We don’t use the ‘G word’ anymore

‘Commissioning’ may have made the most recent Local Government Association list of ‘banned words’ which authorities should avoid using. However, you’ll hear it more often than ‘grant’ when working with local authorities. So what can arts organisations do to improve their chances of building a successful commissioning relationship, and to ensure that they are contributing the needs of the community they are working with and for?
Get your policies in place. Models for safeguarding, equal opportunities and anything else required are available from the local authority. Demonstrate that policies are not just documents in a file somewhere and that they are regularly reviewed, are backed up by training and are meaningful to staff and volunteers. Research the Children and Young People’s Plan for the local children’s trust – they will have a website. The plan will tell you about the local area and what the priorities of the Trust are. Your application or tender should outline how your project will contribute towards achieving those priorities. Focus on outcomes for young people. When describing your project make clear what you are going to do and how many young people will benefit, but also think about the longer-term benefits for particpants. Familiarise yourself with the five outcomes from ‘Every Child Matters’ but remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes. It is better to know that you are going to do one thing really well and to be able to evidence it. Evaluate your work. Your contracts will require an evaluation of some sort and well-evaluated projects, which show how feedback is used to improve delivery, attract repeat funding so it is worth the effort. Finally, don’t allow your creativity to be stifled. Commissioning is a two-way process so work on the relationship. Good commissioners know that they don’t have all the answers and will welcome your innovative solutions.