P12 Grants Policy Reviewed November 2022

GRANTS & FUNDING POLICY

Approved by Council on 22nd July 2019. Revised by Council on 28th November 2022.

Introduction
Newmarket Town Council have given grants for many years, mainly to the community and voluntary sector whose activities directly benefit the Town and its communities. The Council is committed to supporting and strengthening the many networks and community groups that help to make a positive difference to Newmarket as a vital place to live, work and relax. We know that the Council can make a difference through our grants process, but it is also important that we seek a relationship with many of these groups to explore other ways in which they can develop and grow as they need to.

At the discretion of the Council, grants are awarded where a clear need for financial support can be demonstrated and the project contributes towards the vision and purpose and main priorities of the Town Council.

The Council have now reviewed the Policy to reflect its current priorities.

Process
• The Council will set an annual Grants Budget, identifying approximately the split between specifically authorised expenditure & Section 137 expenditure, if at any time in the future it is not eligible to use General Power of Competence. It may ring-fence specific grants within the budget, where it has made a decision in principle. A separate budget is available to supports the Town’s twinning arrangements.

• Subject to funds being available, or other funds becoming or being made available, applications will usually be considered once each year, however if any projects for approved grants are not completed, or not all of the budget is allocated, other applications will be considered.

• For initial grant awards the deadline for applications will be 8th May; subsequent considerations deadlines will be 8th September and 8th January within each financial year. Grant applications must be received by the Town Clerk.. It is usually expected that projects will be completed by the end of the financial year. The Council will advertise its Grant Scheme to ensure an equitable distribution of resources and a schedule of awarded grants will be published on the Council’s website annually.

• During the Finance and Policy Committee meeting following each deadline date, each application will be appraised provided that all supplementary information has been supplied as required/requested. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Grants will not normally exceed £1,000; however Committee has authority to recommend grants up to £5,000 where appropriate to the following Full Council Committee meeting. Payment of grants approved will usually be made by bank transfer within one week of the decision being communicated to the applicant.

• Where an organisation requests a commitment of funds over a period of years an explanation of the reasons for medium term funding is required. The commitment to funding would not normally exceed two years.

• The Council may seek a meeting with the applicant to explore what the organisation is applying for and trying to achieve before deciding the application. A presentation to Council may be requested.

• Payment will not normally be made until a project has been completed. Payments will then only
normally be made against a formal receipt or invoice. Staged payments may be approved for larger
projects

• If payment or part payment is made in advance, the recipient will need to provide proof that the
project has been completed or activity undertaken. If the project is not completed in a reasonable
period of time or the organisation is discontinued, the Council reserves the right to reclaim any grant
paid.

• The Council may decline further grants in any year when the appropriate budget has been
committed.

Policies
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 will be commensurate with the benefit delivered, and the need for funding.

2. The Town Council as a body does not affiliate to any political party and legally cannot provide
grant or support to any party-political activity.

3. The Town Council does not affiliate to any religious group; however applications will be
considered where there is a clear community wide benefit. Applications for works on church
property will be excluded from the Grant Awards Scheme.

4. Request for grant aid will only be considered from the following categories of applicant:
• A charity based inside or outside the Town, the activities of which are of direct benefit to
residents or communities of the Town.
• A not-for-profit organisation, based within or outside the Town, which serves the needs of the
citizens or communities of the Town
• Citizens of the Town requesting grant aid with a project/event, which will be for the benefit of a
wider group.
• A Town based club/association/organisation serving specific sections of the community or the
community as a whole.
• Applications from commercial organisations will only be considered in exceptional
circumstances.
• National appeals will not normally be eligible to apply.

5. Applications will only be considered when made on a formal application form, which is available
from the Clerk or on the Council’s website.

6. Applicants will need to demonstrate how their activities or the particular project for which financial
support is being sought, will benefit the residents of Newmarket Town.

7. The Council will give priority to the projects/organisations which progress one or more of its
corporate priorities set out above.

8. The Council will normally require details of the structure and funding of the organisation, and may
request copies of budget/accounts and business plans.

9. The Council will require details of any project which is the subject of the application, including
standards to be attained, costs, timescales and how the remainder of the funding will be
provided.

10. The Council will not normally fund the whole of a project.

11. Applicants will be required to state the amount of grant sought from the Council.

12. Where projects cross financials 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 reasonable time.

13. The Council will usually only consider requests for specific projects, not day-to-day 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. Even in these cases, the ability of the
organisation to obtain core funding from other sources will be considered.

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. The Council will require as a condition of grant, the organisations to advertise the fact that grant
aid has been provided by the Council.

16. The giving of a grant one year does not set a precedent for another year.

17. The Council will identify against each grant approval, the power under which it gives the grant if it
does not hold the General Power of Competence at the time of making the decision.

18. Organisations are not restricted to the number of grant applications submitted to the Council for
grant aid over a period of time, however the history of previous applications will be considered in
the decision-making process.

19. Grants must only be used for the purpose specified in the application. All organisations in receipt
of grants will be required to provide a short report by March of each year (or when the project has
completed, if sooner) indicating how the grant was used and the benefits arising.

20. Council will usually notify successful applicants within seven days of the decision to award being
made, with payment being made directly to the nominated account via bank transfer within 14
days. If an application is unsuccessful, there is no right of appeal.