BROWSE
-
Application Process for Grants
Application Process for Grants
The Voluntary Sector Unit aims to have a clear and transparent grant making process that is consistent, equitable and fair.
All potential applicants are welcome to contact us to discuss their grants request prior to submitting an application.Deadlines
There is no deadline for receipt of Neighbourhood grant applications as the Neighbourhood Committees meet throughout the year.
The turnaround for a Neighbourhood Application is typically 2 to 3 months from receipt of the application.
The deadline for receipt of Strategic, Development and Project grant applications is the end of October and for Small grant applications it is the end of January.
We will acknowledge your application, normally within seven working days of receiving it.
Applications received after the deadline are unlikely to be awarded a grant.
Assessment
Applications are assessed by a Grants Officer from the Voluntary Sector Unit and relevant specialist officers in the Council (e.g. Principal Officers for Arts, Sports, Youth or Environment). We will contact you if we have any queries about your application or if we need to clarify any of the information you have provided.
A report on each application is prepared. This report contains summary information about your organisation's activities, management, users and finances as well as details of what your grant request is for along with a recommendation for funding.
Decision
For Strategic, Development and Project grants, a final decision is made by the Council's Executive sometime between January and March. Small grants are decided by the relevant Departmental Director around March and Neighbourhood grants are decided by the relevant Neighbourhood Committee throughout the year.
After a decision has been made you will be notified in writing the outcome of your application and also sent a copy of the assessment report.
If you have been awarded a grant we will detail the terms and conditions that apply and ask you to sign a copy. Once this signed copy has been returned and any special conditions have been met your grant will be paid. Grants of over £2,000 are usually paid in two installments.
Monitoring
All grant recipients are expected to complete a brief monitoring form and confirm how the grant awarded has been spent (including providing copies of relevant invoices and receipts). For Neighbourhood, Small and Project grants under £2,000 this monitoring form is to be returned once the grant has been spent. For all larger grants a monitoring form needs to be returned after six months confirming expenditure to date, after which the second grant installment can be paid.
In addition, we try to visit as many grant aided organisations as we can each year and welcome invites to annual general meetings or other special events.