Grants And Donations Policy

Reviewed & Approved May 2023

This document sets out the parish council’s policy and procedure for grant and donation making.

The parish council’s aim is to ensure that all our award-making activity is:

• open

• transparent

• fair

• competitive

• supports local organisations

Our yearly budgeting process is completed in November/December and offers for the following financial year cannot be made until council approves the budget estimates. Our awards are open to established voluntary or community groups, as well as new or informal groups of parishioners who are or intend by the date of application to become formally constituted.

Parish Council Powers And Section 137

A parish council has a number of powers granted under various Acts of Parliament which enable it to spend money (see website for details).

In addition, if a council lacks a particular power it may consider the use of the statutory power of Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, which permits it to spend up to a certain limit on anything which in the opinion of the council is in the interests of the parish, or any part of it, or is in the interest or all or some of its inhabitants.

This amount is limited to a figure per head of the electorate on the electoral role on 1st January before the commencement of the financial year. The figure is index-linked and for 2021/22 is £8.41 per elector.

The parish council has no obligation to spend all or any of the money available under S.137. This money is not ‘gifted’ to the parish council; it forms part of the Precept which the parish council makes on the District Council. The cost of any grants or donations is therefore reflected in residents’ council tax bills.

Who Is Eligible To Apply?

To be eligible for the award of a grant under Section 137 an organisation must:

• be established for charitable, benevolent, social, cultural, recreational or philanthropic purposes

• have a constitution, or set of rules, which define its aims, objectives and operational procedures

• be able to provide a copy of its latest annual accounts and/or most recent bank statement. Accounts are to be checked and signed by a person independent of the group

• have a bank account operated by a minimum of at least two joint signatories

What Can Be Funded?

• the project should be something that makes the local community a better place in which to live, work or visit

• it should benefit people who live in the parish

• there must be clear evidence that local people support the project and are involved in carrying it out

• applications do not have to be from groups that already exist.

• each group may only make one application per financial year

• applications will be considered for day-to-day running costs and individual projects

The Following Are Not Eligible

• support for individuals or private business projects

• projects that are the prime statutory responsibility of other government bodies

• projects that improve or benefit privately owned land or property

• projects that have already been completed or will have been by the time the grant is made

Conditions Of Support

The council may make the award of any grant subject to all or some of the following conditions. Required conditions will be at the discretion of the council and take into account your organisation’s individual circumstances.

• In order to fully understand your project or activity the parish councillors may wish to visit your project or activity, prior to the project or activity commencing. They may also wish to conduct a site visit once your funded project is underway. • As a minimum, you will write to confirm receipt of the cheque for audit purposes, or as the cheque is handed over you will sign a form or receipt at the same time.

• Funding must only be used for the purpose agreed with the parish council and if the monies are not spent on the items agreed, they must be returned.

• Funding must be spent within the financial year awarded and cannot be added wholly or partly to your reserves.

• If your project costs are more than you anticipated on your application, any shortfall must be met by you – Willingham Parish Council will not be in a position to make up any shortfall.

• The need to provide evidence of expenditure (receipted invoices) to the Clerk to the Council on completion of your project will be discretionary – based on the amount given and the purposes given. (If required, this evidence of expenditure should be equal to, or more than, the total of the amount of the grant detailed on your application.)

• Any unused funds at the end of the financial year in which the grant is paid out must be returned to Willingham Parish Council.

• You must acknowledge Willingham Parish Council’s support in all publications, publicity and annual reports.

• You should show the funding awarded separately in your published financial accounts and Willingham Parish Council should have access to your financial records, on request, where appropriate.

• A representative of your organisation should give a report at the Annual Parish Meeting (held on an evening between March and May each year) on how you spent the money and if appropriate how your project went.

When To Apply

The parish council prepares its annual budget during November/December. Organisations should therefore write/apply by the end of October in time to be considered for the main bids. Any award granted would become available for payment after April the following year.

This is a competitive process against other bids and the quality of each bid is important.

All groups will be treated equally. If an organisation has had a grant previously, they are not guaranteed to receive financial support again but are not excluded from applying again. A fresh application will be required each time.

Whilst ad-hoc requests can be made at any time, there is no guarantee that any funds will remain available.

Any unused funds will be rolled over into the next financial year.

How Will Decisions Be Made?

All bids will be judged after the closing date. The decisions will be made by Willingham Parish Council. The Council’s decision is final. Unfortunately we may not be able to fund all projects as there may be more applications that there is money available, however all applications will be considered carefully. Due account will be taken of the extent to which funding has been sought or secured from other sources or own fund-raising activities.

How To Apply

Applications should be made in writing. Please apply to the Clerk for a standard application form or download one from the parish council website at 

https://willingham-by-stow.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/   

Polices - Grant Application Forms