Grants and Donations Policy
This policy aims to simplify and quality assure Deeping St James Parish Council’s procedures for ‘donation’ and ‘grant’ making. We make no differentiation between ‘grants’ and ‘donations’ but acknowledge that the latter is the usual form of award. For reasons of accountability it is necessary to formalise the application process to ensure access, openness and fairness to the many groups and organisations which we are asked to support. The policy is informed by a number of key principles aimed at making our process more robust and user friendly.
AIM
To ensure that all our award making activity is,
• Open
• Transparent
• Fair
• Competitive
• Supports local organisations
Our awards are open to established voluntary or community groups, as well as new or informal groups of parishioners who are or intend by the date of application to become formally constituted.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
To be eligible for an award an organisation must,
• Be established for charitable, benevolent, social, cultural, recreational or philanthropic purposes
• Have a constitution, or set of rules, which define its aims, objectives and operational procedures
• Be able to provide a copy of its latest annual accounts and/or most recent Bank Statement. Accounts are to be checked and signed by a person independent of the Group
• Have a Bank Account operated by a minimum of at least two joint signatories.
WHAT CAN BE FUNDED?
• The project should be something that makes the local community a better place in which to live, work or visit.
• It should benefit people who live in the Parish.
• There must be clear evidence that local people support the project and are involved in carrying it out.
• Applications do not have to be from Groups that already exist. Help will be given to new or informal groups of people who have come together to undertake new projects and priority will be given to those who are doing something which adds value, rather than applications for running costs.
• With the exception of small community seeding or running costs, no revenue expenditure will be made available.
• Each group may only make one application per financial year.
Deeping St James Parish Council support must be acknowledged as appropriate on all publicity and promotional material including posters, advertisements, press releases and leaflets.
Financial support can only be used for the purpose for which the grant is given.
Preference will be given to local groups.
THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ELIGIBLE:
• Support for individuals or private business projects.
• Projects that are the prime statutory responsibility of other government bodies.
• Projects that simply replace existing facilities with no significant improvement.
• Projects that improve or benefit privately owned land or property.
• Projects that have already been completed or will have been by the time the grant is issued.
HOW WILL DECISIONS BE MADE?
Unfortunately, we may not be able to fund all projects, as there may be more applications than there is money available. However, all applications will be considered carefully. They will be assessed based on the following criteria: -
• General eligibility
• Community Support
• Value for Money
• Environmental impact
• Community Involvement
• Impact on key local need
• Feasibility
• Likely effectiveness
Please ensure that your application form is returned to the Parish Clerk by no later than the 15th of the month (7th in December) in which you would like your application to be considered. You may be asked to attend a meeting of the Parish Council to clarify or expand upon answers given on the form and to give a short presentation in support of your application. It is a condition of any grant made by the Parish Council that where practical, acknowledgement of the Council’s support is made on letterheads, notices, programmes etc. and that any funds which are unused are returned to the Parish Council.
Deeping St James Parish Council reserves the right to vary the application of this policy in circumstances where significant economic benefit to the district is demonstrated.
Click here to review or download the Grant Aid Application Form