FPSA guidance notes for applicants 2025/26

Before you start the application, please have your documents ready for uploading. The timeline is strict, applications outside of the timeline will not be considered.  Incomplete applications will not progress to the Trustees meetings.

Attaching files – there must be NO special characters or spaces in the file names.  Files must be Word or Pdf.  Example of file name:  joebloggs_CV (you can use underscore but not hyphens).

The 5 minimum documents you will need: 

A website link, a brochure or a flyer relating to the course/conference etc. (if the amount you are applying for does not match the amount on the website link, brochure or flyer please explain why e.g. ‘The conference fees are £300.00, and the train fare is £70.00, hence my application is for £370.00.’  Please state where you found your estimated travel costs from, e.g. National Rail etc. Please add any other explanation on the amount you have applied for.

An up-to-date CV.  CV’s that take the form of a study leave application or an application to the training body are not accepted.  Guidance on CV writing can be found here

Brief supporting statement from the applicant (no more than ½ a side of A4) and further information if needed and where applicable.  What’s this?  'A short statement from you explaining what you believe to be the benefits to young people from the training you would like to undertake or from the conference you would like to attend.

Statement of support from a professional referee.  Who’s this?  This can be a peer/colleague – somebody who can vouch for you and your integrity.  This must be signed and on headed paper identifying that person’s place of work or employing authority.

Written confirmation of support from employer, line manager, professional body or organisation but specifically, the operational day to day manager who is responsible for your post.  This must indicate support and must clarify how the acquired skills will be used or applied in your current role and/or in service development.  This must be signed and on headed paper as described in the previous paragraph.

What the trustees look for in a reference:  'how long the referee has known/ worked with you for, skill level, professional integrity, why they support your application, support that you will receive so you can give the commitment to the training.  We would also like to see evidence that the training has been identified as part of an appraisal or personal development plan.  If an individual is involved with more than one application in a given funding round, either as an applicant or as a referee or both, they are required to declare this and explain how any potential conflicts of interest are being mitigated.

Study leave forms cannot be accepted.

References may come by email directly from the referee to the Secretariat secretariat@foundationpsa.org.uk or be uploaded with your application, they must be signed and be up-to-date (when they are uploaded). 

FPSA do not contact your referees on your behalf if they do not send a reference for you.

References must demonstrate which age group the appplicant is working with and must relate specifically to the course you are applying for.

General guidance on a 'fit and proper' person.

Applications will not be processed if references are submitted without being on headed paper and or without a signature.  FPSA do not accept electronic signatures.

Age range (11-18) please state the contact time you have with this group.

Guidance for applicants who are self-employed

FPSA, as part of its good Governance of the Charities funds, seeks to ensure that the funding awarded and allocated is being used appropriately by people working in the field where young people will benefit as a result.

Where applicants are employed, the Trustees seek confirmation of the manager (on behalf of the employing organisation) to confirm that the application is supported and appropriate to the applicant’s role, the employing organisation and service, and is likely to be supporting in service use of the training, techniques and/or learning acquired.  We also require evidence that the application for the training has been agreed in an appraisal or as part of one’s agreed personal development plan.  

The Trustees have become increasingly aware that we are now receiving applications from people in private and independent practice or in a sub-contracted arrangement as an independent practitioner.  This raises the question of how the Trustees can gain the same level of governance assurance as that provided in other case by that of the manager/employer.

The following are only available to applicants who are not employees of an organisation and/or are private, independent or owners of the employing organisation.

FPSA requires at least numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the following documents.  If 3 cannot be provided, then 4 will be accepted.  (They must be provided by different individuals).

1.    A personal statement by the individual of the appropriateness and applicability to their current and future service development declaring this in relation to the application and individual meeting the published criteria.
2.    A reference from a professional colleague (ideally a state registered professional) providing witness to the application and the individual meeting the published criteria.
3.    A reference from a contract manager (or similar person responsible for commissioning a service from you) who has sufficient knowledge and experience of the applicant and their practice to provide witness to the application and individual meeting the published criteria.
4.    A reference of good character from a person of good standing in the community (as per those accepted for official applications such as Passports – e.g. a professional with a Masters or Doctorate qualification and a senior position in their employing organisation) able and willing to provide witness to the application and individual meeting the published criteria.

Decision making & response: 
The trustees meet three times each year click here for the timeline.

What is the written report for?  This is your feedback on the course/training/conference and its benefits.  This will be shared with the trustees and added to the FPSA website for public viewing.  You can look at the report writing guidance notes and previous reports listed on the website to give you guidance on what to write.  Guidance can be found here http://foundationpsa.org.uk/reports

Reasons your application maybe rejected:
1)  Not adhering to the above guidance notes
2)  Incomplete applications by the deadline closing date
3)  Not completing each section of the application form in full where applicable
4)  Unsuitable references
5)  Absence of a clear breakdown of costs
6)  The quality of the application content
7)  Lack of a personal statement, please note that personal statements must give information on service focus

Should you need any further help, please contact Katy Thorne (Secretariat) on
tel:  01295 750 182 or secretariat@foundationpsa.org.uk

The FPSA privacy policy can be viewed here