The Promise Partnership – Governance and Transparency

Corra’s role

The Promise Partnership began in March 2020 to enable work to deliver on The Promise. It is managed by Corra Foundation.

Between 2021 and 2022, grants totalling £8.5m were made through the Promise Partnership. £8m of this was Scottish Government funding, with an additional £0.5m from independent funders, STV Children’s Appeal and Cattanach.

In June 2021, the Deputy First Minister confirmed a further £12m (over 2022-25) of investment. Following an open tendering process, Corra was chosen to manage these funds.

Of the £12m, £11,837,173 has so far been awarded. The management fee being paid to Corra over the three year period totals £749,283, representing 6.2% of the funds being managed.

Responsibility and accountability for The Promise Partnership rests with Corra’s CEO, with additional support and oversight provided by Corra’s Head of Learning and Development.

Programme design and decision making

An Advisory Group provides guidance and challenge on the parameters and criteria of the Promise Partnership. This group oversaw and approved the development of the fund criteria and application materials. The Advisory Group is independent, voluntary and includes people with a range of professional skills and expertise along with lived experience of Scotland’s ‘care system’.

Funding decisions are made by a separate Decision Makers Panel. This was made up of people with a range of skills and expertise, all of whom had lived experience of Scotland’s ‘care system’. All panel members are paid for their time in preparing for and attending meetings, assessing applications, and any additional work to support the fund.

Corra openly recruited for the Decision Makers Panel. This involved advertising a role for people with lived experience of the ‘care system as well as a commitment to the vision of the Promise and an understanding of what it will take for Scotland to realise this. The advert was shared through Corra’s networks and across social media platforms. Corra staff spoke with people who had expressed an interest in being involved. They had an opportunity to ask questions about the role, commitment and also allowed Corra staff to ask questions about their skills and suitability for the role.

The involvement of people with direct experience of an issue in grant making (also known as ‘participatory grant making’) is an important way of ensuring power sits with people who are directly impacted by issues. Over many years, Corra has worked on doing this well. This includes seeking diversity in membership of panels, providing support and grant making expertise, and ensuring good governance arrangements are in place.

In some instances it is only possible to apply a participatory approach if panel members have the option of not being named publicly. Otherwise recruitment would not be possible. By naming someone as part of a lived experience panel, Corra would be disclosing that person’s connection to the issue that is the focus of the fund. Where this relates to sensitive aspects of people’s lives, for example experience of the ‘care system’, or drugs and alcohol, we respect the person’s choice of whether or not to be publicly named. We also have duties under Data Protection legislation not to disclose this type of information without someone’s consent.

Management of conflicts of interest

A Memorandum of Understanding is in place between Corra Foundation and The Promise Scotland. This is one of the ways in which respective roles are clear, and conflicts of interest are avoided.

No staff of The Promise Scotland, or member of the Oversight Board have any involvement in grant making through The Promise Partnership. They are not eligible to be on the Advisory Group and/or Decision Makers Panel.

Corra’s board of Trustees have a long-standing commitment to supporting the work of The Promise, and before that The Independent Care Review. In 2017, Trustees agreed to an arrangement that allowed then Chief Executive Fiona Duncan to chair the Independent Care Review, whilst continuing her role at Corra. This was recorded through Corra’s conflict of interest process and a set of actions were agreed to avoid any issues of conflict from occurring. This included the Chief Executive being removed from all matters relating to Scottish Government funds managed by Corra and these matters being dealt with by another member of the Senior Management Team, and subsequently by the newly created Deputy Chief Executive post.

Since 2021, Fiona Duncan has been seconded to The Promise Scotland and in that time she has not been involved in any of Corra’s grant making or governance. In 2022 she stepped back as Chief Executive at Corra and continues to deliver a one-day a week role as Strategic Director.

Openness and transparency

Corra publishes information on all the grants it makes. This is available on 360 Giving.