-
Guidance for Applications for Larger Grants
Guidance for Applications for Larger Grants
Carlton Hayes Mental Health Charity (CHMHC) reserves a portion of its income for larger projects. These might be bids for single payments, or for a series of payments spread over two or three years. The Charity is less likely to entertain bids for capital developments that will incur ongoing revenue costs, though there might be exceptional circumstances where this would not be ruled out. Larger grants consist of sums higher than our standard grant threshold of £5000.
Potential applicants are advised to approach the Trustees informally before making a bid should they wish to ascertain the likelihood of receiving sympathetic consideration.
Applications will need to demonstrate the following:
- The name of the organisation and the individual with whom communications are to be established.
- The objectives of the organisation, its governance arrangements, charity reference if applicable and the characteristics of client groups.
- A brief description of the proposal; total costs inclusive of commissioning, professional fees, and VAT; proposed location.
- A summary of expected benefits.
- Evidence of support from health or local government authorities, voluntary organisations, mental health professionals, Community Groups or others.
- Size of grant being sought.
- Other funding achieved or being sought.
- An implementation timetable, assuming application is successful.
- Confirmation of willingness of representatives to attend a panel of Trustees convened to conduct interviews to ascertain further details.
- Confirmation of willingness to comply with Trustees' requirement for progress reports if application is successful, which must include evidence that grants have been expended in line with the approved application.
- Confirmation of willingness to acknowledge the Charity in any publicity to help publicise our existence to others.
On receipt of an application officers of CHMHC will read the information provided and may seek further clarification or more information. The Trustees will then determine whether they wish to invite representatives of the applicants to attend for a panel interview or to reject the application at this stage.Interviews are intended to explore further details with applicants and to receive reassurances where necessary. Applicants will normally be advised of the outcome of their bid within 14 days of the interview, but the Trustees may wish to add further conditions of approval at this stage.
All grant payments must be made into an authorised bank account and the Trustees will require a full account of expenditure as part of subsequent progress reports.
-
Information for Grant Applicants
Information for Grant Applicants
The Carlton Hayes Mental Health Charity (CHMHC) exists to give support to people of limited means who have mental health problems. The Charity has limited funds so the Trustees have absolute discretion when making decisions on awarding grants. Smaller grants consist of sums up to £5000.
It is not possible to approve all applications, and the Trustees often have to make awards that only meet part of the bids received if there are insufficient funds to meet bids in full. A first response to bids may be to ascertain that part funding can still be used to good effect within a proposal.
CHMHC rarely makes grants to individuals, and relies heavily on statutory and voluntary organisations to advise on where support might best be offered. The Trustees particularly favour grants that might provide leverage to release other resources.
The terms of the Trust specifically preclude offering funds to replace statutory provision and beneficiaries must be residents of the City of Leicester and the Counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The Charity asks beneficiaries to acknowledge the Charity in any publicity so as to assist in widening knowledge of its existence.
Although the Trustees retain flexibility, amongst the criteria applied to the consideration of bids are the following:
- Application gives clear information of the benefits to clients and the numbers involved.
- A bidding organisation is open to all, or has clear admission criteria that are non-discriminatory.
- The proposal is clearly costed and offers good value for money.
- The proposal is not something which statutory agencies should, in our opinion, provide.
-
Policy Statement 2015
Policy Statement 2015
At the present time grants are made for patient comforts and activities both inside and outside hospital of a kind that are judged to be beneficial to patients, but unlikely to be available from the NHS. Most grants are awarded to groups of patients rather than to individuals, but there have been a number of occasions when awards have been to the benefit of individuals and we certainly interpret our Trust Purposes to allow for this. Grants may also given for the travelling expenses of patients and their carers, though this has occurred only rarely. We are always conscious of the need to avoid spending money which should be met from public funds.
