Grants for Individuals
Grant Funding for Individuals
Grants From The Community Foundation for Staffordshire
The Community Foundation for Staffordshire offers many grants from ourselves, and from many other different funders. These schemes are rarely open all year and usually tend to run in rounds. The list of grants provided by clicking the ‘Grants’ tab above will provide a list of currently available grants. Further information on upcoming rounds, and their opening and closing dates, can be found by searching our calendar. Some schemes will use the same criteria for each round, whereas others may change from round to round depending on priorities. It is important to carefully read the aims and criteria of a scheme before submitting your application.
Applying for Grants
Each grants page will give the details of the scheme. This may include the origin of the scheme, the priorities of it and the round dates. It will always contain the latest criteria and aims, along with a link to the application pack, which contains the relevant application forms for the scheme and a copy of the criteria. These documents will be available in both Microsoft Word and PDF format. If none of these formats are suitable please call us and we will endeavour to help with another format.
Completing Your Application Form
When completing your application form it is important to be clear and concise. Review the criteria and answer the required questions in a way that shows that you can meet the criteria and the aims of the scheme. Please remember that the panel making the decisions will most likely be unaware of your organisation or your project, and therefore you need to explain all necessary points, even if you think they are clear. It’s a good idea to get a friend or colleague to review your application – someone who doesn’t know too much about your group or project, and ask them if it is clear. Never assume that the panel will be able to ‘decode’ information from what you have said.
Supporting Documents
Each scheme will request certain supporting documents. This helps to verify you and your organisation and they often differ depending on the scheme to which you are applying. A list of the necessary supporting documents will be on each scheme’s webpage, and it is important to ensure that these are sent with your application. If they are not all present and complete by the time of the panel your application will not be allowed to proceed. We will notify you if any of these are missing or do not contain the correct detail, and if its needed we will work with you to help ensure you have everything you need. We can place your application on ‘hold’ for up to three months while we wait for supporting documents to be sent, but if at this time they have still into arrived, we will have to cancel your application and you will need to apply again.
What Supporting Documents Do You Need?
Every scheme is different and so the necessary documents will vary. The documents for each scheme vary, but as a general guide we will be looking for the following documents
Grants for Individuals
- A letter or statement of support, (there is usually a space for this on the application form)
- A recognised form of ID
- Proof of address
Submitting Your Application
E-Mail Applications
Downloadable application forms are available for all schemes. These application forms allow you to save a copy on your own computer and complete it in your own time. Once completed you can e-mail it to us. If you use this method you can send your supporting documents by e-mail or by post, but please see the note on post below.
Paper Applications
We will still accept hard copy, or printed, application forms. These can be downloaded from our website in the usual way, but can be printed and completed by hand. If you use this method you can send your supporting documents along with your completed application form by post.
Important
When sending anything by post please ensure that you use the correct postage. If insufficient postage is used the letter will not be delivered to us and we will receive a card saying that we have a letter but that there is insufficient postage. We will then be charged the shortfall and a £1 levy per letter. Due to the high amount of post that we receive we will not pay these charges. This may mean that the letter is either undelivered or returned to you by Royal Mail, causing a delay in your application and costing you more in the long run to post it to us safely. Once again, please check and ensure you use the correct amount of postage.
What Happens When Your Application Has Been Submitted
Once we have safely received your application and the relevant supporting documents we will assess and process the application to ensure it is suitable for the scheme to which youa re applying. If everything is in order we will notify you by e-mail that your application has been processed and will be taken to the next panel meeting. Your application will then be added to the list of applications for assessment at that panel. If it is not suitable we will also inform you, so that you may revise your application for resubmission.
After the Panel
When the panel has made a decision you will be notified of the outcome. This usually happens within 5 working days of the panel meeting. Panel meeting dates can be found on our calendar. If you are successful you will be sent our terms and conditions, which must be signed and returned before payment of the grant can be made. If you are unsuccessful, we will provide you with as much feedback as possible as to why you have not been successful. If you think you can overcome any objections or problems you are welcome to resubmit an application for the same project.
Please Remember…..
We are here to help you. We can provide advice and guidance prior to completing your application and assistance and support in completing it. We can help you with supporting documents, and if we are unable to help directly we are able to connect you with someone who can. We want to ensure that as much funding as possible is distributed into our local community, but we need to ensure that the funding is used appropriately.
Finally, Good Luck!