Shaftesbury Refugee Group  Grant Giving Policy

Introduction

The Shaftesbury Refugee Group has powers to grant awards to individuals (and other charities and organisations) in order to meet its Objectives. 

The purpose of this policy is to set out the principles, criteria and processes that govern how the charity makes grants.  A grant is defined as a financial award that the Charity makes from its funds to support charitable activities as set out below.

Principles 

The objects of the Shaftesbury Refugee Group are to: 

give assistance and support for the needs of refugees and displaced people in Shaftesbury, Gillingham, Motcombe, and the adjacent villages and towns.

provide refugees, displaced people, and their sponsors with practical advice,  a point of contact with the local community and links to other services.

offer befriending services, encourage social inclusion and provide targeted financial support to assist beneficiaries to become self-sufficient in their day-to-day activities in UK

Who is eligible for financial assistance?:

  • Individuals and families settled under the Syrian Resettlement Programme, (VPRS) who live in and around Shaftesbury.

  • Refugees and those supporting refugees who are living in Shaftesbury, Gillingham and the surrounding villages. 

What types of request are eligible?

The Trustees will consider all requests made by, or on behalf of, a family on a case by case basis.  

For guidance awards have been made previously for:

  • household items such as furniture, bedding, cooking equipment

  • personal items such as clothing and school uniforms

  • communication such as mobile phones and internet

  • mobility such as cars and bicycles

  • business start up costs

  • gifts to mark festivals such as Eid and Christmas

  • refreshments at events to support refugees

  • educational visits, cultural awareness trips and family 

  • summer schools and social camps

  • subscriptions

Where do people have to live?

We help people in Shaftesbury, Gillingham, Motcombe and the surrounding villages. We have for example given grants to people living in

  • Shaftesbury, 

  • Gillingham

  • Buckhorn Weston

  • Semley

  • Fontmell Magna

  • Stour Row

  • Donhead St Andrew

  • Mere

  • Tisbury

Who can make a request?

Trustees, and volunteers, befrienders or local case workers working with a family can make a request on a family’s behalf.  It is necessary to get the family’s verbal permission to do so and not to promise that an award will be made, rather that the charity Trustees are going to be asked and  they will consider if the request can be met, fully or in part.

A family or family member can also make a request directly to the Trustees via the Secretary or Chair.

How are requests considered?

Trustees will consider all applications for a grant in a fair, transparent and objective manner. All decisions will be based on whether awarding a grant will meet the charitable objects as outlined above. 

The outcome of each application will be recorded and include an indication of how it supports the Charitable Objects and the award amount. 

There are some questions Trustees should ask of each other in making an award:

  • Does it fit our charitable purposes?

  • Is it for an individual or family in our area?

  • Does it meet a need and not undermine the independence of the beneficiary.

  • Is this the responsibility of another organisation or is it already being provided by the State?

  • Will it impact our reputation adversely?

Grant giving processes  

Grants should ideally be made  by BACS with the named recipient of the grant as beneficiary on the account to which the transfer is made.

Further advice 

Further advice and guidance can be obtained by speaking to The Treasurer, The Secretary or The Chair. More general advice can be found on the websites of the Charity Commission

We will always seek to support individuals to find a more appropriate grant giving body when we cannot help.