Adopted by the Council on 19th February 2024
Who can apply?
Although funding is limited, the Parish Council will aim to distribute funds to those who need it most, whether it is working with disadvantaged groups, health, social inclusion, sports events, charitable events, a trip or new initiatives and projects. We are pleased to consider any application that will benefit people living within Stansted Mountfitchet.
What we look for in an application
Does the project benefit residents of the parish of Stansted Mountfitchet?
How many residents have benefited over the last 12 months?
What are the lasting benefits of the project?
Is the application realistic?
Have you applied for funding from other sources?
Is the application form filled in completely and correctly?
Will the project be well run and effectively managed?
Will the project be all-inculsive?
A criterion for awarding the grant is that the recipient acknowledges funds from Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council and attends the Annual Parsh Meeting under a section for “Successful Applicants”.
How to apply
We recommend that your application be planned will in advance and sent to us before any event takes place. It can be sent to us at any time and you only need to fill out one form. Carefully complete the enclosed application form and send it to us, ensuring, if applicable, all the relevant documents are enclosed.
Accounts – If you organisation has accounts please supply photocopies of the last 12 months of your account statements. If you do not have up to date accounts, please supply us with a 12 month forecast of accounts for your project.
Constitution – Where applicable please supply us with a copy of your organisation’s constitution.
Charity Registration Number – Where applicable please supply us with your organisation’s charity registration number
Written Quotations – For all applications, requiring equipment purchase we will require 2 quotes. For all applications requiring building work we will require 3 quotes.
Guidance for completing the grant application
Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council has a passion for community work and wishes to help, support and promote local groups, projects and activities. Funding is available to groups delivering community benefit for the residents of Stansted Mountfitchet.
Funding can be awarded for capital and/or resourcing costs.
Typical examples of funded activities include:
- Reduced hire fee for use of Parish Council managed facilities (e.g.Day Centre and Mountfitchet Exchange meeting rooms).
- Core operational costs such a staffing rent, rates, utility bills
- Project costs: material or resourcing costs to deliver a particular project or activity.
This is not an exhaustive list and fair consideration will be given to any project or proposal which seeks to improve the quality of life or opportunities for the local community.
Grants will be awarded at the F&GP Committee’s discretion up to a maximum of the amount in the approved budget.
Any amount remaining in this budget at the financial year end, may be rolled over into the Grants Earmarked Reserve.
Only one application per group/organisation per financial year.
The application form at the end of these guidelines should be used for either of the grant applications.
The application form is presented in sections for completion being:
Section 1: About the applicant
Section 2: Details of the project/funding request
Section 3: Funding requirements (financial information)
Section 4: Contact details
All sections of the application form must be completed.
Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered
The Council may seek to recover any grants following the sale of any property or equipment within 5 years of the grant being awarded. The grant recipient must notify the Parish Council in advance of any such sale.
What happens to your application?
1 Return your form to:
Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council
The Mountfitchet Exchange
Crafton Green
72 Chapel Hill
Stansted Mountfitchet
Essex CM24 8AQ
Tel: 01279 813214 // Email: info@stanstedmountfitchet-pc.gov.uk
2 On receipt of your application, it will:
- Be reviewed by Officers to ensure it is complete and all appropriate supporting material (as detailed on the application form) has been provided.
- In the event of any queries, you may be contacted by an Officer to provide further information.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered by the F&GP Committee therefore it is important that the application form is fully completed along with all supporting documentation.
3 Consideration of your applications, it will:
- Grants are considered by the Finance and General Purposes Committee who meet approx. every 6 weeks.
- Dates of the meetings are on the this website and in The Link.
- Completed application forms MUST be received in the Parish Council offices at least one week prior to the meeting date.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting to speak further in support of your request and to address any queries from the Committee (this may be in person or via Zoom)
- You will be advised by an Officer of the date and time when your application will be considered.
4 Committee decision:
- You will be notified in writing of the Committee’s decision
- If your request has been successful, you will be provided with details of how to claim your grant money.
- If your request has been declined, you will be provided with reasons for refusal. There is no appeal system, and the decision of the Committee is final.
5 Successful Applicants:
Must provide a statement setting out how the money has been applied, this can be done by:
- Sending us copies of the relevant invoices and/or receipts, or
- Submitting a statement confirming how the money has been applied, or
- By supplying a copy of your annual report and accounts
6 Award Conditions
- Applicants must acknowledge the grant funding from Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council – we will send you the Parish Council logo for inclusion on publicity material.
- Applications must agree to take part in any publicity campaigns relating to the promotion of fund outcomes.
- Applicants must attend the Annual Parish Meeting to provide a written and verbal update on their project and how the funding from Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council has been used.
- Applicants give their consent for Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council to share success stories and pictures to the press and other partners for them to promote your success stories.
- Applicants must send records of invoices and expenditure in respect to the grant awarded and present them to the Parish Council once items have been purchased.
- The award must only be used for the purposes stipulated in the original application. Any proposed variance must be agreed by Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council, both in writing and in advance of any associated expenditure being incurred.
- The applicant agrees to provide periodic update reports on project achievements when requested by Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council.
- If there is a launch to this project the Parish Council must be informed and reserve the right to provide a representative to attend and speak to the launch.
7 Monitoring and Evaluation
It is important for the Parish Council to evaluate the success and benefit of its grant scheme. If your grant is successful, we will ask you for feedback on your event or project. A form will be supplied to you asking for the following information:
- How many people attended the event or activity?
- Did the project meet the expectations as outlined in box 13 of the grant form?
- How did the Parish Council grant funding support your activity?
- Would you have continued without Parish Council funding?
- Provide evidence and details of promotional material and press releases of your event, including evidence of the Parish Council’s support (which must include our logo)