RPC Policies and Procedures

Grants and Donations Policy

RAUCEBY PARISH COUNCIL

GRANTS and DONATIONS POLICY

INTRODUCTION

This policy formalises Rauceby Parish Council’s procedure for making grants and donations.

For the purposes of this policy the differentiation between ‘Grants’ and ‘Donations’ is specified as follows:

  • a grant may be awarded when financial support has not been requested by a potential recipient.
  • a donation may be awarded when financial support has been requested by a potential recipient.

The PC annual budgeting process is completed in November/December and awards for the following financial year cannot be made until the PC approves the budget estimates, usually in January. 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.

AIM

To ensure that all our award making activity is

  • Open
  • Transparent
  • Fair
  • Supportive of local organisations

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO QUALIFY FOR A GRANT?

At this stage the only grant awarded by the PC is for the upkeep of the St Peter’s Church churchyard. There does not appear to be any other organisation in the parish that may qualify for a grant.

The legal basis for awarding the churchyard grant is s.214(6) of the Local Government Act 1972:

A burial authority may contribute towards any expenses incurred by any other person in providing or maintaining a cemetery in which the inhabitants of the authority's area may be buried. There is no statutory requirement for a prior request from the recipient. A parish council is a burial authority under s.214(1). "Cemetery" is defined in s.214(8) to include a burial ground or any other place for the interment of the dead — which covers a churchyard.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A DONATION?

The legal basis for awarding a donation is usually s.137 of the Local Government Act 1972 (within the constraints of this section) unless there is a specific statutory power available for the proposed expenditure.

To be eligible to receive a donation from the PC, an organisation must:

  • Be established for charitable, benevolent, social, cultural, recreational or philanthropic purposes.
  • Unless self-evident (e.g. a church or established charity), have a constitution, or set of rules, which define its aims, objectives and operational procedures.
  • Serve the Rauceby parish directly or indirectly.
  • Make an application to the PC (through the Clerk) in writing explaining the reason for the application in appropriate detail and signed by an officer of the organisation.

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED?

  • The award is to be used for something that makes the local community a better place in which to live, work or visit.
  • It should benefit directly or indirectly people who live in Rauceby parish.
  • Help will be given to new or informal groups of people who have come together to undertake new projects and priority will be given to those who are doing something which adds value to the parish community,
  • Financial support can only be used for the purpose for which the grant is given.
  • Preference will be given to local groups.

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ELIGIBLE:

  • Support for individuals, private business projects or political parties.
  • Expenditure benefiting persons outside the UK.
  • 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 donation would have been awarded.

HOW WILL DECISIONS BE MADE?

The PC may not be able to fund all projects as there may be more applications than there is money available. However, all applications will be considered carefully by the councillors in a regular PC meeting. Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria, where relevant:

  • Eligibility
  • Community support
  • Value for money
  • Environmental impact
  • Community involvement
  • Impact on key local needs
  • Feasibility
  • Likely effectiveness

 

Applicants may be invited to attend a Council meeting to explain the application to councillors.

Recipients may be asked to acknowledge Council support on any promotional material.

The discussion by the PC regarding the decision process shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting at which the decision was taken. The record shall include the nature of the donation or grant and the legal basis on which it was made.

Rauceby Parish Council reserves the right to vary the application of this Policy.

 

Adopted at the meeting of the Rauceby Parish Council, September 2026

Reviewed:

Next review: