ARDS AND NORTH DOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT AID 2015 – 2016

GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA DOCUMENT

Purpose of Grant Aid

The purpose of the Council’s Community Development Grant Aid is to support local groups who:

  • Wish to become formally constituted (Seeding Grants)
  • Want to deliver a local project e.g. adefined piece of work, training or a project which is time bound. (Project Grants)
  • Require running costs for local community bases/resource centres, networks, which aim to improve the quality of life in our communities. (Running Costs)

The aims and objectives which underpincommunity development practice include:

  • Organising and working together
  • Identifying community needs and aspirations
  • Influence decisions which affect community life
  • Improve the quality of life in communities and society in general

General Principles Applying to Community Development Grant Aid

The following general principles will apply to Ards and North Down Borough Council’s (ANDBC) administration of the fund.

  • This is a competitive scheme and applications will be determined on the basis of merit.
  • Applications to this scheme will be open to all eligible applicants who can meet the minimum requirements and core criteria of the scheme.
  • Applicants may be able to apply to other sources of funding to enhance their application. However applicants must ensure that funding from the Council is additional, and is not used to fund any element of the application which is funded from other sources.
  • Organisations in receipt of public funding must comply with all statutory obligations regarding the delivery of and access to their events.
  • It is a prime responsibility of Council to be accountable for public monies. To this end, successful applicants will be required to provide relevant supporting information when claiming funding e.g. original receipts, original invoices and bank statements.

Exclusions

Council will not fund the following:

  • Projects/training etc. taking place outside the Borough.
  • Projects/training etc. of a commercial nature organised to make a profit.
  • Trade or professional conferences/conventions.
  • Projects that are primarily for the purposes of fundraising award ceremonies or industry events.
  • Projects training etc. which cannot demonstrate that they promote good relations and build a united and shared community.
  • Local Festivals and fun-days (refer to Community Festivals Fund)

Application Process

The Community Development Grants Scheme will normallywill open for applications at the beginning of the financial year (April 2015). A secondcall for applicationsmay be made during the financial year, subject to the availably funding. Each ‘call’ for application will be advertised in the local press and on the Council's website.The application period will normally be limited to three weeks.

The Community and Wellbeing Department will administer the scheme. The recommendations of the assessment panelwill be presented to the appropriate Council Committee for consideration and approval.

The Applicant

In order to be eligible to apply, the applicant must demonstrate the following minimum requirements:

  • Be constitutionally correct and provide appropriate governance documents.
  • Be democratically accountable, through regular public meetings, annual general meetings and be managed by a publicly elected committee.
  • Demonstrates a fair and equitable ethos through the applicants aim and objectives, in accordance with Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75).

Types of Groups Eligible for Support

Voluntary Organisations

Constituted Community Associations/Forums/Networks

Tenants/Residents Associations

Church groups

Men/Women’s Groups

Youth Groups

Types of Groups Ineligible for Support

Statutory Organisations

Individuals

Sports Clubs (Redirected to ANDBC Sports Development)

Criteria and Scoring

The above minimum requirements having been demonstrated, the following criteria will be applied:

  1. Demonstrate how the project supports the purpose of the Community Development Grant Aid, as detailed above.Q2
  2. Demonstrate the need for the project and how it will benefit the community.

Q3

  1. Demonstrate theexpected outcomes and impacts of the project and details the number of people who will be participating. Q4
  2. Demonstrate how the project will promote equality of opportunity and good relations. Q 5
  3. Demonstrate how the project tackles disadvantageQ6.1
  4. Demonstrate how the project improves and sustains communitiesQ6.2
  5. Demonstrate how the project changes people’s lives for the betterQ6.3
  6. Demonstrate how the project tackles social isolation Q6.4
  7. Demonstrate how the project improves health and wellbeingQ6.5
  8. Demonstrate how the project provides value for money Q7

When considering the grant aid being made available, the section has referred to the “Urban Regeneration and Community Development Policy Framework”, DSD(July 2012).

General Conditions

  • All applications must be; completed in full, submitted with all necessary supporting information and received by the closing date set out in the advertisement and application form. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be scored.
  • All applications should meet the minimum requirements outlined in this document.
  • Assessment of applications will be made using a system that measures and scores each of the criteria listed above and weighting may apply.
  • Retrospective applications will not be considered.
  • Successful applicants must agree any changes to the project and its funding arrangements with the Council, before implementation.
  • Successful applicants must notify the Council of any additional funding secured after submission of the application.
  • The following information should be provided in support of claims: a completed claim form with original receipts, original bank statements and a completed evaluation form. These should be submitted to Community & Well Being Directorate within 6 weeks of completion of the project.

Please note Council decision making process may take up to eight weeks, this timeline should be considered with your project timeline. Retrospective applications will not be considered.

Community Development Grant

The grant scheme will cover the following types of expenditure:

Seeding Grant up to a maximum of £200

(set up costs for New groups payable after inaugural meeting )

Project Costs Grantup to a maximum of £1000

(defined piece of work, time bound, etc)

Running Costs Grant up to a maximum of £3000

(heat, light, rent, Public Liability Insurance, stationary etc)

Those groups applying for a seeding grant are ineligible to apply for Project Grants or Running Costs Grants).

Maximum grant payable will be £4000 (i.e. a Project Grant plus a Running Costs Grant)

Subject to approval, advance payments may be provided, upon evidence of need and up to a maximum of 50% of the total grant awarded.

Upon receipt of all relevant information and eligible claims, balancing payments will normally be made within 4 weeks.

Appeals Procedure

Please refer to the Council website for further information regarding appeals procedure.

What happens next?

  • Your application will be acknowledged within one week of the closing date.
  • An Assessment Panel will score your application, and then it will be submitted to the appropriate Committee for consideration.
  • The applicant will be notified of the Councils decision, by letter of offer which will be issued, signed and accepted by applicant.

For further information please contact:

Ards and North Down Borough Council

Community and Culture

2 Church Street

Newtownards

BT23 4AP

Tel No. 0300 013 3333

Freedom of Information

Ards and North Down Borough Council is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act came into operation on 1st January 2005. Applicants should be aware that the information provided in the completed application document could be disclosed in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Council will proceed on the basis of disclosure unless an appropriate exemption applies. No information provided by applicants will be accepted “in confidence” and Ards and North Down Borough Council will not accept liability for loss as a result of any information disclosed in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Ards and North Down Borough Council does not have a discretion regarding whether or not to disclose information in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, unless an exemption applies. Decisions in relation to disclosure will be taken by appropriate individuals in Ards and North Down Borough Council having due regard to the exemptions available and the Public Interest. Applicants should be aware that despite the availability of some exemptions, information may still be disclosed if the Public Interest in its disclosure outweighs the Public Interest in maintaining the exemption. Applicants are required to highlight information included in the application documents which they consider to be commercially sensitive or confidential in nature, and should state the precise reasons, why that view is taken. In particular, issues concerning trade secrets and commercial sensitivity should be highlighted. Applicants are advised against recording unnecessary information.

In accordance with the Lord Chancellors Code of Practice on the discharge of public functions, Ards and North Down Borough Council will not accept any contractual term that purports to restrict the disclosure of information held by the Council in respect of the contract or grant process save as permitted by the Freedom of Information Act. The decision whether to disclose information rests solely with Ards and North Down Borough Council.

Ards and North Down Borough Council will consult with applicants, where it is considered appropriate, in relation to the release of controversial information.

1