What’s new atHertfordshire Community

Foundation?

Who are we and what do we do?

The Foundation has two main roles:

1. To encourage philanthropy within the county and provide a professional and flexible service to our donors to help them fulfil their charitable giving aims.

2. Distribute a diverse range of funding streams through grants to charities, voluntary organisations and community groups who are working to address need and deprivation in the county.

Where do our Funds come from?

Foundation Grants

Foundation Funds

Corporate Funds

Individual Funds

Family Funds

External Programmes

What’s currently available?General Foundation Grants:

Small grants of up to £500 and large grants of up to £5000

Specific Funds:St Albans Fund for the Future

Unrestricted small grants over 3-5 years for groups operating in St Albans district

High Sheriff AwardsRecognition of work done and awards of up to £1000. This year the High Sheriff

has chosen “family” as her theme.

Surviving Winter –Hert WarmerSmall grants for organisations working with vulnerable older people and families

who are struggling to survive in the winter months.

Comic Relief Local Communities 2013-2015:Grants of up to £10,000 for groups and organisations available for sport related

and/or community activities.

The application process

Submit application

•Complete and submit Part A of your application including details of what you want funding for, why you think it’s needed and how much your requesting.

•Part B will be sent to you by email and you’ll need to complete, sign and return it along with your supporting documents (constitution, latest accounts etc.)

Assessment

•Once we’ve received all the necessary information your application will be assessed.

•Once we’ve established you’re eligible and there is suitable funding available, we’ll be look for evidence of need, public benefit, sustainability and organisational capability.

Panel

•Once an application has been assessed it will go to the next available panel

•All applications go through the Foundation panel where the trustees make a decision on which applications they wish to support.

•For some of our Funds there will also be an additional panel, made up of the Fund Holder or other chosen representatives, who will decide if they would like to support the application using their fund.

The Results

•Unsuccessful applicants will be informed by letter which, wherever possible will include constructive feedback on why they haven’t been awarded funding.

•Successful applicants will receive a formal offer letter which needs to be signed and returned. A cheque is then raised and sent out along with all the monitoring information.

Feedback

•A year after the grant is made or after the money has been fully spent – whichever comes first - we’ll request you complete and return one of our monitoring forms

•We’re looking for a honest report of how the money was spent, whether you achieved what you set out to achieve, what difference you have made and what you have learnt.

•Failure to complete the monitoring could affect future grant applications.

How to write a great application

Tell the truth

Who, What, Where, Why and How

Treat us like idiots

Include supporting information e.g. stats, research or user feedback

Ask for what you want, tell us what you need

Show us you’re thinking ahead

Ask someone objective to read it!

What’s next for Foundation Grants?

• A more strategic approach

• Introduction of “Expressions of Interest”

• Improved turnaround times

• Themed rounds for large grants

• Rolling programme for small grants

• New research to inform grant making and fund development

Get involved

• Talk to us– Feedback

– Research

• Volunteer– Grant assessors /

– Admin

• Help us unlock funding for the county– Introductions

– Tell us about any dormant funds

Any questions?