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Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Busrasry Application Process
Below you will find the step by step guide to applying for the Ysgol Fenter y
Cardi Bursary:
 Complete the Enquiry form and return to either Cynnal y Cardi Project,
Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron, Ceredigion, SA46 0PA or
[email protected] . The enquiry form will then be checked for
eligibility.
 If you are eligible the Ysgol Fenter Officer will contact you and refer you to
Antur Teifi, where their business advisors will help you develop your business
plan and 2 year cash flows in addition to completing the application form
 Two quotes for each item required through the bursary must be noted in the
application form (Ceredigion businesses must be used where possible). We
cannot purchase items from Amazon and eBay. Please find quotes for IT
equipment from dabs http://www.dabs.com/ or ebuyer http://www.ebuyer.com/
No purchase order can be issued to a company without being set up on the
creditors system.
 The application form, business plan, 2 year cash flows and other relevant
supporting documents should then be sent to the Ysgol Fenter Officer, to
check before being submitted to the panel.
 Panel meetings are held monthly; here the panellists will score your
application. Please note that the panel may require additional information
following this meeting
 Once scored your application will have to be endorsed by the Local Action
Group
 Once endorsed your contract can then be signed. If you are providing match
funding through volunteer time, this must be completed within three months of
signing the contract
 If you are successful the Cynnal y Cardi Finance Officer will purchase your
goods, once they have been delivered to the Cynnal y Cardi Office you can
collect the items
 If Cynnal y Cardi is paying for any promotional / marketing material the Cynnal
y Cardi, EU, Leader and Welsh Government logos must be used. Proofs of all
documents must be confirmed by Cynnal y Cardi staff prior to printing.
 If you are a successful applicant you must provide the following as soon as
possible after receiving your goods:
- Proof that the items bought have been correctly insured e.g through house
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insurance or car/van insurance
Match evidence is in order
A copy of an invoice that you have issued to a customer/ client
 After six months the Ysgol Fenter Officer will visit you at your home address
or place of work to:
- Complete a ‘six monthly review’ questionnaire
- Take pictures of the purchased items
- Discuss whether you require any further assistance
e.g training or finance
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 Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Bursary Notes and Guidance for
Applicants
It is important that you read these notes and guidance before completing your
application form – they will help you complete your application correctly and help
avoid any delays in processing.
If you have any doubts regarding eligibility, please contact the Ysgol Fenter y Cardi
Bursary team on (01545) 574167 to discuss the matter further.
What is the Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Bursary Scheme?
The Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Bursaries are a local funding source set up to provide
bursaries for individuals and groups of people from specific target groups, whom
intend to start a new business or community enterprise. These groups are:
 Farming Families
 Community groups
 Children (0-10 years)
 Young People (11- 30 years)
 Welsh Speaking Communities
 The Under-Employed, such as people who are not in education employment
or training; people who are receiving incapacity benefits, people who are
registered as disabled and people in early retirement.
The financial support available is there to expand on the support provided to
develop your skills and confidence when starting an enterprise. A member of the
Ysgol Fenter y Cardi – mentoring team will be working with you when applying
and they will be a constant contact point for you throughout the process. Contact
the team on (01545) 574 162 to discuss your idea and to start on the process.
The bursaries are available to people from these target groups living in
Ceredigion.
The purpose of these bursaries is to promote conditions which will help people to
implement their ideas for businesses or community enterprises. This can include
providing advice and expert support to develop a business idea, providing the
necessary equipment or resources to start a business, or care (e.g. child) while
they develop a business idea, helping with business location costs, etc.
Although priority is given to enterprising ideas developed through Ysgol Fenter y
Cardi programme, the panel may consider other applications as well, where they
can be shown to contribute to the aims and objectives of Cynnal y Cardi.
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How much can I apply for?
Bursaries may be awarded for up to 80% of the cost of the support needed.
Applicants are normally considered for sums up to £1,000.
The other 20% of the funding can be provided either on a cash basis or some
contributions in-kind such as individuals / volunteer time. For in-kind match, time
(this will need to be time from individuals other than you / yourselves supporting
the development of your business). Rates of time in-kind match funding can be
seen below:
Self-employed (sole traders /
partnership)
Workers aged 21 years of age
plus
Workers aged 18 to 20 inclusive
£11.38
£6.19
£4.98
Bursaries will only be offered in cases where applicant has clearly demonstrated
that without such aid the enterprise could not proceed, either on the scale
envisaged or within a reasonable timescale.
Ceredigion County Council has the right to withdraw bursary offers where
projects are not progressing in accordance with the details specified in the
application, or where there are unacceptable delays.
Ysgol Fenter y Cardi is keen to support applications which add value to other
sources of funding for people setting up businesses or new community
enterprises in Ceredigion.
Please ensure that you inform us if you have received (or applied for) any other
finance, or whether you will be investing your own money.
If your application is successful, please note that the Bursary will have to be
claimed before December 2013.
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How will the money be paid?
The bursary will be paid directly to suppliers, and in all cases the invoice(s) must
be made out to Cynnal y Cardi, Ceredigion County Council. Competitive quotes
for items/services bought are required according to the following thresholds:
Estimated Item Value
Number of Quotes Required
Below £250
At least one quote required
Value for money must be
demonstrated
£250 up to £5000
Minimum of two written quotes
Who can apply?
