The organisation which provides the legal identity on behalf of a partnership.

Action research

Testing whether a project or idea will work by piloting it, rather than undertaking a feasibility study or market research.

Additionality

The benefits of a project, particularly the changes brought about which would not have happened if the project had not taken place, or the project was not funded

Anti competitive

A project or activity which gives a particular business an unfair competitive advantage over other businesses in the same field.

The starting point for the programme, providing a range of statistical and other information which shows what the situation is as the beginning of the programme (e.g. No. of small businesses)., which enables progress to be measured throughout the programme

Beneficiaries

The people who benefit from a project

Benchmarking

A method used by organisations and projects to compare themselves and what they are achieving, with other organisations.

Best Practice

Different organisations will do the same work in different ways, and Best Practice is identifying and using the best method or process, which will often develop over time.

Best Value

A scheme to encourage Local Authorities to consult about the services they provide, and also a measure of value for money

Bridging  Group

 The Bridging Group ensures co-ordination and integration of work between the Dorset Strategic Partnership and the Local Community Partnerships.

Business Plan

A plan setting out where an organisation or project is, where it wants to be, and what it wants to achieve, and then showing how it will achieve this.  Usually includes 3 years budgets, including a cash flow.

Activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills and abilities of people and community groups to take effective action and leading roles in the development of their communities.  Also increases the ability of communities to engage with public and other organisations.

Capital funding

One off funding on large assets such as land, buildings, equipment.

Community

A specific group of people who all hold something in common.  Community tends to be either people who share a locality or area, or communities of interest (e.g. farmers, market traders)

Community development

‘Work with people in neighbourhoods and communities to increase levels of self-help, support and collective action.  It aims to give people greater control over their individual situations and their communities’  (Community Development Foundation)

Community engagement

Process of working collaboratively with and through communities

Community Planning

A process where local authorities and other partner organisations come together to plan, provide and promote the well-being of their communities.  It involves the active participation of communities in decisions on local issues and local services.

Community Strategy

The plan every local authority must draw up for improving the quality of life for local people.  These plans must be the result of consultation with local residents, businesses and voluntary groups (including faith groups).

Community Strategy Delivery Group     

A high level group with wide senior representation from stakeholders within the Strategic Partnership whose job is to monitor progress and drive the implementation of the Community Strategy for Dorset.

Compact

A Code of Good Practice on the working relationship between central/local government and voluntary and community organisations.

Continuation funding

Further funding of an element of a project which has already started, or has been previously funded.  The programme cannot fund continuation funding.

Core costs

The central overheads of an organisation or project.  Current guidance is that a programme supporting projects should be prepared to support a relevant proportion of the core costs of the project or organisation as well as the capital and operational costs, under Full Cost Recovery

Cross Cutting themes

These are themes which cut across a programme, such as sustainable development & equal opportunities.

Outputs which would have occurred or continued without the project happening.

Delivery Plan

A plan which sets out what a project or programme intends to achieve, when, where and how much it's going to cost.

Development Trusts

Not for Profit community based organisations engaged in economic, environmental and social regeneration of an area.

Displacement

The extent to which a project will have an impact on the surrounding area or other similar projects, e.g. will a new project take work away from another project previously funded?

Dorset strategic Partnership

Dorset’s version of a Local Strategic Partnership, headed by a Partnership Board, and has within its structure the Community Strategy Delivery Group, a Bridging Group, Strategic Theme Groups (e.g. Accessibility) and supporting partnerships (e.g. Dorset Age Partnership).

The process of enabling people to take responsibility for themselves and helping them to make decisions about their lives.

Evaluation

An assessment of the progress and success of a project or programme in relation to the objectives, and the targets set for Outputs, Outcomes and Impact, and an essential way of learning lessons for the future.

Exit Strategy

The plan for the continuation of the project once the grant funding support has ceased. They cover all aspects of the long term continuation of the project or programme, and may include a Business Plan

A piece of work undertaken to find out whether a project is viable or not, e.g. to establish whether there is sufficient demand for a project.

Full Cost Recovery

Full cost recovery means recovering or funding the full costs of a project or service. In addition to the costs directly associated with the project, such as staff and equipment, projects will also draw on the rest of the organisation, e.g. adequate finance, human resources, management, and IT systems, are also integral components of any project or service. The full cost of any project therefore includes an element of each type of overhead cost.

These are government offices, each working with regional partners and local people to deliver the government's key aims at a regional level. The SW office is known as GOSW.

Gross Value Added (GVA)

The measure looks at the wealth created in an area. It is the part of production that an enterprise contributes to the economy. This is calculated by deducting total value of input from the total value of output during an accounting period (for example a year).

