How it Works

How to works

Why is Orbit doing this?

For Orbit community investment is about utilizing our own assets, our supply chain, partners and most importantly our customers to create thriving and empowered communities. This philosophy drives not just what we do, but how we do it.

We have four priorities for investing £30 million in our communities by 2020 – money, employment and skills, wellbeing, and digital. Each priority has a strategy and a local delivery plan based on unique community need.

Our partnerships and investment in third sector projects, which account for over 85% of our funding, has enabled us to support new enterprises and grow existing successful programmes. Though Orbit prides itself on embracing innovation, we recognize that we don’t have all the answers.

The Better Days Fund recognizes this. We think that there are significant opportunities in expanding the base from which we get ideas. We hope to augment the great work already being done by injecting non-traditional players into solving some of the issues. This includes individual actors to bridge the gulf between top down and bottom up solutions.

Finally Orbit hopes to foster an open culture of sharing and learning. Ways for all of us who strive to make positive impacts within society to share learning, experience and best practice.

Eligibility

We are looking to support activities that generate positive social action. Note that Orbit will always consider the funding amount being requested as a barometer of the burden of proof on the criteria. This will be at Orbit’s discretion. Contact us should you want to discuss this in advance.

Our priority will be on ideas that focus on sustainability, the ability to scale and robust systems of evidence particularly when these ideas are new or in early stage of their cycle. Existing ideas will need to explicitly articulate their path to sustainability, if they are achieving scale as well as their systems of measuring on going performance and evidence.

Community Investment Priorities

Though Orbit has broken down its investment priorities into distinct themes there is a tacit acceptance that peoples wellbeing is not as reductive and simple. This schema helps focus our funding to specific areas that lead to incremental gains that combine to create significant impact. It may be useful when designing projects to see what other projects Orbit funds, what local services are available and how your project adds to that matrix to deliver on that positive journey.

It therefore is important to recognize that projects that focus on a theme will often bisect across multiple themes in their efforts. This is actively encouraged as it is to ensure that you make clear how your project will signpost, align and lean on additional support mechanisms that encourage greater success.

Partners

Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we prioritise programmes that use volunteers?

We prioritise projects that are designed around a strong volunteering model. These projects create a civic responsibility and empower our communities to be more resilient and enable them to better deal with crisis or shock. In resilient communities, citizens are able and willing to share resources, including help and support. Orbit wants to bolster programmes that help promote the idea that individuals can be active and creative in meeting their needs and achieving their goals.

If our application is successful, how long do we have to spend the funding?

This will be decided on a project by project basis.

Do you find individuals?

If you are an individual please contact the Community Investment team to discuss our requirements on how to move forward with your application.

Can my organization submit more than one project proposal?

Yes. However you can only do one application in each priority investment theme.

What kind of evidence do you require us to have in our applications?

Successful projects tend to be those that combine our data, external data and user (beneficiary) input. We will assess applications based on how well they illustrate this. In particular instances this may need to work along our support a bid page where applications may be put to a vote that illustrates demand or support of that project.

Are faith based organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. However we cannot fund activity that is inherently religious, such as religious worship, instruction or proselytising.

What are the timescales for the fund?

Some projects, like set challenges, have unique deadlines attached to them.

At what stage does your project have to be at?

We are keen to hear from both established programme providers and groups with new ideas. People who have already done some great work and whose ideas offer us a fresh approach to problem solving are welcome, as are those just starting out who have a well thought out idea that needs support to get off the ground.

Are there a minimum number of beneficiaries Orbit projects should aim to have?

All projects have to illustrate their direct benefits to Orbit customers. Due to the difference in funding amounts there is no set minimum number of beneficiaries. We expect applicants to be realistic in balancing their targets to the funding amount that they are requesting. We will work with successful applicants on setting targets that we both agree are realistic and appropriate to the funding requested.

Why is the Better Days Fund only limited to Orbit management areas?

Orbit customers are the focus and net beneficiaries of any funding we award. This limits our scope to only our management areas.

I'm having issues submitting / with the site

Due to high volumes of applications submitted as incomplete we have a few protocols in place to avoid wasting both ours and the applicants time. We therefore only allow submissions from applications where all sections illustrate as 100%. Please check the summary boxes within your dashboard to ensure that all sections are marked as 100% before getting in touch.

Most problems with the system are also due to people using Internet Explorer. Note that due to security issues and a lack of support most websites these days are being optimised for secure browsers. IE lacks not only the security but some of the features other browsers have and therefore some things just wont work. Best to try using a different browser first before getting in touch.

Finally things go wrong. Please get in touch using the Help Centre usually at the bottom left of the home page. Here you can send through queries and screen shots of the issue directly to the site administrators who will deal with your issue ASAP and directly respond to you. Note that the Contact Us section is not technical support but only for queries regarding quality of the submission or questions directly related to it.

Do we need to have match funding secured to apply for funding?

This will be assessed on an application by application basis as well as depend on the funding amount being requested. It should be noted that in illustrating sustainability, applicants are encouraged to inform us of any match funding that they have both secured and unsecured. We ask for this within the application form.

What types of organization can apply?

The application process is open to all types of organisation that can illustrate a public benefit and are not purely for profit. We will, of course, support social enterprises that will reinvest surpluses into generating a larger social impact.

Can organizations apply in partnership or consortia?

Yes.

Will all applications receive feedback?

Unfortunately we don’t to give feedback on unsuccessful applications.

I have not received my confirmation email

Please check your spam folder for the betterdaysbot email. Often most mail servers block emails coming in from servers like this. If you are unable to check your spam box, speak to your IT administrators who may be able to forward the email to you. Alternatively, complete a ticket on the help center and our team will try to authenticate your registration automatically.