- Introduction:
- The Council receives requests for grants and donations from a variety of organisations and the aim of the Policy is to encourage and support activities and projects which will benefit the Parish of Worth Matravers.
- You can apply for any amount. For a small grant the value is up to £500 and a large grant is £501 plus.
- Definitions
- A grant is awarded for a particular defined project and is applied for using the Grant Application Form. For small grant applications (£500 or under) see Appendix A. For large grant applications (£501 +) see Appendix B
- A donation is awarded for general purposes however must have significant benefit to the community.
- Power
- General Power of Competence: The Localism Act 2011 s1 p1 provides that a local authority has power to do anything that individuals generally may do. “Local authority” is defined in s8 of the Localism Act 2011. A parish council must be “eligible” for the General Power of Competence by meeting the conditions prescribed by the Secretary of State.
Worth Matravers Parish Council is currently an eligible council to exercise the General Power of Competence (GPC).
- Local councils in England without the General Power of Competence can rely upon general powers to act and spend money, including the provision of funds (grants) to other organisations or bodies, unless they are restricted from doing so. There is no restriction on a grant level awarded using a power such as the Local Government Act 1972 s145 p1(b), which enables a local council to contribute towards objectives such as the expenses of providing a theatre.
- Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 is the power of last resort. If no general power is available a Parish Council may still award a grant to other organisations or bodies under this provision. A restriction as noted in the Local Government Act s137 p1 requires that such expenditure “…..is in the interests of, and will bring direct benefit to, their area or any part of it or all or some of its inhabitants….”
- The normal use to which this power is applied by local Councils is to provide funding to local organisations,
e.g. Pre-School Groups, Scout Groups, Senior Citizens Groups etc. but clearly, one of the most important restrictions is that a grant cannot be made to an individual for their own use, no matter what use and how good a cause that use may be.
- Section 137 p4(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 for Parish Councils in England states “The expenditure of a local authority under this section in any financial year shall not exceed the amount produced by multiplying: (a)such sum as is for the time being appropriate to the authority under [F5 Schedule 12B to this Act], by (b)the relevant population of the authority’s area.”
- The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities advised that the appropriate sum for the purpose of section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 for parish and town councils in England for 2025-26 is £11.10 per elector. This calculation is the largest annual amount the Parish Council can distribute using Section 137 powers.
- S.137 cannot be used by a local council in England that is eligible to exercise the General Power of Competence except to donate money to certain charities and appeals (section 137(3)).
- Availability:
- Grants are entirely discretionary and depend on the availability of funds. There are many factors which can change the amount of funding (if any) that could be used for grants. Also, each year is a separate process (and may use different assessment criteria) and so no previous history of funding should be taken as an indication of future funding.
- Objectives:
- The Council is committed, through this policy, to promote Harmans Cross and Worth Matravers as vibrant, active, and sustainable communities, 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 following the law and proper standards.
- Grant application rules and criteria
- Applicants do not have to live in the Parish, but the point of delivery must be based within the Parish or be supporting members of the community to engage in activities based outside the Parish.
- 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.
- “Upward funders” i.e. local groups where fund-raising is sent to a central HQ for redistribution.
- All applications for grants must complete the Council’s application form, and send them to the Council Clerk, who shall arrange for those applications which meet the Council’s criteria to be considered at the next Parish Council meeting.
- Applications must be made in the name of the organisation requesting financial aid, with all details on the application form completed.
- Grants cannot be awarded after the relevant event or project has been completed.
- GDPR: By completing the application form, applicants consent to their personal details being held and made available for Parish Council deliberations.
- A grant made by the Council is a payment to be used by an organisation for a specific purpose in the furtherance of the well-being of the local community, where that purpose is not directly controlled or administered by the Council.
- The Council sets aside an annual fixed amount for grants and donations. Once the fixed amount has been used then any further applications will not be considered until the following fiscal year. However, should there be extenuating circumstances, the Council may consider and agree to use money from its reserves to meet any grant request.
- The administration and accounting for any grant or donation is the responsibility of the recipient.
