Harrow Community Action

About becoming a Harrow Community Action Partner

Who can become a HCA Partner?

• Open to organisations who don’t meet HCA’s member criteria of providing 60% + of their work in the borough of Harrow. A track record or working in Harrow is still expected. See below for full criteria.
• Organisations who meet the criteria for membership but have chosen not to become a member.

Benefit of becoming a Harrow Community Action Partner

Partners would be invited to be part of a consortium application where there is a gap in skills, expertise or capacity from within the formal membership.

Process of becoming a Harrow Community Action Partner

Step 1 – complete the initial application to become part of Harrow Community Action: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M2BFMGW

Step 2 – complete the due diligence, a link to the form will be sent on completion of stage 1.

Partner Eligibility Criteria

Prospective partners must meet the eligibility criteria outlined below. Partners of the will not automatically qualify for inclusion in consortium bids/tenders

Partners will be invited to become a delivery organisation where there is a gap in skills, expertise or capacity from within the membership.

1. Sector

Prospective partners must be a constituted not-for-profit organisation with:

• clear and transparent charitable objectives
• clear social objectives

2. Area of operation

Prospective partners must be operating in the London Borough of Harrow. The organisation must be able to demonstrate:

• A track record of providing services to residents in specific localities in the area
• A clear, robust system of accountability to service users or local communities

3. Commitment to working with the vulnerable and disengaged

The consortium has a particular focus on providing services to the most vulnerable, marginalised and excluded individuals and communities. Prospective partners must reflect this approach in their own day-to-day work.

4. Governance

Prospective partners must be well governed, including systems for recruiting, supporting and developing board members; board members must be aware of their roles and responsibilities and execute their duties efficiently and diligently.

5. Commitment to consortium working

Prospective partners must be willing to make a positive contribution to the consortium.

6. Provision of services to residents of the London Borough of Harrow

Prospective partners must be able to provide services to residents of the London Borough of Harrow. Partners, as well as providing services themselves, must be committed to using or purchasing services, where appropriate, from micro organisations within the local community and to building the local supply chain.

7. Financial Health

Prospective member organisations must be in sound financial health, so that the consortium can be assured that its sub-contractors are financially sustainable and have appropriate financial management systems in place to manage sub-contracts effectively.

8. Organisational policies

Prospective partners must have a full raft of policies (e.g. Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, etc.) that it systematically implements and regularly reviews.

9. Technical capacity

Prospective partners must have the technical capacity to hold, manage and deliver sub-contracts.

Prospective partners must be able to provide the relevant information relating to client numbers, case details, financial performance etc. Information must be provided on time and in a form that is complete, clear and accurate.

These criteria’s will be subject to regular reviews, amendments or changes at periodic intervals.