Fen Edge Community Association Grant Policy

1        Introduction

The aim of the Fen Edge Community Association (FECA) is to promote an active and thriving community in the Fen Edge patch (Cottenham, Landbeach, Rampton, Waterbeach and Willingham). FECA recognises and supports the valuable contribution made by clubs, groups and societies and the voluntary sector to the wellbeing of the community. We provide financial support for member organisations, working for the benefit of residents.

A grant is any payment made by FECA to be used by a member organisation for a specific purpose. A grant might also include financial awards-in-kind e.g. loan of FECA assets.

The purpose of this policy is to set out the principles and procedures that guide the Trustees when they are making grants. It also provides information about the grant-making process to anyone who would like to apply to the Association for a grant.

This policy is operated by the Trustees or delegated to the Management Committee.   References to “the Trustees” below should be read to include delegated actions taken by the Management Committee.

Trustees and subcommittee members shall comply with this policy.

2        Approval of changes to this policy

Updates to this policy requires a motion in the Management Committee, to be recorded in the minutes of a Management Committee meeting.

3        Revision History

Date

Summary of changes

2020-11-19

Approved by FECA Management Committee

4        General requirements

Applications will only be considered from member groups of the Fen Edge Community Association, except for Cottenham Village College, which is considered to be a member for this purpose.

The Trustees reserve the right not to approve any grant application if, after due consideration, they determine that the resulting grant would fall outside the Association’s objects.

FECA only provides grants to support specific projects.

Grant applications must state exactly what the grant will be used for.

All applications for grants shall be made by using the on-line grant application form on FECA’s website [www.fenedge.co.uk/grant-application-form] and include all information requested on the form. An application will not normally go to the Management Committee for consideration until all required information has been provided.  Applications made by other means will not be accepted.

5        Financial criteria

FECA will only support projects that are properly costed.

Grants will not normally be awarded to members that have not been in membership for the previous six months.

Grants are generally made as single payments of between £50 and £5,000 but larger awards may be made in exceptional circumstances. Most of the grants we award are under £1,000.

Where expenditure on a single item would exceed £500 the applicant should demonstrate that best value has been sought; this may be by submitting quotations.

The Trustees will award grants to fund up to 100% of the cost of a project. However, the Trustees will consider funding part of the cost of a project where the total cost is shared with one or more other funders.

If a grant covers part of the cost of a project, the Trustees will require the applicant to provide details of the other funder(s) and the funding that they have secured or applied for.

If the grant covers only part of the cost of the project and additional funding is not yet in place the grant will be withheld until the additional funding required has been secured by the applicant.

It is not a prerequisite that a member group should provide part of the funds for its own project. However, if an organisation is able to raise part of the cost of a project itself, that will be a favourable factor in the assessment of a grant application particularly where the application is for more than £1,000.

6        What we will not fund

The Trustees will not normally approve/support grant applications for

  • funding to support the running costs or general activities of an organisation
  • projects or activities that have already been completed or taken place by the time of the grant application
  • individuals
  • purposes for which the government has a statutory responsibility to provide
  • contributions to general appeals, fundraising appeals or marketing appeals
  • religious activity which is not for wider public benefit
  • public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
  • grant-making by other organisations.
  • funding to enable organisations to provide their own services or products (for which they would usually charge) on a free or subsidised basis to a third party. 

7        When to apply

Applications for a grant can be made at any time. Trustees meet regularly during the year but procedures exist to give approvals between meetings if the application is urgent.

Grants for consideration should be submitted to FECA at least a week before the date of the next Management Committee meeting. Meeting dates are available on FECA’s website.

8        What happens to a grant application

The submitter of a grant application will receive an acknowledgement by e-mail.

The Trustees aim to make a decision on all grant applications within 2 months of the application date depending on the cycle of Management Committee meetings and any due diligence checks.

The FECA Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will perform an initial assessment of a grant application to ensure it complies with this policy.

The Trustees will meet to determine whether the grant request should be approved.

The Trustees may wish to meet with the group making the grant application to discuss the particular project.

Applicants must be prepared to provide additional information in order to help the Trustees make their decision.

9        Outcome

The Treasurer (or their delegate) will write to all applicants informing them of the outcome of their application for funding within a week of a decision being made.

A successful application may result in a conditional grant, which defines certain conditions that must be satisfied before payment for the grant will be made.

Payment will be made to the organisation within four weeks of the award being confirmed. Payment will be made as agreed between the two parties.

10 Decision-making

The decision of the Trustees on whether to award a grant is final.

The management committee, acting as delegates of the Trustees might refer a grant application to the Trustees rather than take action themselves.

The Trustees are not obliged to provide an explanation to applicants in the event that their application is not successful.

Before approving a grant, the Trustees shall:

  • Understand the project and the way in which the grant will be managed and applied;
  • Know who are the person(s) responsible for the management of the grant and for overseeing the project

Applications for project funding will generally be considered on their own merit on a case by case basis, regardless of previous rejection or receipt of grants. However:

  • Grants will not be made to a single organisation on such a regular basis that they are effectively an income stream for that organisation;
  • Trustees reserve the right to use their knowledge related to the performance of a member organization in their handling of a previous grant;
  • Trustees may give a project additional weight if:
    • it has the potential to offer continuing benefits beyond its immediate benefits (e.g. by enabling an activity stream to be established for a particular event or activity but with the possibility that that activity stream may continue, without further grant support, once the initial activity has taken place);
    • it is intended to produce a physical asset that may be of use beyond the immediate objective of the project.

11 Repayment and non-compliance

Where the grant is for a specified project or purpose, and in situations where that purpose does not proceed or where any grant or part thereof remains unused, unused funds must be returned.

Where in the Trustee’s opinion, the grant has not been used for the purposes for which it was given, the Trustees shall attempt to recover (all or part of) the grant.”.

12 Data protection

Where formal written applications have been received, or other records maintained, these will be stored and subsequently disposed of in accordance with FECA’s data protection policy.

12.1   Monitoring, Reporting and Publicity

Trustees will follow-up with successful grant applicants and may request evidence of the results and output of the project.  Such evidence might include:

  • Receipts for all expenditure above £500
  • Photographs

Successful grant applicants may be asked to take part in any publicity for the promotion of the Fen Edge Community Association and its work which may include – but is not restricted to – their name and photograph being used and publishing details of their project in the Fen Edge News and posts on the FECA website.