You may apply…
 If you have an idea for a business or community enterprise and need
support to implement it
 If your start-up costs of the enterprise is less than £10,000
 If you are an individual or a group of people from one of the following
specific target groups:
 Farming Families
 Community groups
 Children (0-10 years)
 Young People (11-30 years)
 Welsh Speaking Communities
 The Under-Employed
 If you live within Ceredigion
 If you have not been self-employed in the past
 Whether the proposed business enterprise would be a spare time, part
time or full time activity, permanent or temporary
 If the business you intend to establish is new (e.g.
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not taking business over)
 If you want to set-up your business in Ceredigion
 If this bursary would be essential in order to start the business / enterprise
(e.g. you could not be able to start the business / enterprise without the
equipment or services you are applying for)
 If there is no other sources of money available to fund the equipment or
services you have applied for
 If you agree to provide evidence that any bursary awarded has been used
for the approval purpose. This will include close monitoring by your case
officer.
You will be required to declare that you have not received more than €200,000 of
European Commission (“de Minimus”) aid over a three year period.
Under 18
If you are under 18 years of age when submitting your application, you will need a
mentor who is over 18. The mentor must be someone who can help with the bursary
arrangements, serve as the main contact person and who will sign the application
form and any other documents on your behalf. If necessary, we can help you find a
suitable mentor, e.g. a youth club leader or local development worker.
All recipients (or their mentor, school or club if they are under 18 years old) must be
economically and financially viable. Ceredigion County Council reserves the right to
conduct a credit check through a Credit Reference Agency, with respect to any
receipt. This instruction may be given as a result of a specific query, or on a spotcheck basis.
Who may not apply to Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Bursary Scheme?
The following are not eligible to access the Ysgol Fenter y Cardi:
 Anyone with start-up costs exceeding £10,000 (including bursary)
 Anyone who has previously been self-employed.
 Anyone who has previously received European Funding.
 Statutory bodies, enterprises which provide services within main stream
areas of education, health and
 Political groups
 Those not willing to commit themselves to equality of opportunity in
respect of language, race, sex, sexual orientation, creed or, as far as
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practicable, disability. All project funded will be required to actively adhere
to the cross cutting themes of the Local Development Strategy for
Ceredigion, namely the Welsh Language Policy, the Equal Opportunities
Policy and the Information and Communication Technology Strategy
 Enterprises which intends to produce or process primary agricultural
produce
Which kinds of activities can be supported?
Any kind of activity which, in the opinion of the Panel, helps to convert an idea into a
real enterprise or community enterprise is eligible to receive a bursary. Efforts
already in progress can be supported, as well as entirely new ideas, as long as the
enterprise has not yet been established.
The following list provides some ideas of the kind of activity which Ysgol Fenter y
Cardi Bursary can support:
 Support and expert advice to develop your business idea
 Visits to similar businesses or enterprises in order to learn from their
experiences
 Cost of marketing materials to start up your business
 Purchase of essential equipment needed to operate the business (certain
conditions apply)
What kind of activities cannot be supported?
The following list provides some ideas of the kinds of activity which Ysgol Fenter y
Cardi Bursaries cannot support:
 Applications for unspecified items (e.g. cash in reserve)
 Retrospective applications; for example, we could not entertain an application
in respect of a service already provided, or an asset already purchased
 Repairs or improvements to land or buildings used for the purpose of the
business
 Any activity associated with a political campaign
 Any activity which is illegal or which, in the opinion of the Panel, advocates
law-breaking or anti-social behaviour
 Produce or process primary agricultural produce
 Activities which have not secured the correct licensees, planning permission
or any other planning permission required(further details can be had from the
Ysgol Fenter y Cardi project team)
No bursary will be awarded unless the applicant can show clearly that the business
or enterprise could not proceed without the support for which the applicant has been
made.
Bursaries will not be used to double-fund previously EC funded activities or
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infrastructure (e.g. it is not possible to fund projects from more than one fund with
European origin). Bursaries will not be used to refinance company liabilities.
Will I be monitored?
If your application is successful, you will be closely monitored in order….
 To assess whether the bursary is being spent on whatever has been
approved
 To ensure the business idea or community enterprise is proceeding in
accordance with the plans submitted
 To gather information about the activities promoted through the bursaries
Please note – this may take the form of a visit from a representative from Ceredigion
County Council, Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group, the Welsh Government or the
Rural Inspectorate of Wales
Who makes the decisions?
The Cynnal y Cardi Ysgol Fenter y Cardi assessment panel will decide on each
application. The panel is composed of representatives from the Cynnal y Cardi Local
Action Group. All successful applicants will receive an official bursary offer letter
outlining the terms and conditions of the scheme. You will also be required to sign a
agreement which lays out the full terms and conditions attached to the receipt of
Ysgol Fenter y Cardi Bursary.
Ownership of capital assets
All property purchased through this scheme shall remain the property of the Council
for a period of 12 months commencing on the date of purchase.
Please note….
If you do not complete all relevant boxes on the application form, or forget to
attach any of the supporting documents, your application will be returned to
you and you will be asked to supply missing information or document.
Processing your application will not commence until we have received a
completed application form, and have all the necessary information has been
provided.
Further information can be found through the following:
Ysgol Fenter y Cardi – Tel: 01545 574167
E-mail: [email protected]