WIREDGOV

One of Scotland’s largest third sector funders is looking for up to 15 organisations with the vision and desire to become Better By Design. From today (April 8) the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is offering the chance to receive free, intensive, expert and bespoke support to those that want to undergo a service redesign.

BIG is working with Taylor Haig and the Young Foundation, experts in innovation, change and service design, to find up to 15 high potential organisations that are ready for the challenge and can see the potential through design, thinking to put users at the centre of their services, improve outcomes and make their organisations more innovative.

Carolyn Sawers Head of Policy and Learning at BIG Scotland said: “This is different to how we often work. Better By Design is not a funding programme. We are looking for organisations to apply to take part in a supported process valued at more than £50,000 to each organisation that takes part.

“Through Better By Design BIG is offering to be with those organisations throughout a two-year journey; to help with the hard parts and to champion their successes. The application process for Better By Design is different as well. We will ask interested organisations to fill out a form but those shortlisted will also need to be ready to present to our panel in person. We know that service design requires huge commitment and we believe the panel sessions will help us more accurately gauge who is ready to embark on this journey.”

Laura Dosanjh, Director of Applied Innovation at The Young Foundation said: “Third sector organisations are facing unprecedented challenges and are having to work harder than ever to survive in a very difficult funding environment. And yet the sector plays a vital role in reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for individuals and communities. It is also a key contributor to innovation and change in public services.

“The Young Foundation and Taylor Haig are looking forward to working intensively with the chosen organisations, guiding them through a design-led change process, drawing on user insight and using innovative but practical design techniques.”

Better By Design offers free, intensive expert and bespoke support for organisations that want to take part in service redesign of their work and BIG is searching for up to 15 organisations across the third sector in Scotland to take part.

This process could be for your organisation if;

• You have appetite for looking at how you work, why you do what you do and what difference you make,
• You want to change the way you work to intervene earlier rather an picking up the pieces when things go wrong,
• You could make better use of the skills and talents that your people have, or
• You believe the next two years will see both challenges and opportunities for your organisation.

Organisations chosen to be a part of Better By Design will also be eligible to apply for grants of up to £10,000 from BIG at key points in the design and change process. Taylor Haig and The Young Foundation will be sharing our learning, and running open events, throughout the course of the programme with the aim of helping many other organisations within the Scottish voluntary sector, not simply those taking part in Better By Design, to achieve better outcomes for their beneficiaries in the future, and to contribute to the wider understanding of the potential of a design-led approach.

For more press, media or picture information contact:
John Fellows Head of Communications Big Lottery Fund Scotland 0141 242 1420
John.fellows@biglotteryfund.org.uk

For enquires or more information about Better By Design go to:
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/betterbydesign or email enquiries.scotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
• The Scotland Committee has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007.  As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn, has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
• The Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through its Investing in Communities portfolio, as well as the small grants schemes Awards for All, Investing in Ideas, Communities and Families and 2014 Communities.