payments recorded in EasyStepUK’s financial system.

Step 6 – Project Delivery

Partner delivers activities in line with approved plan:

• ESOL/education: classes, learning materials, tutor costs

• Sports/health: sessions, venue hire, equipment

• Culture/arts/STEM: workshops, festivals, materials, facilitators

• Community events: volunteer support, outreach, stage setup

Ongoing requirements:

• Attendance sheets for every session

• Photos/videos with participant consent

• Publicity with EasyStepUK logo + funder acknowledgement

Step 7 – Monitoring & Feedback

Partner submits monthly feedback, including:

• Participant numbers (children, youth, adults, migrants, seniors)

• Beneficiary breakdown and inclusivity outcomes

• Participant feedback/surveys

EasyStepUK may carry out spot checks or attend sessions for monitoring.

Step 8 – Final Report & Impact Evidence

At project completion, partner submits a final impact report including:

• Total participants (vs projected numbers)

• Evidence of community benefit (attendance sheets, image records, feedback)

• Learning outcomes (for ESOL, STEM, skills training)

• Event summary and publicity examples

• Financial statement (with receipts/invoices)

Step 9 – Evaluation & Future Collaboration

• EasyStepUK compiles evidence for funder reports (National Lottery, Sport England, etc.).

• Outcomes are reviewed internally and shared with trustees.

• Successful projects may be considered for renewal or further collaboration.

• New funding opportunities suitable for schools/partners will be shared proactively.