Grant Awarding Policy and Procedure for Gurnard Parish Council
Introduction to Policy
A grant is any payment or gift made by the Parish Council to an organisation for a specific purpose that will benefit the Parish, or residents of the Parish, and which is not directly controlled or administered by the Parish Council. The law requires that Section 137 grants must be “in the interests of or will directly benefit the area or its inhabitants, or of part of it, or some of it” and “the direct benefit should be commensurate with expenditure”. Similar considerations will apply when considering applications for other grants.
Policy
The Parish Council awards grants, at its absolute discretion, to organisations which can demonstrate a clear need for financial support to achieve an objective which will benefit the Parish by:-
Providing a service to Gurnard.
Enhancing the quality of life of Gurnard residents.
Financial sustainability and viability of group and/or project
Improving the environment, and promoting the Parish of Gurnard in a positive way.
The Parish Council will NOT award grants to:-
Private individuals,
Commercial organisations,
Purposes for which there is a statutory duty upon other local or central government departments to fund or provide, “Upward funders”. i.e. local groups where fund-raising is sent to a central HQ for redistribution.
Political parties,
Religious organisations: unless for a purpose which does not discriminate on grounds of belief
This list is not exclusive, and may be added to at the council’s discretion.
Only one application for a grant will be considered from any organisation in any one financial year.
Ongoing commitments to award grants in future years will not be made. A fresh application will be required each year. This will be at the discretion of the council.
Grants will not be made retrospectively.
Application Procedure
A completed application form,
Copies of their last year end accounts,
Organisations will normally be expected to have clear written aims and objectives, and a separate bank account controlled by more than one signatory.
Assessment Procedure
At the Parish Council’s specific annual budgeting meeting an amount will be set from which grants will be awarded during the following financial year.
Once the grants budget is exhausted, the Parish Council will only consider emergency requests for assistance, and generally only from organisations with whom it has close links.
An unplanned grant request, once received in writing, will be considered by the grants panel and its recommendations discussed at the next meeting of the Parish Council.
A grants Panel will be appointed at the A.G.M. each year consisting of three Parish Councillors.
All applications will be discussed by the panel and recommendations made to the Parish Council before any decision is made.
Each application will be assessed on its own merits. However, to ensure as fair a distribution as possible of available funds, the Parish Council will take into account the amount and frequency of any previous awards, and the geographical spread within the parish. Due account may also be taken of the extent to which funding has been sought or secured from other sources or fund raising activities.
The Parish Council may make the award of any grant or subsidy subject to such additional conditions and requirements as it considers appropriate. The Parish Council reserves the right to refuse any grant application which it considers to be inappropriate, or against the objectives of the Council, or national organisations.
All applicants will be informed in writing of the Parish Council decision.
Successful Applications
A grant award must only be used for the purpose stated on the application. If the organisation is unable to use the money, or any part of it, for the purpose stated, then all monies, or unexpended part of such monies must be returned to the Parish Council. The Parish Council may request proof of expenditure.
Organisations receiving grants are required to advise their users/members that the grant or equipment has been received from Gurnard Parish Council. Where appropriate, the Parish Council may require a notice to be affixed.
Where equipment is gifted to an organisation, The Parish Council requires that it be insured and maintained at the expense of the user.
Approved and adopted by Gurnard Parish Council 14 January 2016
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 12 January 2017
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 12 December 2018
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 11 December 2019
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 11 November 2020
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 8 December 2021
Reviewed, no amendments by Gurnard Parish Council 14 December 2022