Grants and Donations Policy

Document Version Control

Version No.

Date 

Changes made by

Comment

01.00

Mar 2018

 

Reviewed at MTC 19.3.2018 Agenda item 17.5

02.00

Oct 2019

 

Reviewed at MTC 7.10.2019

Agenda item 11.1

03.00

Jun  2020

 

Updated and reviewed at MTC 15 06 20 Agenda item 10.1

03.01

Mar 2021

LS

Updated by Town Clerk for review MTC FULL COUNCIL Meeting 29 03 21

  • Added Section 2 Micro Grants
  • Added CVSCE and Data sharing in place 5(b)
  • Added links to the MTC Strategy in section 2 and 3
  • Increased Standard Conditions for all grants and made it a separate section (6)

4.00

Mar 2021

 

Reviewed at MTC 29 03 21 Agenda item 10.1

4.01

Dec 2021

HG

Added that Staff Costs can be put in the application if funded elsewhere and are used as match funding. And match funding must be demonstrated for large grants.

5.00

Dec 2021

 

Replaced references from EU GDPR to Data Protection Act 2018/UK GDPR as approved at Full Council 06/12/21

Amendments at 4.01 approved at Full Council 06/12/21

 

Contents

toc goes in here

1. Introduction

Macclesfield Town Council’s community grants are available to projects or organisations which provide benefit to the local community.

For the purposes of this policy donations and grants differ only in that a donation is given without the need to be specific about how it is used whereas a grant must be spent specifically for the purpose agreed. For example, a donation may be given to a village hall towards the general running costs without being specific about what it is spent on whereas a grant would be given towards the cost of specific project such as installation of a new security system.

2. Macclesfield Town Council Grants Programmes

Micro Grants

Grants of up to £100 for individuals or informal groups of residents.

Eligibility for the grant:

  • Your project must benefit the people of Macclesfield
  • You can be an individual
  • You can be an informal group
  • Your project must fit one of the themes laid out in our Macclesfield Town Council Strategy

Themes and Examples:

  • Environment and green spaces – An example could be to buy gardening equipment to improve local shared land.
  • Improve community spirit and community activities – e.g. setting up a reading group, or a walking group, anything that brings people to together safely.
  • History and heritage – A collective memories book or recordings and videos.
  • Community pride and tidier town – Arranging a litter pick, or equipment to help the neighbours on your street tidy their gardens.

You can apply by using the Macclesfield Micro Grants form.

Once you have applied for a grant it will go to the following people, who all must agree for the grant funding to be agreed.

  • Chair of Finance
  • Vice Chair Finance
  • One ward Councillor where the activity will take place
  • Town Clerk or Events and Community Manager

We aim for this to be a quick and easy process, so will endeavour to get back to you within one month with a decision.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

  • This will be light touch in view of the size of the grant.
  • A summation of the project outcomes and any lessons learned.
  • A few photographs if appropriate
  • Quotes for people who have benefited from the project
  • A list of projects will be presented to each Finance Committee with updates

Small Grants

Requests for grants of up to £250 must be applied for using the small grants application form. Priority is given to grant applications of £250 or less. The majority of grants offered will be around this amount.

When applying for a small grant, match funding is preferred but not essential.

Large Grants

Grants of above £250 can be applied for by completing the large grants application form. Grants between £1,000 and £2,000 will only be successful in exceptional circumstances, and where the project or event can demonstrate significant benefit to the community of Macclesfield.

All large grant applications must demonstrate match funding commitment.

3. Criteria for funding for Small and Large Grant Applications

Grants are available for organisations/projects/events which can demonstrate a proposed benefit to the community of Macclesfield. Requests will only be considered from the following categories of applicant:

  • A Macclesfield Town based charity
  • An organisation serving the needs of the citizens of Macclesfield
  • A Macclesfield based club/association/organisation serving a specific section of the community or the community as a whole

Applications will be considered based on the following:

  • The ability to demonstrate how the activity or project will benefit the residents of Macclesfield
  • Priority will be given to those projects which progress one or more of the Council’s objectives within the MTC Strategy

4. What will not be funded?

  • Staffing costs
  • Projects or events which have already taken place
  • Large grant applications which do not demonstrate match funding
  • Projects or event which are not for the benefit of the community of Macclesfield

Monitoring and Evaluation:.

