McCausland Calls For Applications To £250,000 Innovation Fund

“This is a new way of working for the Agency. It is trying, through further partnership working, to test new and innovative ways of reaching people who may not be claiming their full benefit entitlement. “I would encourage organisations with knowledge of customers’ unclaimed benefit entitlement, barriers to claiming benefit, and ideas of how the barriers can be overcome for their customer group, to apply for this funding.” Details of how to apply for the Innovation Fund are available at: http://www.e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk. Successful awards will be made from September 2011. Minister McCausland added, “With the continued increase in household bills, there is no better time for this type of partnership working to explore new and additional services that may be successful in further increasing benefit uptake, thus ensuring we reach those people who are entitled.” The £250,000 Innovation Fund will be provided for organisations to test new or enhanced approaches to improving the uptake of benefits. This is in addition to the activities the SSA already takes forward. Community and voluntary organisations can bid for funding for a maximum period of 12 months to enable them to carry out activities to increase the uptake of benefits.]]>