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CampaignsMost applications are assessed within ten weeks, some considerably sooner.
We can make grants to groups that are charitable, educational or benevolent in purpose. You do not have to be a charity. Most successful applications are from user-led, self-help groups that can show real community support plus direct benefits resulting from the project funded. We will expect you to demonstrate in your application that your group and the proposed project work in similar ways. We specialise in giving small grants to small groups and don't normally support large projects, so please do not apply if you don’t fit the bill!
Depending on which grant you are applying for, you can normally only hold one grant from each programme at a time. This means that you could potentially hold several grants from Devon Community Foundation at one time for the same or different projects e.g. a Local Network Fund grant plus a Sport Relief grant. You can immediately reapply for a different project from the same programme if your application is rejected, but we recommend that you seek our advice before doing so.
No. We don't require applicants to secure matching funding to our grants.
Constitution
You will need to supply us with a copy of your constitution, or (if you are a new group) a set of rules that explains what you do and how you take decisions. You will need a bank or building society account with at least 2 (unrelated) signatories. If you do not have a bank or building society account, you can nominate a recognised group such as the local Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) to receive the grant on your behalf, providing you have their permission to do so.
Accounts
You will need to provide an up-to-date record of your group’s finances. If you have been running for over a year we would expect to see a full, examined set of accounts. We also need a recent, original bank statement (which will be returned to you). If you are a new group, you can supply an original bank statement plus an annual budget showing estimated income and expenditure for your group authorised by your Treasurer.
Reserves
If your group has unrestricted reserves of more than six months' running costs, it is unlikely that you will receive a grant from us unless you can satisfactorily explain to us in writing why your project cannot be supported from these funds.
Policies
If you are applying for a project that works with children and young people, you will need to enclose a copy of your group’s Child Protection Policy plus an Equal Opportunities Policy. If you do not have one of these, please contact the office before you submit an application. Devon Community Foundation can also provide free support and guidance on developing a Child Protection Policy and signpost you to Child Protection training. If you do not have a Child Protection Policy please do not let this stop you from applying, as we can offer your group a grant subject to you developing one.
Planning Permission
Applications for projects requiring planning permission should provide evidence that this permission has been granted and that you have the permission of the land owner to undertake the work.
Job Descriptions
If our grant will be meeting project staff costs, please include copies of the relevant job descriptions with your application.
Core Costs
Whilst our grants do not normally cover on-going core costs, you may include costs directly attributable to your project, such as rent and administration.
Retrospective Funding
You cannot apply for a grant for costs and services that you have already bought, ordered or committed.
Volunteers' Expenses
Reasonable volunteers' expenses, such as travel and childcare costs, can be included, but volunteers should not be financially rewarded in any other way.
Signatures
Signature 1 must be the person who completed the application form. Signature 2 should be the Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary or other senior official of your group. These people should not be related and you should supply their home addresses and phone numbers.
Referee
The referee must not be a member of your management committee, a volunteer or user of your group or a friend or member of your family. They could be your local member of the clergy, policeman, councillor or a professional local resident (e.g. solicitor, accountant, doctor or teacher) who knows your group and its activities well. Your referee should have read your application and should keep a copy for their own records. We normally ask for written references on receipt of all applications.
If the application is for a project or an activity working with children and young people, the referee should be knowledgeable on child protection issues and be prepared to vouch that the group either has a Child Protection Policy that is implemented and updated regularly or is in the process of developing one.
Your application will be acknowledged as soon as we receive it, when we send you a questionnaire about the application process. We will contact you to discuss your project further. A factual report on your project will be produced and circulated to those involved in assessing your application who will then meet to consider your request. Different grant programmes have different committees that take the decision on whether to fund your application or not. Many of these committees involve local people and are locally based. Names of the people sitting on the committee appropriate to your application can be obtained by telephoning the office. We actively discourage you from lobbying members of any Devon Community Foundation committee or staff in support of your application. You can, however speak to our staff for advice prior to submitting your application.
If your application is unsuccessful we will give you feedback as to why we could not give you support and we will, where possible, give advice on how to direct it to other, more appropriate funders.
If you are unsuccessful in getting a grant from us and you disagree with our decision, we have a Complaints Procedure you can follow. Please ask us for details.