- Only one grant will be awarded to any group or organisation, or for any particular purpose, in a fiscal year (1st April to 31st March), unless there are exceptional circumstances.
- The Council will consider the amount and frequency of previous awards to ensure fair distribution.
- The Council may impose conditions on awards, such as requiring invoices or photographic evidence of project completion.
- The Council reserves the right to reclaim any grant not used for the specified purpose.
- Applications will be assessed on merit and the benefits to the local community. Applicants must provide as much information as possible, along with all required supporting documents. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
- All applications will be considered on their individual merits. The full Council has the final decision on application assessments and grant amounts.
- The Council may award a different grant amount than requested, based on policy considerations.
- Grants will be judged against clear and consistent criteria, and the successful applicants may be required to adhere to a number of conditions outlined in this policy.
- The Council’s decision on any application is final and there is no right of appeal.
- The Council reserves the right to decline any application without giving reasons for its decision.
- The Council will not commit to any continuing expenditure.
- If a Council Member is part of an organisation applying for funding, they must declare an interest and abstain from voting, in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Advice may be sought from the Monitoring Officer.
- Documentation requirements.
For all grant applications:
- A written statement of how the grant is to be used.
- A copy of the organisation’s written rules, constitution, or other governing document must be provided with the application. These documents shall be current and properly authorised.
- 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.
- A copy of the organisation’s Public Liability Insurance to the value of at least £1 million.
For grant applications equal to or greater than £500 the following must ALSO be supplied.
- Details of a bank account held in the name of the applicant organisation requiring at least two signatures.
- The accounts of the organisation for a period of one fiscal year prior to the date of application, and indicate expenditure, income, assets, and liabilities, together with funding obtained from other partner bodies if appropriate.
- An Equality and/or Equal Opportunities policy (this policy may be contained within their constitution or other governing document).
- A policy to ensure the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults (where appropriate).
- Details of how the organisation will evaluate the effectiveness of the activity or project (section included on the application form).
- Conditions
- The Parish Council will assess applications with reference to the number of Parishioners likely to benefit.
- The grant or donations shall be used only for the stated purpose otherwise the monies shall be returned to the Council, except where the Council’s prior written consent has been given for the funds to be used for another purpose.
- The Council request that applicants provide written feedback explaining how the grant has benefited their group or organisation.
- The Council reserves the right to request repayment of any grant where an applicant does not comply with these conditions.
- How to apply:
Applications should be made by completing an application form available at the end of this policy. A copy can be sent via email on request to the Parish Clerk: Clerk@worthmatraversparishcouncil.gov.uk
- Successful Applications
Once a grant application has been approved, the payment of the grant shall be added to the payment schedule.
APPENDIX A – SMALL GRANT APPLICATION FORM
N.B.
- Personal data will be redacted before this form is published.
- This form is for grants up to £500; for awards over this amount please use the Large Grant Form.
- To avoid delays in processing your application, please take time to read the Grant Awarding Policy before submitting your form and make sure to attach all additional information that we have requested.
