The Achieve Foundation Grant Making Policy

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this Grant Making Policy is to establish a clear framework for awarding grants to registered charitable organisations. The policy ensures that our grant-making process is transparent, fair, and aligned with our charitable objectives. It outlines the criteria for selecting beneficiaries, the procedures for awarding grants, and the methods for monitoring and evaluating funded projects.

1.2 A grant is defined as a financial award provided by Achieve Foundation to support charitable activities, with the aim of delivering significant public benefit.

2. Introduction

2.1 Achieve Foundation is a registered charity operating in England and Wales (Charity Number: 1209834). The Board of Trustees oversees the governance of the Foundation’s grant-making activities, with the day-to-day management handled by the executive team. All grants are awarded in compliance with Achieve Foundation’s charitable objectives and legal obligations.

2.2 The trustees ensure proper governance in three ways:

• By ensuring that the trustees make the final decision on all grants, based on donor recommendations or panel reviews.
• By establishing clear criteria for grant-making and ensuring grants are aligned with the Foundation’s charitable purposes.
• By following established processes to ensure transparency and fairness in decision-making.

3. Grant-Making Principles

3.1 Achieve Foundation’s grant-making is guided by the following principles:

• The Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for all grant-making decisions.
• Decision-making responsibilities may be delegated to staff, sub-committees, or the Grant Assessment Panel, as outlined in the Foundation’s scheme of delegation.
• The Foundation reserves the right to apply conditions to any grant, and it may reject any recommendation if the proposed grant does not align with the Foundation’s charitable objectives or legal requirements.

4. Grant-Making Criteria

4.1 Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for a grant, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Registered Charity Status: Applicants must be registered charitable organisations in the UK or another jurisdiction that meets similar legal standards for charitable status.
• Alignment with Objectives: Proposed projects must align with the Achieve Foundation’s charitable objectives, such as promoting education, relieving poverty, or advancing health and well-being.
• Good Governance: Beneficiaries must have appropriate governance structures, including a board of trustees or directors, and strong financial management systems.
• Financial Stability: Applicants must demonstrate financial stability and the ability to manage and deliver the proposed project effectively.

4.2 Who Can Apply?

Achieve Foundation is particularly keen to help grassroots community groups and small-to-medium-sized voluntary organisations. The Foundation does not normally make grants to large UK-wide charities, but it may do so where there are strong relationships in the Foundation’s area of activity and the proposal has potential to achieve substantial impact.

4.3 Grant Purposes

Grants can be awarded for:

• Establishment or development of charitable services.
• Projects delivering public benefit in areas such as education, health, or social welfare.
• Initiatives that strengthen organisational capacity or civil society as a whole.

4.4 Exclusions

Achieve Foundation does not support:

• Contributions to general appeals or circulars.
• Religious activities not for wider public benefit.
• Public bodies fulfilling their statutory obligations.
• Activities that have already taken place.
• Privately owned, profit-distributing companies, or limited partnerships.

5. Application Process

5.1 The following steps outline the application process:

1. Application Form: Interested organisations must complete a grant application form available on the Foundation’s website.
2. Supporting Documents: Applicants must submit:
   • Recent audited accounts or financial statements.
   • A detailed project budget.
   • Evidence of registered charity status.
   • A project plan outlining the aims, activities, and expected outcomes.
3. Submission: Applications and supporting documents must be submitted electronically via the Foundation’s website or by email.
4. Review Process: Applications are reviewed for eligibility and alignment with the Foundation’s objectives.

5.2 When Will I Get a Decision?
Decisions take up to twelve weeks. We will inform applicants whether their application has been successful. If the review takes longer, we will notify applicants accordingly.

6. Selection Criteria

6.1 Applications will be assessed based on:

• Relevance: Alignment with the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
• Impact: The project’s potential to deliver significant public benefit.
• Feasibility: The practicality and viability of the project.
• Sustainability: The likelihood that project benefits will continue beyond the funding period.

7. Decision-Making Process

1. Initial Screening: Applications undergo an initial review to ensure they meet eligibility criteria.
2. Review by Assessment Panel: Eligible applications are reviewed by the Grant Assessment Panel, which evaluates them against the selection criteria.
3. Final Approval: The Board of Trustees makes the final decision based on the recommendations of the Grant Assessment Panel.
4. Notification: All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.

8. Grant Agreement

Successful applicants must sign a Grant Agreement, which outlines:

• The amount of funding awarded.
• The purpose of the grant.
• Reporting requirements and timelines.
• Monitoring and evaluation obligations.

9. Monitoring and Evaluation

Achieve Foundation is committed to ensuring that funded projects achieve their intended outcomes:

• Progress Reports: Grant recipients must submit regular progress reports.
• Site Visits: The Foundation may conduct site visits to verify progress.
• Final Report: At the end of the grant period, recipients must submit a final report evaluating the project’s impact.

10. Accountability and Transparency

Achieve Foundation maintains transparency in its grant-making:

• Information about grants, including recipient organisations and project descriptions, will be published on the website and in the annual report.
• Feedback is available to unsuccessful applicants on request.

11. Variations to this Policy

11.1 The Board of Trustees may vary the terms of this policy from time to time to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

12. Review of Policy

This policy will be reviewed every two years by the Board of Trustees to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in achieving the Foundation’s charitable objectives.

Appendix 1: Explanation of Terms Used in This Policy

• Discretionary fund: A collective term for funds where decision-making is at the Board’s discretion but with guidance from donors or partners.
• Donor advised: A named fund where the donor or fund advisor may nominate groups to receive grants or make recommendations from shortlists.
• Field of interest: A named fund that supports a donor’s preferred causes or areas, with grant-making decisions made by the Board.
• Fund advisor: A person with privileges related to a fund, including recommending grants, with no formal governance role.
• Panel member: An individual nominated by fund advisors or the Board to make grant recommendations.
• Panel advised: A fund where a panel or committee is tasked with recommending grants on behalf of donors or the Board.
• Restricted fund: A fund designated for specific purposes defined by the donor.
• Theme and affinity funds: Funds supported by donors who share a common interest.
• Unrestricted fund: Funds that may be used at the Board’s discretion to support the Foundation’s charitable purposes.

For more information or to submit an application, please visit our website or contact us at [email protected].