  • A summation of the project outcomes – good or not so good.
  • Photographs, links to website, case studies, tags in social media stories.
  • Quotes for people who have benefited from the project.
  • Outcomes agreed e.g.  numbers of people benefiting the from the funding and the impact on their lives.

5. All funding application terms and conditions

  1. An award of a grant must give direct benefit to all or some of the inhabitants of the Town, and the size of grant should be commensurate with the benefit delivered.
  2. All grant forms received will be shared with CVS Cheshire East, an infrastructure organisation for charitable, not for profit organisations or voluntary groups, supporting them to grow and develop the communities they serve. CVS Cheshire East are contracted by MTC to support the voluntary sector. We have a data prcoessing agreement with CVSCE in place, so your data will be kept in line with the Data Protection Act 2018/UK GDPR requirements. Grant applications will be scrutinised to ensure they meet the criteria set out in the Grants and Funding Policy. Micro Grants will go to the decision makers set out in section 2.  small and large grants will be put forward for decision at the Finance Committee. Applications which do not meet the criteria will be rejected and returned. Where possible we will give feedback on why a grant has been rejected and CVSCE can offer help to support further funding applications.
  3. The Town Council does not affiliate to any political party and legally cannot provide grant or support to any party-political activity.
  4. The Council does not affiliate to any religious group; however  applications will be considered where there is a clear community wide benefit.
  5. Applications will only be considered when made on a formal application form.
  6. The Council will normally require details of the structure and funding of the organisation and may request copies of budget/accounts and business plans.
  7. The Council will require details of any project which is the subject of the application, including quality standards, costs, timescales and how the remainder of the funding will be provided.
  8. Match funding for small community grants is preferred but not essential.
  9. It is essential that large community grants demonstrate a match funding commitment.
  10. Applicants will be required to state the amount of grant sought from the Council and provide details of other grants or awards applied for or gained, which must be disclosed in full.
  11. Where projects cross financial years, the Council may “ring fence” an approved amount of grant. It will reserve the right to withdraw approval where a project does not look likely to go ahead within a 12 month period from the grant approval date.
  12. Payment will be made against a formal acceptance of the grant and terms . Staged payments may be approved for larger projects.
  13. The Council will usually only consider requests for specific projects, not on-going or core costs. The exceptions to this will be “pump-priming” to help organisations get established or organisations which deliver a substantial part of the Council’s priorities.
  14. The Council may, where it appears to be a more cost effective or efficient use of resources, prefer to act in partnership with another organisation, or provide support “in kind”, rather than provide grant assistance.
  15. An evaluation of the project must be provided once the project is complete to provide evidence that the benefits and outputs have been achieved. The evaluation form must be returned to the Council within 4 weeks of the completion of the project.
  16. The Council will advertise its Grant Scheme widely to ensure an equitable distribution of resources.
  17. The applicant acknowledges and agrees that all decisions made by the Council for such a grant request are solely a matter for and at the discretion of the Council. The applicant will provide to the Council all such assistance as is reasonably necessary to enable the Council to comply with its requirements under the Freedom of Information Action.
  18. Please be aware that if your project involves working with children and/ or vulnerable people we will need to be assured that they are safeguarded and so may come back to you for more information. In addition to your safeguarding polices.
  19. An applicant organisation is allowed one successful grant application in a single financial year (financial year running 1st April to 31st March
  20. All event or activity promotion in the public realm (banners, posters, flyers, etc) must comply with our Banners, A-boards and Signage Policy There can be no fly posting.
  21. Where an application is successful, the terms and conditions must be accepted in writing within the same financial year in which the grant is offered.
  22. Staff costs can be put in the application if funded elsewhere by other funders and used as match funding.

6. Standard conditions for all grants will be:

  1. That Macclesfield Town Council’s support of the group/charity/organisation will be recognised in all associated publicity and information material. A high-resolution MTC logo will be provided and must appear on all literature related to the project or the service the funding is for.
  2. That any equipment purchased will be branded with the Macclesfield Town Council ‘supported by’ sticker which will be supplied by the Town Council where appropriate.
  3. That all successful grant applicants with social media accounts, tag the Town Council in posts related to this grant funding and where possible use the hashtag #MacclesfieldCommunities
  4. That the grant is to be used only for the defined purposes in the committee resolution and associated grant application.
  5. That update information is supplied to the council on request and as a requirement following the completion of the funded activity.
  6. That successful grant applicants agree for details of their project to go on the Macclesfield Town Council website, social media pages and any other promotional literature.