Grant Application

The Parish Council sets aside each year a sum in its budget with a view to providing grants to support local community voluntary organisations and groups working and supporting the residents of Rock Parish.

The objective is to support and encourage a diverse range of community activities including those of a sporting and cultural nature together with those aimed at giving assistance to welfare and charitable concerns.

Conditions

The organisation/group should either be based in Rock or show some significant geographic connection with Rock Parish;

The organisation/group should directly benefit a defined group of residents living within Rock or the near vicinity;

The organisation/group should be established and preferably having a constitution or otherwise some formal system of decision making through a committee which may be accountable to its wider membership or to those for whom it provides services. The Council will not fund an individual or individuals operating in their own names under this scheme;

The organisation/group should have its own bank account for which there should be at least two authorised cheque signatories or similar control over electronic payments. Where an organisation/group is in the process of being formed it can ask an established organisation to accept and administer the grant subject to their approval and subject to that other organisation also being able to comply with these criteria;

The organisation/group should not generate financial profit for its members;

The organisation/group must demonstrate a financial need for funding whether for the purpose of a specific project or for general working requirements. It should supply copies of:

• its last audited annual accounts;
• its management accounts for the period since the last set of accounts;
• bank statements for the preceding period of twelve months.

If the application is for a specific project then full details of that should be given including an outline of what is entailed and justification as to how that would be completed;

If the application is for a specific item of expenditure then an explanation should be given as to why that is required;

The organisation/group should indicate if it has received or is in the process of seeking funding from other grant awarding bodies;

The organisation/group should provide details of its own fundraising efforts for the project or its running costs.

Procedure and timetable

Applications to be submitted to the Parish Clerk by 31^st September each year.

In October or the nearest meeting thereafter, the Parish Council assesses each application individually and decides how much (if any) should be allocated. Each applicant will be informed as to the outcome and those successful applicants will receive payment following approval.

Conditions

If a grant is awarded then the Council would require the organisation/group:

• To acknowledge the grant cheque in writing
• To acknowledge the grant in its annual report and accounts and any promotional publicity used by the organisation for promoting its activities
• To provide evidence that in the case of specific expenditure on goods or projects that it has been used for such purpose
• To be prepared to participate in any publicity that may be arranged by the Council

Only one grant application may be made in any financial year.

SJC – 08.12.17