Grant fund FAQs and application guidance

Who is the Natural Source Water Association?

The Natural Source Waters Association is the trade association representing Natural Mineral and Spring Water producers and importers in the United Kingdom. Our members (Brecon Carreg, Danone UK & Ireland, Highland Spring, Montgomery Waters, Nestlé Waters, Shepley Spring, and Wenlock Spring) account for around two thirds of the natural source waters sold in the UK, employ over 1,200 people, and support a further 3,100 jobs in the supply chain. Many of these are green jobs, with a large majority in rural communities.

 

Why is Natural Source Waters Association supporting #InTheLoop?

Bottles and cans are a vital and valuable commodity, and we want these containers to be captured so they can be recycled into new ones. Producers are keen to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle the right things in the right places and #InTheLoop is a proven way of doing this. It improves both recycling rates and the quality of material collected on-the-go, helping these containers get another life, whilst also reducing litter. The next step in achieving a circular economy for bottles and cans is for aligned deposit return schemes to be introduced across the four nations of the UK, which is why we are working with UK Governments to make this happen.

What can the funding be spent on?

Successful projects can spend funding on:

  •  The purchase of new bins and the adaption of old bins to fit the #InTheLoop principles (new vinyls, apertures etc.)

  • Installation of bins

  • Communication and engagement for the campaign

  • Measurement and evaluation of the campaign.

  • Staffing costs to cover the time spent planning and delivering the campaign

    It is expected that most of the funding (75%) will go towards to the purchase on infrastructure (new bins) or improvements to old bins (new vinyls, apertures etc.) The remaining amount should be spent on promotion of the campaign, and for measurement and evaluation of the project.

    It is fine for the grant money to be spent on salaries if the person is working to deliver the agreed grant-funded project.

    Operational costs refer to business-as-usual costs, such as overheads or rent of premises and these are not eligible for funding.

    Note the fund should be used to fund the expansion or introduction of a new project that could not have happened without the funding, rather than core operational costs.   

Can I apply for a project outside of Great Britain?

This fund is for projects in England, Scotland and Wales.

For reasons of due diligence, and financial accountability, we can only give the grant money to UK registered organisations. Those are the criteria of the grant fund as set out in the terms and conditions.

 

What types of items are you expecting to be recycled?

  • The projects must include the collection of plastic bottles and cans,.

  • It could also include the collection of glass and coffee cups, if you have the operational capability to do so. These are the items we have determined are frequently used out of the home.

What support will Hubbub provide?

  • Hubbub will provide four days of project management support and design time to applicants to assist with project development and help to tailor design assets to help promote the campaign.

  • In addition to this, they will support each project with £1,000 of social media ad spend, and measurement and evaluation guidance and training.

What types of organisations could apply for funding?

  • Local authorities

  • Business Improvement Districts

  • Major property owners or those who manage public space

  • Transport hubs e.g. airports, train stations

Applications can be submitted in partnership, with one lead partner.

We expect some applications will be from companies limited by shares or guarantee, charities, and social enterprises. You will need to be registered with the appropriate body in the UK and to include your registration number. We cannot accept applications from organisations who intend to register but have not yet done so.

We recognise councils/ local authorities do not have registration numbers. If you are from a local authority you can skip this step.

How does the application process work?

  • Applicants are required to fill in an online application, with the option to provide a supporting presentation.

  • We may contact you to clarify and request further information.

  • We will select a shortlist from the pool of applicants.

  • The Panel will choose the final Grantees based on how well they meet the criteria.

  • Funds will be paid out in April 2024, with the aim that planning begins at this time, with campaign launching in July 2024

What are the key dates to be aware of?

Application timeline:

  • Applications are open from 9am Wednesday 18th January 2024

  • The closing date for applications is 3pm Friday 1st of March

  • Hubbub will inform you if you have been successful by the end of March 2024

Funding timeline:

  • April 2024 – initial funding released – 80% paid upfront

  • July 2024 – 10% paid once the project has launched

  • October 2024 – Final 10% paid once final reporting has been completed.

Can we enter multiple applications?

No, only one application is accepted per applicant.

Can we have a call to understand more about the fund?

We aim to maintain a fair and transparent process and not to give advantage to any individual organisations via individual phone calls. In the first instance, please could you set out any questions you have by email We can then aim to clarify any queries you may have.

Please do have a look at the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions on the website. 

Can you provide feedback if my application is unsuccessful?

We will inform all applicants of the outcome of their application by the end of January 2023. We can provide feedback upon request.

What happens if we are successful?

If your project is successful, first thing first, well done! Successful applicants will be required to sign a grant fund agreement with Hubbub, which will include details about project monitoring and reporting. Once this agreement is signed, we’ll send you the first 80% of the funding so you get can started with your campaign planning.

Then it’s time to get planning. It is expected that projects launch in July. We’ll set up monthly calls to help you with your planning to help you meet this timeline.

 

What does the money have to be spent on?

It is expected that most of the funding (75%) will go towards to the purchase on infrastructure on new bins or improvements to old bins (new vinyls, apertures etc.) The remaining amount should be spent on promotion of the campaign, and for measurement and evaluation of the project.

It is fine for the grant money to be spent on salaries if the person is working to deliver the agreed grant-funded project.

Operational costs refer to business-as-usual costs, such as overheads or rent of premises and these are not eligible for funding.

Note the fund should be used to fund the expansion or introduction of a new project that could not have happened without the funding, rather than core operational costs.

 

Can the fund cover marketing and promotion costs?

Yes, this encouraged, for things like events, printed materials and online promotion, although it is expected that the majority of the funding will go infrastructure. Unless you have additional funding available, we would not expect this funding to be used on large-scale art installations.

 

Can we support the application with additional funding?

Yes, in addition to the funding available, if you have additional budget to increase the scale of the campaign then we would welcome this. Please detail this in your application.

 

Should I budget including VAT?

This is a grant fund, so VAT is generally excluded, such as for your salary costs etc, so please exclude VAT in your budget. The exception however is for any external costs you incur which you will need to pay VAT on (e.g. paying for 3rd party goods and services), so in this instance please do include the full gross cost (including VAT).

 

Who will the panel be comprised of?

The panel will be made up of representatives from Hubbub and Natural Source Waters Association.  We are committed to judging each project against the stated criteria.

 

What’s the intended outcome of the fund?

  • The fund is looking to enable the introduction or improvement/expansion of recycling in public spaces using the #InTheLoop toolkit .

  • The fund will support up 2 projects.

  • The impact of the projects funded will be shared publicly alongside learnings to benefit others.

 

What are the reporting requirements?

Successful applications will be required share information with is on progress at project milestones, through check-in calls and a short reporting template. They key metrics will be looking to report on include:

With regards to waste and recycling: the estimated number of items collected, improvements in collection rates, change in contamination levels,

With regards to the communication and engagement part of the campaign: a summary of activities conducted, people engaged, feedback from stakeholders

 

We will provide a template to support in collecting this information and guidance based on previous trials.