Project Funding Application

The Surveyors’ Trust Strategic Funding Framework

The Surveyors' Trust is pivotal to fostering the growth and sustainability of the surveying and spatial industry by strategically reinvesting royalties from the sale of survey plans. Our Strategic Funding Framework guides the submission and assessment of project proposals, ensuring alignment with our core mission of enhancing professional development, recognising Surveyor’s contributions, and protecting their intellectual property.

Strategic Objectives

The strategic objectives outlined by The Surveyors’ Trust are designed to address key areas critical to the advancement and sustainability of the surveying and spatial industry. These objectives encompass a comprehensive approach to professional development, industry recognition, technological advancement, and intellectual property protection. By focusing on these core areas, the Trust aims to enhance the capabilities and recognition of surveyors, ensuring the profession remains competitive and influential in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Each objective targets specific aspects of the industry's needs—from nurturing the expertise of surveyors through advanced training opportunities to safeguarding the intellectual property that underpins their work. This strategic direction not only supports the professional growth of individual surveyors but also fortifies the industry's overall resilience and future readiness.

In summary, the strategic objectives are:

• Advance the Expertise of Surveyors: Fund initiatives that provide cutting-edge training and development opportunities to surveyors at all career stages.
• Recognition of Expertise: Support efforts to ensure that key industry stakeholders and policymakers recognise and value surveyors' expertise.
• Sustainability of the Industry: Invest in innovative technologies and approaches that enhance the long-term sustainability of the surveying and spatial disciplines.
• Protection of Intellectual Property: Promote and fund projects that focus on safeguarding the intellectual property rights associated with surveying work.

Core Values

The core values of The Surveyors' Trust are integral to guiding our operations and interactions within the surveying and spatial industry.

In summary, Core Values are:

• Education and Professional Development: We believe in lifelong learning and the continuous professional development of all surveyors.
• Mentoring and Support: We value the transfer of knowledge and skills through mentoring relationships within the surveying community.
• Recognition: We strive to ensure that the contributions of surveyors are recognised and valued both within and outside the industry.
• Ethics and Integrity: We advocate for the highest ethical standards in all surveying practices.
• Quality and Innovation: We commit to supporting high-quality work and innovative practices that propel the industry forward.
• Sharing and Collaboration: We promote the sharing of intellectual property to enhance collective knowledge and industry advancement.

Value for Money Principles

Achieving value for money (VfM) is paramount for The Surveyors' Trust in pursuing its strategic objectives. As a custodian of Members' funds, The Trust is deeply committed to maintaining high standards of accountability and transparency. This commitment ensures that all delivery partners and recipients of the Trust’s funding adhere strictly to established VfM principles. The performance of these partners in delivering VfM is assessed within our funding framework, as detailed in the Funding Submission Criteria and Objectives. This ensures that investments are prudent and impactful and foster long-term benefits in the surveying sector to yield the best possible outcomes for our members and the broader objectives of The Trust.

The Surveyors’ Trust commits to its Members and the industry through these VfM Principles:

1. Impact:
   Impact assesses the broader effects of funded projects on the surveying profession and the community at large. The Trust evaluates how each project contributes to advancing the field, enhancing professional standards, and addressing sector-wide challenges. Projects with the potential for significant positive impact receive prioritisation in funding decisions.
2. Effectiveness:
   Effectiveness measures how well-funded initiatives achieve their intended outcomes. The Trust requires each project to have clear, measurable outputs that align with its core objectives. These outputs are assessed regularly through detailed monitoring and evaluations to ensure the projects deliver the anticipated benefits and contribute positively to the profession’s advancement.
3. Equity:
   Equity ensures that funding decisions are fair and provides equal opportunity to all applicants. It promotes inclusivity and offers equitable access to resources across different groups within the surveying community and aligned industries.
4. Collaboration:
   Collaboration is key to enhancing value for money, leveraging diverse expertise and resources from various stakeholders. Projects that demonstrate effective partnerships and interdisciplinary cooperation are viewed favourably, as they are often more successful in achieving broad-based outcomes.
5. Transparency:
   Transparency in this context refers to maintaining open communication about project progress and results, aimed at reaching a broad audience. This openness ensures that all stakeholders, including the wider public, understand and appreciate the value and impact of funded projects, thus enhancing confidence and support for the Trust's activities.
6. Sustainability:
   Sustainability involves supporting projects that provide enduring benefits and maintain their impact beyond the initial funding period. The Trust favours initiatives that address immediate needs while contributing to the ongoing development and stability of the surveying industry.
7. Implementation:
   To effectively implement these value-for-money principles, the Trust requires detailed project proposals that include comprehensive budgets, explicit objectives, and robust plans for performance measurement. Proposals must demonstrate how projects will adhere to these principles throughout their lifecycle.  Funding recipients must provide regular reports detailing compliance with these principles, emphasising their efficiencies, effectiveness, and sustainable impacts.

• Alignment with Objectives and Values: Projects must directly support the Trust’s strategic objectives and reflect our core values.
• Value for Money: Projects should demonstrate efficiency in the use of funds and potential for significant returns on investment.
• Potential for Impact: We prioritise projects with the potential to make a substantial impact on the profession or community.
• Sustainability: Projects should have the potential for long-term viability and benefits.
• Transparency and Accountability: Applicants must commit to transparency in their operations and regular reporting of their progress.
• Collaboration: Projects that demonstrate effective collaboration across disciplines and sectors will receive preferential consideration.

Submission Review and Decision-Making Process

The decision-making process involves:

1. Submission Review: Initial screening to ensure all submissions meet essential eligibility criteria.
   
2. Scoring: Each eligible proposal is scored against the ranking criteria.
   
3. Ranking: Proposals are ranked based on their total scores, calculated by adding the score of each criterion by its weight.
   
4. Discussion and Adjustment: The Trust Board reviews the highest-scoring proposals, discussing each project's merits and potential impact.
   
5. Final Selection: The Trust Board makes the final funding decision based on ranking and discussions, ensuring the best alignment with Trust objectives and maximum impact.
   

• Impact Assessment: Projects are to identify the impacts they aim to achieve.  The Surveyors’ Trust may seek impact updates after the project has concluded as a requirement for assessment for additional funding for the project. 
• Performance Metrics: Projects must define clear metrics to measure their impact and success, such as training completion rates, technological advancements achieved, or enhancements in professional practices.
• Regular Reporting: Project teams are required to submit regular updates, which The Surveyors’ Trust CEO can determine upon contract development. Reports are to provide insights into the progress, resource usage, and any challenges encountered. This ensures ongoing oversight and supports timely interventions if needed.
• Integration into Funding Applications: Proposals for funding must include detailed M&E plans, indicating the project’s commitment to measuring and reporting its impact. This aspect is required to gain funding approval, demonstrating preparedness and accountability.

Confidentiality Statement
Upon receipt of your submission materials, all documents and associated information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. These materials will only be accessed by the Trust and designated personnel who are directly involved in the evaluation process.
We are committed to safeguarding your information by implementing appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorised access, disclosure, or misuse of the materials. Your submission will be stored securely and only retained for as long as necessary to complete the evaluation process and any subsequent requirements dictated by our organisational policies or applicable law.
After the evaluation process, all submission materials will be handled in accordance with our data retention and destruction policies to ensure their confidentiality and security further.
By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your materials will be handled in accordance with these procedures.