Guidance Notes for Organisations

This is a guide to the Charity's current grant policies and procedures.
We would ask you to read these notes carefully to verify that both your organisation and your project are within our policies before applying. You are welcome to contact the Grants Office at any stage of your application for advice and guidance by telephone or in writing.

Who may apply

Only registered charities in the U.K. whose primary objectives are to assist one or more of the following groups:

1. Disadvantaged/underprivileged young people (persons under 25)
2. People with disabilities (physical or learning disabilities or mental health problems)
3. Older people (aged over 60)

We do not respond to organisations who do not meet the above criteria.

Type of grants offered  We have two programmes for organisations:

Large grants – one off payments for capital expenditure of approximately £2,000 and over

i.e. furniture and equipment (excluding office items); building or refurbishment projects.
Please note that we do not fund running costs.

Small grants - Donations of up to £500 towards furnishings and equipment (excluding office items) for small projects. This programme is more suitable for smaller organisations.

Amount of grant 

The amount offered will usually depend on the number of applications received in relation to the funds available for distribution. You may therefore not receive the full amount requested.

Major appeals 

In the case of major appeals and minibuses please apply after 75% of the funding has been secured, as offers are conditional upon the balance being raised and the project completed within one year. We also require grants to be taken up within 12 months of the offer and it is essential to ascertain that your project is likely to be completed within this time scale before applying.

When to apply Applications may be submitted at any time and will be considered at the next appropriate Board meeting. Applications for Small Grants are considered monthly.

How to apply Please see pages 2 and 3 of these notes. You are welcome to telephone this office for advice and guidance at any stage of your application.

WHO the Charity will fund

The Charity will consider capital funding for the following projects and schemes:

1. Disadvantaged/underprivileged young people (persons under 25)
   Supported housing schemes and educational and training projects to encourage disadvantaged young people who may be homeless and/or unemployed away from crime, substance/alcohol misuse and homelessness.
   
   Facilities for recreational activities and outdoor pursuits specifically for young people who are educationally or socially underprivileged or disadvantaged
    
2. People with disabilities (physical or learning disabilities or mental health problems)
   Residential, respite care, occupational and recreational establishments for children, young people and adults with physical or learning disabilities or enduring mental health problems
    
3. Older people (aged over 60)
   
   Day centres, nursing and residential homes, sheltered accommodation and respite care for the frail or sufferers from dementia or age related disorders
   
   Projects to encourage older people to maintain their independence.
    

What the Charity does NOT fund (These are some examples and the list is not exhaustive) 

Running expenses for the organisation or individual projects
Salaries, training costs or office equipment/furniture
Projects for general community use e.g. community centre and church halls
Disabled access to community buildings
Publication costs e.g. printing/distributing promotional and information leaflets
Projects that have been completed
Items that have already been purchased
Provision of disabled facilities in schemes mainly for the able-bodied
General funding/circularised appeals 
Pre-schools or playgroups (other than predominantly for disabled children)
Play schemes/summer schemes
Holidays or expeditions for individuals or groups
Trips, activities or events
Community sports/play area facilities
Consumables (e.g. stationery, arts and crafts materials)
Refurbishment or repair of places of worship/church halls
Research projects
Mainstream pre-schools, Schools, Colleges and Universities (other than special schools)
Welfare Funds for individuals 
Hospital/medical equipment
Works to premises not used primarily by the eligible groups

HOW TO APPLY

LARGE GRANTS (£2000 and over)

1. A summary outlining the amount you are requesting and what the funding is for.
2. A brief history of your Charity, its objectives and work
3. Description of the project and what you intend to achieve
4. A copy of your most recent Annual Report and audited Accounts
5. Details of funds already raised and other sources that you have approached
6. Proposals to monitor and evaluate the project
7. Any other relevant information that will help to explain your application
8. The following additional information that applies to your appeal

Building/Refurbishment appeals 

• A statement of all costs involved. Please itemise major items and professional fees
• Confirmation that the project has on-going revenue funding
• Confirmation that all planning and other consents and building regulations approvals have been obtained
• Details of ownership of the premises and if leased, the length of the unexpired term
• Timetable of construction/refurbishment and anticipated date of completion

Equipment appeals

• An itemised list of all equipment with estimate of costs. Please obtain at least 2 competitive estimates except where this is not practicable e.g. specialised equipment
• When you plan to purchase the equipment.

Contribution towards purchase of minibuses

Please note that minibuses can only be considered if used to transport older and/or disabled people with mobility problems.

• Please give details of provision made for insurance, tax and maintenance etc. We require confirmation that your organisation can meet future running costs.

SMALL GRANTS (up to £500)

Please apply on your organisation's headed notepaper with the following information:

1. Brief details about your organisation and its work
2. A copy of your most recent annual accounts
3. Outline of the project and its principal aims
4. Breakdown of the cost of item/s required
5. The organisation's bank account name to which the cheque should be made payable if a grant is approved. (We cannot make cheques payable to individuals).
6. If your organisation is not a registered charity, please supply a reference from a registered charity with whom you work or from the local Voluntary Service Council.

How we deal with LARGE GRANT applications

When do we ask for additional information and why?

We may telephone or write to you for further information if this is necessary to understand and assess your application fully. This does not mean that funding is guaranteed however all applications within the Charity’s criteria will be considered and the applicants notified of the decision, in due course.

If a grant is offered, when will payment be made?

• Building work - When we receive a copy of the builder’s certificate for payment (interim or final
• Equipment/furniture – When we receive a copy of the invoice.

Please note that we shall make payment only to your organisation and not direct to the supplier.

Is there a time limit on offers??

We require all large grants to be taken up within 12 months of the date of approval to avoid funds being committed to projects that are unable to proceed or have been delayed for any reason. This helps us to release funds to support other causes. We would ask you to bear this in mind when applying so that offers do not lapse before you are in a position to proceed.

What are the requirements after the grant is paid?

We may ask you to provide a report after the grant is paid describing the outcome and what the project has achieved. This helps us to monitor the use of our funds. We may visit your organisation to evaluate the use of the grant..

Can organisations re-apply for a grant?

Yes, after 12 months of receiving a grant. Please allow at least one year from the date of payment before reapplying. If your application was not successful, you can re-apply after 12 months from the date of refusal.

While we shall always do our best to help, the Charity receives many more applications, for both large and small grants, than it can fund and some will regrettably be unsuccessful. Please note that the Charity’s decision is final.