Application Process

Policy Project Funding for 2025

EOC has allocated £60,000 to fund Policy Labs and £15,000 for Policy Prototypes in 2024.  Members can lead a maximum of one project at any time; to encourage more councils to get involved.

All funded projects must demonstrate the ‘cooperative difference’ and explicitly show this using our Statement of Values and Principles.

Policy Lab funding supports research, collaboration and implementation of cooperative initiatives that involve multiple Network members. This work is incredibly valuable for our members, allowing us to share best practices on a national footprint, collaborate with like-minded local authorities and partners, and work together to solve some of the complex problems facing local government and the communities we represent.

We recommend engaging a minimum of three other CCIN members to create a working group to support the development of your project. We welcome applications from all Members, but the application must be submitted and overseen by a Full Member Council.  Members will have up to two years to deliver a Policy Lab.  Applications will be considered for funding of up to £20,000, dependent on their scale and ambition.

Policy Prototypes are smaller projects for members who want to deliver a project in their locality on behalf of the Network.  This funding is available to councils of all sizes, Opposition Groups and Minority Administrations. Members will have up to twelve months to deliver a Policy Prototype. Applications will be considered for funding of up to £2,000.

Timetable

13 February 2025 – Launch at Annual Conference.
Midnight 13 March 2025 – Closing date for submissions of all Bids.
19 March 2025 – The Executive Oversight Committee and Values & Principles Board consider all Bids.  Bidders are to present their applications at this meeting.
28 March – 11 April 2025 – Bidders are asked to respond to any further questions from the Governance.
w/b 14 April 2025 – sign-off of successful bids by EOC.
28 April 2025 – Successful applicants will be notified, guidance issued, and contract letters dispatched.

Projects should be written up, and other resource materials made available to the CCIN and its members, including publication on the CCIN website.

Outcomes should include, but are not limited to:
To reiterate, all funded projects must demonstrate the ‘cooperative difference’ and explicitly show this using our Statement of Values and Principles and follow our Brand Guidelines

• Written reports should be produced to ‘publication standard’ and include Joint or separate Forewords from the Leader/Cabinet Member of the Lead Council and the Chair of CCIN.
• Videos to be accompanied by an Executive Summary (which can sit alongside other CCIN reports) spotlighting the highlighted values and principles and learning points.
• A short text about the project for the CCIN newsletter with a photo.
• Speech for a conference launch of the policy lab.
• Content for a conference workshop unpacking the outcomes of the project.

We welcome applications from all Members, but an elected body must apply.