Part 4 – Advice to Units Applying for a Ulysses Trust Grant

Criteria for Financial Support

In completing the application form, applicants and sponsoring unit commanders should think carefully about and show how plans and proposals are aligned to the objectives of The Trust, and the principles for grants and how such outcomes will be assessed and demonstrated.

The secondary factor is Need. The Trust is particularly focused on making opportunities it supports affordable to all, regardless of means or background. Applications which show a clear commitment to this inclusivity, and can demonstrate cases of special need, will receive more sympathetic consideration.

Socio-economic factors to consider

We do not want specific information on individuals – but we do want an overall picture of the group’s socio–economic circumstance. Please include any relevant information about the participants as a group only. In respect of cadets, please consider the percentage of those who are on Free School Meals or may come from under-privileged backgrounds, or face specific challenges such as social deprivation, low incomes, inner city locations, rural isolation etc. Do consider all Pupil Premium factors, such as children in care, service children, or looked-after children, or have Special Educational Needs (SEN) especially Social, Emotional and Mental Health problems (SEMH), and those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) or have a social care worker or a family intervention worker, or are in alternative education.

Recording, in the Application Form, whether any Cadets on the expedition are in receipt of Free School Meals and/or other Pupil Premium funding, is therefore obligatory. It is appreciated that this can be a sensitive matter even when Detachment commanders know their cadets well, and information not always forthcoming. For those cadets where the detachment commander believes the cadet is likely to be FSM/PP, but cannot be sure, the Don’t Know field should be used. Do NOT use this field if you know that cadet is NOT in receipt of FSM/PP funding. Please note that for Army Cadets, a confidential system is in place where expedition leaders can look up the FSM status of their cadets if they feel unable to ask directly – please ask your unit commander or our UT Ops Director if needed.

Pupil Premium (PP) includes children on FSM, looked-after children (those in local authority or state care), and previously looked after children (previously looked after by local authority or state care). This is a question with a defined number we ask you to fill in on the form.

Socio-economics of the group – this is where to include information about the group (not individuals) in terms of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), Social, Emotional and Mental Health issues (SEMH), and those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) or have a social care worker or a family intervention worker, or are in alternative education. This is not a number, this is information to provide on the form where it asks for the socio-economics of the group.

Environmental and Sustainability Policy Statement

The Ulysses Trust considers the natural environment to be a valuable and irreplaceable asset, which is currently under threat from climate change and human exploitation. All expeditions and activities in receipt of grants from the Trust shall aim to be sustainable. Expeditions must give due consideration to their impact on the environment and ecology of the area in which they are run, and shall endeavour to minimize their carbon footprint.

Questions to consider.  See more on our environmental and cultural considerations page.

Q. Is my grant dependent on being my expedition being sustainable?

A. The Grant Awarding Committee (GAC) will expect to see that you have considered environmental and sustainability issues during your exercise planning and these should be explicitly stated in your grant application.

Q. Does my expedition have to be carbon neutral (Net Zero Carbon)?

A. Your expedition does not have to be carbon neutral, but the GAC will expect to see that you have taken appropriate steps to reduce or minimize your carbon footprint wherever possible, such as the use of sustainable transport modes (e.g. shared or public transport) and low carbon accommodation choices (e.g. camping).

The following factors are also considered:

  • The value for money derived from the Grant. The Trust is keen to encourage aspiration, ambition and the particular benefits to be gained from expeditions to exotic places, but it also recognises that UK-based expeditions can also deliver great value at lower cost.
  • The contribution of expedition members to its leadership, planning and execution. The Trust recognises that sometimes 3rd Party support is essential, but keen to encourage self-sufficiency.
  • For cadet applications, the number of Armed Forces Veterans helping the expedition.
  • Whether it includes an element of voluntary social action/value or community service, and to what extent that reflects the principles of the #iwill 
  • The degree of broader scientific, educational or developmental content which may enhance the value of an expedition and benefit individual participants.
  • Other benefits accruing, such as training potential for future leaders for VR and Cadet Force expeditions, or the gaining of qualifications (by way of example, these might include specific Adventurous Training (AT) skills, Duke of Edinburgh Award qualifications, CVQO or ILM certification).
  • The public interest value, with particular emphasis on scale, objectives, location and characteristics of expeditions which can claim to be unique and thus attract media interest; or what, why or how local interest can be generated.
  • The number of VR and/or Cadet Force members on the expedition.
  • The potential of the unit to fundraise, the effort made to acquire other funds, and the difficulty of so doing.
  • Whether adult participants are paid and in receipt of CILOR or not, the reasons for this, and the level of commitment and contributions of the sponsoring unit.
  • The level of essential personal contributions as a proportion of the overall costs.
  • The originality and degree of challenge in mounting and undertaking the expedition.
  • The Commanding Officer’s statement on his reasons for supporting the expedition, and outcomes expected. This should consider, inter alia, the overall impact or return from the grant to the individuals, unit, the VR or Cadets, The Ulysses Trust, and local communities /society generally.

NB. Time spent crafting the expedition application and providing accurate detail will expedite the process and present your expedition application in the best light to the Grants Application Committee. We recognise the importance to expedition planners of the speedy response to applications for funds. A good application with all the questions answered with all the information requested above stands a better chance of being assessed quickly and positively.

Click here for Part 5 – The Applications Process