Investment Policy
Investments of funds shall be entrusted to reputable advisors, at this time CCLA have been appointed for this purpose. It has been agreed that unless very compelling arguments emerge to the contrary, the capital funds shall not be expended, and all awards shall be made out of income generated from investments. Investment policy shall be aimed at seeking to grow capital over time, hoping at least to match loss of value due to inflation. Otherwise than this overarching principle, maximum income will be sought so as to maximize the benefits that are available for disposal by the Trustees.
Ethical Investments will be sought, investments in alcohol related industries shall be avoided, human rights and fair trading issues will be kept in mind.
Method of Operation
1. The Trustees will work within the principles set out in the original Trust purposes, but will interpret the wording to reflect contemporary considerations:
- Our geographical remit is for the City and County of Leicester and Rutland.
- Mental illness shall be deemed to include disabling mental conditions recognised in contemporary mental health care, including, for example: Autism spectrum, Asperger's Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Traumatic Stress Disorder, and such other conditions as may be defined in the future.
- Criteria for recognising “poverty” appropriately shall be further considered when necessary.
2. Trustees will adopt a policy that safeguards the capital at their disposal. The present Trust documentation appears to allow for the use of the endowment itself, so we do not set our faces irrevocably against using capital, though we are disinclined to do so.
3. Annual Programme. A proportion of income, at present 35% - 45%, shall be set as an annual budget for the traditional type of expenditure on smaller bids. This sum has been set in the light of experience relative to the bids received. Responsibility for this “Annual Programme” shall be delegated to an administrator. This individual would work with the CHMHC Chairman or a nominated Trustee to recommend the proposed distribution of funds and present reports on this to the CHMHC Board of Trustees so that the work can be monitored and the policies and sums committed kept under review. All grants shall be conditional on receiving a written report of the use of the funds and the benefits therefrom; should such reports not be received, the recipients will not be considered for further awards in subsequent rounds.
4. Contingency. A small sum of income, at present 10%, shall be set aside for in-year urgent applications for support which may be approved between meetings, using email communication to facilitate the same process more rapidly, if necessary using Chair's action. Should this sum not be used, it will be carried forward in the succeeding year.
5. Individual Programme. A small sum of income, at present 5%, shall be reserved for bids for individuals. Direct bids from individuals will not be considered, but should be channelled through recognised agencies so that the lack of professional expertise amongst the Trustees is unlikely to lead them to an inadvertently incorrect judgement. A protocol for bidding provides the need to ascertain:
- Family income.
- Professional recommendation.
- Value for money.
Should this sum not be used, it will be carried forward to the succeeding year.
6. Administration. Administration costs shall be minimised, aiming to be below 5% per annum. For the present, the Trustees have agreed that with the experience and background knowledge of the Trust that Shakespeare Martineau has, the firm should be retained to continue its work as the legal advisers to The Trust.
7. Long Term Programme. The Remainder of the income, at present 35% - 45%, should be reserved for more substantial projects, selected on a principle that we wish to achieve more strategic benefits, e.g. training of professionals, patients or carers; research; the creation of new care/treatment protocols; or to support organisations who reach larger numbers of clients. The aim should be to achieve a long term benefit consistent with the Charity's primary purpose.
The bidding process should be formalised with applicants being willing to submit to Trustee panel interviews (for which we might need seek assistance in an advisory capacity from appropriate professional staff). Grants might be awarded on a one off basis or committed for a longer term if the project so merited. The following areas of possible interest have been identified:
- Provision of finance specifically for the support of carers of persons suffering from mental illness.
- Provision of an advocacy service for patients and their carers.
- Provision of better rehabilitation services than are currently available.
- Finance research into therapeutic and/or teaching aspects of mental illness.
- Support for voluntary organisations open to the public that have the expertise to provide services for many clients.
It will be especially attractive to the Trustees if support can be given to projects which might provide leverage for other funders to be enjoined in providing support.
8. Developing a future agenda The CHMHC Board of Trustees will continue to invite presentations to assist in developing our thinking and is always pleased to receive views and representations related to its activities.