HMPPS Small Grants Scheme Rugby at HMP High Down
HMP High Down would like to run rugby and essential skills programme for prisoners at HMP High Down, combining practical coaching with classroom-based learning. The project aims to build core life and employability skills, promote positive behaviour, and finish with a touch rugby match and participant presentations. The targeted cohort will be prisoners who have an interest in sport and who engage with our regime.
- Opening date: (Midnight)
- Closing date:
Contents
Summary
MoJ and HMPPS recognises that VCSE organisations are a huge contributor to the running of the prison service and working with people in prison. The empowering legislation for this grant is section 6 of the Offender Management Act 2007
At HMP High Down are keen to provide a specific programme for prisoners interested in teamwork through sport.
The provider will play a key role in encouraging participants to connect with the programme. Close collaboration with the Gym, Head of Reducing Re‑Offending, Activities team, Security and the Offender Management Unit will be required to select suitable learners and share ongoing feedback, concerns and examples of good practice. Regular updates on engagement and participation throughout the course and during any ongoing support will also be expected.
At the end of the programme, the provider must submit evaluation reports, learner progress information and support a celebration rugby match. All equipment must be supplied by the provider and meet security requirements. Expected outcomes include improved health, emotional resilience, stronger relationships, better engagement with support services and enhanced skills for managing behaviour and future employment.
Requirements for the providers
The supplier will need to provide their own equipment for the practical rugby sessions.
It is preferable that they have experience in working in prisons but not essential as they will be accompanied by a member of prison PE staff.
Anyone who has previous lived experience will not necessarily be excluded from working here but will need to declare this prior to entering the prison.
Benefit for the service users
We are seeking a rugby‑based programme that builds key personal and behavioural skills through practical sessions and guided learning.
The programme should use rugby’s values to develop discipline, focus and positive decision‑making, while giving participants chances to practise leadership in a supportive team setting.
Activities must promote respect, fairness, cooperation and effective communication, helping participants strengthen relationships and manage conflict. Team drills should encourage trust, problem‑solving and adaptability, with on‑pitch scenarios used to improve listening and tactical thinking.
The programme should also help participants find enjoyment in positive activity while building confidence and resilience for future challenges.
Continued support for participants after release, for those who wish to stay engaged with the provider, would be highly valued.
The grant activities will run for approximately 3/6 months in between 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027.
The total available of the grant is £10k
The total grant amount will be paid in advance, provided that the grant recipient has given sufficient assurance that the grant will be used for the stated purpose.
Eligibility
The award is open to VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations)
The voluntary sector organisation(s) or consortium receiving the grant from HMPPS, should be a registered charity or social enterprise.
Any organisation applying for funding must demonstrate that it meets the due diligence criteria before any award is made. The funding will only be given to organisations where their annual turnover is at least twice the amount of the funding that they are seeking.
Grant funding cannot be used to deliver core services which HMPPS should be delivering.
Objectives
Make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals seeking positive change.
To improve people’s experience of prison and probation through the rehabilitation activities.
To support an individual’s rehabilitation and desistance journey; and
To improve our knowledge about what activities, work to support people and to encourage rehabilitation and desistance.
Dates
The grant is open for applications until 20 February 2026 3PM
The grant scheme delivery window is between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027
How to apply
In order to submit a compliant application, applicants must complete all questions in the Apply for a Grant application form. Please note and do not exceed the word counts for each answer. Any information that is included once the word count is exceeded will not be evaluated and will not count towards the evaluated score. Responses must not include diagrams, tables, images or similar.
Applicants are permitted to submit clarification questions via email to HMPPSGrants@justice.gov.uk. For transparency, this advert will be updated throughout the competition to include any responses to questions asked by applicants.
Further information from clarification questions:
No further information.
To be eligible for funding under this grant applicants must achieve the minimum threshold score of 3 averaged across all technical questions otherwise they will be removed from the competition process. The scoring criteria is outlined below:
Score Interpretation
5 Exceeds the requirement. Exceptional demonstration shown for the proposal, how the project will be delivered, and extensive past experience detailed.
4 Satisfies the requirements and has minor additional benefits. Above average demonstration across all questions.
3 Satisfies the requirements. Demonstrates understanding and ability to a satisfactory standard.
2 Satisfies most of the requirements with some minor reservations relating to the experience, understanding and/or ability. Whilst mostly the question has been answered in a satisfactory way, one element has been omitted/offers insufficient evidence.
1 Major reservations about the experience, understanding or ability demonstrated, with little to no evidence to support the questions. More than one element has been omitted.
0 Does not meet the requirement. Does not comply or offer sufficient information to demonstrated experience, ability of understanding. Significant elements of the question has been omitted or not addressed to a satisfactory standard.
The Authority reserves the right to ask clarification questions about any elements of an application. These questions will not give applicants the opportunity to expand on the response and may only be used where applications contain minor errors or to clarify where the information presented is unclear.
The grant, if awarded, shall be awarded to the Applicant(s) who:
· has submitted an application in compliance with these instructions
· meets the eligibility criteria
· meets the minimum quality threshold of 3 questions
· achieves the highest technical score
Due diligence checks will be carried out before the award can be made. These checks may include, but are not exclusive to, financial, brand, assurance, and charitable status.
Supporting information
Conflicts of Interest
The Authority is required to prevent conflicts of interest occurring in this competition and may disqualify applicants if an actual or potential conflict of interest occurs in connection with the competition which cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated. The Authority may disqualify any applicant which attempts (or whose advisers attempt) to influence the competition in any way.
MoJ Disclaimer
The Authority shall not be committed to any course of action as a result of:
• issuing the competition documents
• communicating with an applicant or an applicant’s representatives or agents in respect of this competition exercise; or
• any other communication between the Authority (whether directly or by its agents or representatives) and any other party.
All applicants accept and acknowledge that by issuing the competition documents the Authority is not bound to accept any bid and reserves the right not to award or conclude a grant for all or any of the costs for which bids are invited.
The Authority reserves the right to apply its discretion on the amount of funding that is to be awarded to the successful applicant(s). If only part of the application is acceptable, in terms of the stated deliverables, then the Authority may only award funding on that basis.
The Authority reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate all or any part of the competition or its documentation at any time during the ITT.
The instructions in this advert, together with any other tender documentation are designed to ensure that all applicants are given equal and fair consideration. Applicants should read the instructions carefully to ensure they understand them and the conditions of participation before submitting their applications.
Failure to comply with these instructions regarding submission of the application response may result in its rejection. The Authority may reject Tenders which are substantially and materially incomplete, non-compliant, inconsistent, or vague.
Applicants should answer all questions as accurately and concisely as possible. Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring that their applications are free from error and accept that these cannot be modified after the submission deadline.
Costs incurred in submitting applications will be borne by applicants and will be defined as ineligible expenditure under the terms of the grant.
All information supplied by the Authority to applicants must be treated in confidence (unless already in the public domain) and must not be disclosed to third parties other than as is necessary for the purposes of preparing a Tender.