GVA per head

The GVA divided by the working age population. 

Data or statistics which may not measure exactly what you want to monitor, as that information may not be available, but which give a close approximation, and can be used for monitoring and evaluation

Impact

The overall effect of a project or programme, how it has really ‘made a difference’.

Input

The resources put into a project

Where organisations such as Local authorities, and voluntary organisations work together to identify and solve local problems

The extent to which the activity proposed benefits people outside the target area.

Local Area Agreement (LAA)

A 3 year agreement between central government and a local authority/Local Strategic Partnership, which will set out priority areas of work, which partners will deliver what, and targets.  Also see Multi Area Agreements.

Local Area Partnership

These are generally based around market towns and their surrounding areas (e.g. the Bridport Area Partnership)

Local Community Partnership

A group of organisations working with people in Districts, Towns & Parishes to plan & deliver services which improve the quality of people’s lives.  In Dorset, this is usually used to describe the District based partnerships.

Local Strategic Partnership (LSP)

A partnership operating at a County level which includes representatives from the public, private and voluntary sector, to develop working together to address the key issues in the area.

The term used when funders will only fund a percentage of the total cost of a project (eg: 50%) and require the remainder to be matched with income from other funders or donations in kind.

Milestones

Key events with dates which mark the stages in the process of a project or programme.

Monitoring

Tracking and recording the achievements of the project or programme over time

Multi Area Agreement (MAA)

A 3 year agreement between central government and a group of local authorities/Local Strategic Partnerships, covering a wider area such as  Bournemouth, Dorset & Poole, which will set out priority areas of work, which partners will deliver what, and targets.  Also see Local Area Agreements.

Multiplier

The additional or secondary benefits of a project or programme, e.g. a capital project will not only deliver a building, but will provide employment and training during its construction.

People who are ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’.

What the programme is aiming to achieve

Outcome

What will happen as a result of the project or programme, e.g. increase in employment, improved skills level

Output

What can be measured as having been delivered as the result of a project or programme, e.g. no. of jobs created, no. of training sessions and trainees 

A specific, clearly defined piece of work, usually time limited

Project Specification

A formal data sheet, agreed at the start of the project, outlining all the project details and including the agreed project plan, baseline information and planned final project outcomes

Project Plan

A detailed outline of the project work from start to finish, including targets and timescales

For outputs or outcomes, information about performance that can be measured, e.g. number of businesses supported

Qualitative

For outputs or outcomes, information about performance that can be described, e.g. feedback from businesses on the benefits of the support provided

Ongoing operational costs such as salaries, rent, etc

Ring Fencing

The process by which money within a larger fund is kept aside for a specific purpose

Risk Assessment

An assessment of the risks of a project, looking at the likelihood and impact of anything going wrong, and what can be done to mitigate this.  An essential part of a Business Plan.

Negotiated agreements to provide facilities or funding as part of a grant of planning permission.

SME

Small to Medium sized Enterprise.  A business employing less than 250 people.

Social Enterprise

Any business which is working for the common benefit, and reinvests its surplus back in to the business, i.e. is ‘not for profit’.

Social exclusion

The process that can take place when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems, such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor access to services, bad health, etc

Stakeholder

A person or group with an interest in a particular issue, area or problem.

Standing Orders

The rules by which an organisation operates

State Aid rules

A  single project cannot receive more than a certain amount from different state and European funding sources (currently capped at 500,000 euros)

Statutory authority/agency

An organisation that is set up by law and is publicly funded, e.g. Dorset County Council.

Statutory service or duty

Services & responsibilities that a public sector body is required by law to provide. The programme cannot fund statutory activities.

Substitution

Where a project takes up one activity (e.g. for funding purposes) whilst ceasing another similar activity.

Sustainability

Lots of definitions, but for project funding, the process of keeping the momentum of the project going over a period of time, particularly after the end of funding support.

Sustainable Community Strategy. 

Also known as a Community Plan, this is a key long-term document for improving the quality of life and services in an area, and every Local Authority is expected to have a Sustainable Community Strategy, developed and agreed with its Local Strategic Partnership.  From the Community Strategy, Local Area Agreements are developed.

Sustainable Development

Activity which achieves economic, social and environmental benefits without compromising the needs of future generations

SWRDA

South West of England Regional Development Agency, one of nine regional bodies set up by government to co-ordinate regional economic development and regeneration.

Synergy

Added value arising from two or more projects working together

A specific and measurable goal that a project or programme aims to achieve

Third Sector

Non Government organisations, including voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises and co-operatives.

Groups whose activities are often carried out by volunteers, do not generate a profit, and are not public or local authorities