- Please ensure your application is submitted in plenty of time: we cannot pay for project costs that you have already incurred
Contact Details
| Applicant Name | |
| Applicant Address | |
| Organisation Name | |
| Organisation Address (if different to above) | |
| Organisation Type | |
| Contact Telephone Number | |
| Contact Email Address |
About your Project
| Project Name | |
| What specific purpose are you seeking funding for? | |
| Why do you want to carry out this project? | |
| How do you know it is needed? | |
| Who will benefit and what difference will it make? | |
| Proposed timing of the project / spending of the money. (Start / End date) |
Payment Details
| All grants are paid by BACS. Please give your organisation BACS details below (we cannot make payment into a personal or business account). | |
| Bank Name | |
| Account Number | |
| Sort Code | |
| Name as it appears on the bank statement | |
Finance
| What is the total cost of your project and how have you arrived at that cost? (Please include quotes where applicable) |
| How much money are you applying for? |
| What other funding opportunities have been identified? (Include details of internal fundraising and external grants. Also include details of any in-kind support, such as people giving their professional skills or time for free) |
| If you are awarded all grants will there, be a shortfall? if so, how much? |
| How will any potential shortfall during the project be addressed? |
Supporting Information
| For Small Grants of up to £500, applicants are required to submit: | Tick if enclosed |
| A written statement of how the grant is to be used. | ☐ |
| A copy of the organisation’s written rules, constitution, or other governing document must be provided with the application. These documents shall be current and properly authorised. | ☐ |
| 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. | ☐ |
| A copy of the organisation’s Public Liability Insurance to the value of at least £1 million. | ☐ |
Declaration
| By submitting this funding application, I confirm: | |
| That I am authorised by the group to apply for grant funding. | ☐ |
| That this application complies with Council’s grant funding criteria. | ☐ |
| The group agrees to provide a report after 6 months of an award being made as a condition of funding. | ☐ |
| The application is accompanied by all supporting documentation listed in Section D. | ☐ |
| That any unspent monies shall be returned to Council. | ☐ |
| Should this organisation be discontinued, funds up to the value of this grant will be returned to the Parish Council. | ☐ |
Send this completed form with accompanying documents (e.g. quotes) to the Parish Clerk via email: clerk@worthmatraversparishcouncil.gov.uk
If you have any queries or require any help completing this form, please contact us in the first instance
Signed. Date
APPENDIX B – LARGE GRANT APPLICATION FORM
N.B.
- Personal data will be redacted before this form is published.
- This form is for grants over £500; for awards of £500 or less please use the Small Grant Form.
- To avoid delays in processing your application, please take time to read the Grant Awarding Policy before submitting your form and make sure to attach all additional information that we have requested.
- Please ensure your application is submitted in plenty of time: we cannot pay for project costs that you have already incurred
Contact Details
| Applicant Name | |
| Applicant Address | |
| Organisation Name | |
| Organisation Address (if different to above) | |
| Organisation Type | |
| Contact Telephone Number | |
| Contact Email Address |
About your Project
| Project Name | |
| What specific purpose are you seeking funding for? | |
| Why do you want to carry out this project? | |
| How do you know it is needed? | |
| Who will benefit and what difference will it make? | |
| Proposed timing of the project / spending of the money. (Start / End date) |
Payment Details
| All grants are paid by BACS. Please give your organisation BACS details below (we cannot make payment into a personal or business account). | |
| Bank Name | |
| Account Number | |
| Sort Code | |
| Name as it appears on the bank statement | |
Finance
| What is the total cost of your project and how have you arrived at that cost? (Please attached quotes) | |
| How much money are you applying for? | |
| What other funding opportunities have been identified? (Include details of fundraising, other external grants, details of any in-kind support, such as people giving their professional skills or time for free) | |
| If you are awarded all grants will there be a shortfall? if so how much? | . |
| How will any potential shortfall during the project be addressed? |
Supporting Information
| For Small Grants of up to £500, applicants are required to submit: | Tick if enclosed |
| A written statement of how the grant is to be used. | ☐ |
| A copy of the organisation’s written rules, constitution, or other governing document must be provided with the application. These documents shall be current. | ☐ |
| 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. | ☐ |
| A copy of the organisation’s Public Liability Insurance to the value of at least £1 million. | ☐ |
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Effectiveness
Please supply details of how you will monitor progress of your project / activity and how you will evaluate its effectiveness.
Declaration
| By submitting this funding application, I confirm: | |
| That I am authorised by the group to apply for grant funding. | ☐ |
| That this application complies with Council’s grant funding criteria. | ☐ |
| That the group agrees to provide a report after 6 months of any award being made. | ☐ |
| The application is accompanied by all supporting documentation listed in Section D. | ☐ |
| That any unspent monies shall be returned to Council. | ☐ |
| Should the organisation be discontinued, funds up to the value of this grant will be returned. | ☐ |
Send this completed form with accompanying documents (e.g. quotes) to the Parish Clerk via email: clerk@worthmatraversparishcouncil.gov.uk
If you have any queries or require any help completing this form, please contact us in the first instance
Signed. Date