Volunteer time as match funding in-kind – experience in Wales

Judith StoneThird Sector European Team (3-SET)

Wales Council for Voluntary Action

www.wcva.org.uk 0800 2888 329 help@wcva.org.uk

• Structural Funds Programmes in Wales• Volunteer time as match funding in-kind:

– Theory– Practice

• The distinction between volunteers (unpaid staff) and ESF participants

• Notional hourly rates• Evidence for audit• Guidance

Structural Funds in Wales 2007-2013

• Managed by the Welsh European Funding Office• Direct bidding – not co-financing• 275 projects funded• Lead (and joint) sponsors and procured delivery

agents• Welsh Government departments and other

government sponsored bodies; local authorities; universities; third sector

Match funding

• There are two types of match funding, PUBLIC and PRIVATE

• Which projects can receive as either ACTUAL or IN-KIND match funding

Actual or in-kind?

• ACTUAL match funding is direct payments for the project or the donation of paid staff to work on the project.

• IN-KIND match funding is goods or services supplied to the project with no cash transaction, including volunteer time.

Volunteers

Un-paid workers, helping to deliver the project (i.e. donating their time for

free)

vs.

Participants in/beneficiaries of the project (i.e. a cost to the project)

Remember: A volunteer cannot

simultaneously benefit from the project and be used as

match funding in-kind!

The theory

• Genuine added value

• Community buy in

• Notional hourly rates

The practice• Include estimated volunteer time in the

budget

• Include actual volunteer time in-kind in your claim, based on a verifiable audit trail:– Timesheets; role profiles; travel & subsistence

claims

• In-kind match funding should not exceed more than 30% of the total project cost

Notional hourly rates

• For each volunteer role – E.g. Project Manager £21.57 p/h; Trainer

£13.05 p/h; Administrator £9.97 p/h

• Based on actual activity

Guidance

• WCVA information sheet: Using volunteer time as match funding in-kind

• WEFO Guidance on In-kind match funding (includes notional rates)

• WEFO Guidance on Procurement and match funding

Thank you for listening!

Please contact me for further information:

jstone@wcva.org.uk; 0800 2888 329