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Grants Policy

1.  INTRODUCTION:

DEFINITION:

A grant is any discretionary donation made by the Council for the specific purpose it is applied for and is generally for the well-being of the Silloth community.

OBJECTIVES:

The Council is committed, through this policy, to promote Silloth as a vibrant, active and sustainable community, and contribute to the development of projects and activities (including services) that benefit that community. In doing so, the Council is aware of its responsibility for the use of public funds and for the distribution of these funds to be managed in accordance with the law and proper standards.

RULES:

1.1  Financial grants are awarded by the Silloth Town Council when funds are available.

1.2  The Council operates a fully documented and transparent policy for awarding grants to ensure fairness and equality throughout the process.

1.3  All applications will be considered together on their individual merits. The final decision of assessment of applications and the level of any grant offered lies with the Town Council.

1.4  The Town Council will award a grant at a figure it deems suitable taking into account the contents of this policy and not necessarily the figure that has been applied for.

1.5  Grants will be judged against clear and consistent criteria, and the successful applicants are required to adhere to a number of conditions set out below in this policy.

1.6  Applications submitted without the necessary supporting documentation will not be able to be considered.

1.7  The complete application and supporting documentation must be received on or before the closing date specified.

1.8  Only one application can be submitted from an organisation each year.

1.9  The Council reserves the right to reclaim any grant not being used for the purpose specified on the application form.

1.10  Grant forms are available from the Council’s website when that year’s Grants scheme is running.

1.11  The following are not eligible to apply for grants;

  • Individuals, businesses, commercial organisations, religious groups or political parties;
  • Projects that are the statutory responsibility of other authorities;
  • Applicants who have an outstanding loan with or are financially indebted to the Council.

1.12  Grants will not be awarded for projects or activities already delivered.

2.  GRANTS

2.1  To be eligible to apply for a grant from the Council, the applicant must be able to provide and/or meet all of the following criteria;

a.  Be a voluntary/community group providing a service or activity for the benefit of the residents of Silloth-on-Solway.

b.  Applications must be made in the name of the organisation to which financial assistance is to be granted and all details on the application form must be completed.

2.2  Documentation Requirements – applicants are required to submit;

a.  A written statement of how the grant is to be used (included on the application form);

b.  A written set of rules, constitution, or other governing document are to be provided with the application. They shall be current and properly authorised;

c.  Details of a bank account held in the name of the applicant organisation requiring at least two signatures for cheque transactions or cash withdrawals;

d.  The accounts of the organisation for a period of one financial year prior to the date of application, and indicate expenditure, income, assets and liabilities, together with funding obtained from other partner bodies if appropriate;

e.  A copy of their latest annual accounts/latest bank statement/balance sheet OR (for new groups) an income and expenditure plan for their first year of operation;

f.  An Equality and/or Equal Opportunities policy (this policy may be contained within their constitution or other governing document);

g.  A copy of the organisation’s Public Liability Insurance to the value of at least £1 million;

h.  A policy to ensure the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults (where appropriate);

i.  Details of how the organisation will assess the effectiveness of the activity or project.

3.  SCORING CRITERIA

3.1  Applications will be scored against the following criteria, with a point being counted for each criterion met:

a.  Applicants have met the documentation requirements;

b.  Applicants have specified how the grant will be used;

c.  Who will benefit from the grant within the community;

d.  The applicant is a voluntary or community group;

e.  Benefits to the requesting organisation;

f.  Value for money;

g.  Existing Town Council priorities;

h.  The grant promoting Silloth town;

i.  The grant contributing to something that has not already been funded in the past by Silloth Town Council.

4.  PROCESS FLOW CHART

4.1  Silloth Town Council will publicise the timescale for awarding grants.

4.2  Application forms will be available for download from the Council’s website (silloth-on-solway.co.uk) or from the Town Clerk.

4.3  Forms should ideally be submitted electronically by email to townclerk@silloth-on-solway.co.uk but may also be submitted by post or handed in to the Council offices.

4.4  The Town Clerk will assess the application for compliance in accordance with this policy as soon as practicably possible after receiving the application. Where the application does not meet the eligibility criteria or has not provided the correct supporting documentation, the Town Clerk will contact the named contact on the application to inform them of this. It is the applicant’s responsibility to then return a completed form along with all necessary supporting documentation before the closing date.

4.5  Applications are reviewed and scored by the Town Council in accordance with this policy.

4.6  After agreement of the recommendations by all parties, appropriate arrangements will be made for payment of the agreed grants, including presentations by the Council.

5.  AWARDING GRANTS

5.1  Grants will be paid by cheque, addressed to the name of the organisation specified on the application form.

6.  MONITORING AND EVALUATION

6.1  All applicants will be supplied with a grant evaluation form with the grant which must be completed as soon as possible. Future grants will not be awarded until this is

6.2  In the event that the grant money is not spent, either for the purpose it was given or within the relevant financial year; the grant or any remaining monies must be returned back to the Council and cannot be added wholly or partly to your

6.3  If for any reason the organisation dis-band during the period of the grant the Council may ask for all or part of the monies to be paid

7.  TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLICITY

7.1  The Council will publicise the availability of discretionary grant-aid widely throughout the community.

7.2  The Council will report annually on the total spends on grants and list the groups in receipt of a grant and the use made of the grants.

7.3  In awarding grants the Council recognises and supports the valuable contribution made by the voluntary sector to the well-being of the community.

7.4  Organisations receiving Town Council grants must acknowledge the Council in any relevant publicity or publication that the Council has awarded the grant.