Shepway Community Chest Grants 2010/11

The Shepway Community Chest helps local groups to run projects with lasting benefits. It is open to not-for-profit groups including registered charities, community sports clubs and other similarly constituted groups based in and working for Shepway residents.

With the exception of one large grant of up to £20,000 grant offers will not exceed £5,000. Grants will not normally be offered towards projects costing more than £10,000 unless it can be shown that the balance of funds required is in place.

Grants will not be offered towards projects costing more than £75,000.

Projects must be started before the end of March 2011 and completed within 12 months of a grant offer being made.

Grants will not be offered to:

• precepting authorities (although they may act in partnership with eligible groups to submit grant claims e.g. a parish council may assist a community group with cash-flow)
• schools
• projects set up for private or individual benefit
• businesses other than "not for profit" companies
• projects supporting wholly political or religious activities
• projects costs incurred before a Community Chest Grant offer has been made
• running costs (such as session workers, salaries, rent, rates, utilities etc.)
• non-equipment costs of repeat events
• costs of loan repayments
• VAT costs where your organisation can reclaim these

A Grants Advisory Panel made up of District Councillors will make recommendations on projects for final decisions to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Finance. This is a non-statutory scheme and there is no appeal process against decisions taken. Decisions will be made in one round, the closing date for applications will be Friday 26th November 2010.

Notes from Shepway District Council

We aim to issue decisions to applicants before the end of December 2010.

Forward funding

Grants are paid in arrears but where this causes "cash-flow" problems we may consider paying your project up to £1,000 as "forward funding" and/or paying eligible grant monies in tranches/instalments.

Changes to your project

We will expect you to run the project as described in your application but understand that circumstances may change. If you need to change the project please contact us before doing so, so that we can decide whether or not we are able to continue to fund it.

Publicity

We require you to publicise our support for your project (for example in press releases or publications linked to your project) and we will discuss appropriate forms of publicity with you.

Grant Offers

Grant offer letters will be issued to successful applicants and these must be signed to show acceptance and returned to us before projects commence. Please ensure that you read the acceptance letter before signing and returning it to us and keep one copy for your own use.

Claiming your grant

In most cases grants will be paid in arrears once the project has been completed. To claim your grant you will have to provide us with copies of invoices showing confirmation of payment e.g. a cheque number and date paid, confirmation of BACS transfer or bank statement.

You will also need to complete a brief "end of project report" to explain how well the project worked.

Council officers may visit projects to ensure that grant monies are being spent appropriately.

Disposal of assets bought using community chest grant

If any equipment, vehicle or plant bought using Community Chest Grant is disposed of within 3 years of purchase the Council must be informed and the proceeds of any such disposal returned to the Council.

For more information and an application form contact David Illsley (01303) 853 474 or email dave.illsley@shepway.gov.uk