Community Grants

Introduction:

Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent charity providing grants and encouraging philanthropy across the borough of Milton Keynes. Our Vision is for a thriving Milton Keynes where everyone contributes to their community. Our Mission is to connect people with resources, skills and ideas to enrich lives and create positive

growth for Milton Keynes. We achieve our mission through the themes of:

• Supporting: to support the growth and development of our voluntary community and cultural sector. • Inspiring: to inspire giving to our communities through philanthropy and other social action • Leading: to take a lead in connecting and growing sustainable communities. Our grant making is guided by our Vital Signs research, which aims to collect the most up to date information about the issues affecting Milton Keynes; our impact goals and feedback from the local community, particularly the Voluntary, Community, and Cultural Sector.

Community Grants: A quarterly programme for grants up to £10,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to have at least 20% of project funding from another source. Applications are approved by an external Grants Committee, made up of Community Representatives and Trustees.

MK Community Foundation is a leading grant-making charity sending funding where it's needed most in Milton Keynes.

With so many vulnerable, isolated and disadvantaged people in Milton Keynes we’re proud to be leading the way in supporting community projects and charitable activities to help create a fairer more connected community.

Here at MK Community Foundation, we’re dedicated to making a difference and improving the lives of people within the local community by supporting a diverse range of projects.

Who we can fund:

We can accept applications from constituted, not-for-profit organisations supporting beneficiaries from Milton Keynes, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Local community groups • Voluntary Sector Organisations • Registered Charities • Charitable Incorporated Organisations • Social Enterprises (for start up costs only and in exceptional circumstances in discussion and at the discretion of the Philanthropy Team and final agreement by Philanthropy Director)

Must include evidence that Directors are not be paid above a level that would make the provision of grant funding inappropriate, and must have a management committee who provide oversight and strategic guidance, comprised of at least four unpaid, unrelated members, not living at a shared address, to apply. There must be clear, evidenced community benefit. • Sports Clubs • Faith groups where the primary activities to be delivered at the site are community-focussed and not for the promotion of religion, and where potential beneficiaries are not required to participate in religious activities, nor excluded on the basis of faith, religion, or lack thereof, or any other protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010; • Community Interest Companies and Companies Limited by Guarantee (for start up costs only and in exceptional circumstances in discussion and at the discretion of the Philanthropy Team and final agreement by Philanthropy Director) Must include evidence that Directors are not be paid above a level that would make the provision of grant funding inappropriate, and must have a management committee who provide oversight and strategic guidance, Page 5 of 8 comprised of at least four unpaid, unrelated members, not living at a shared address, to apply. There must be clear, evidenced community benefit.

Who we cannot fund:

• Individuals (outside of our bursary and prize programmes, or specific disaster emergency funding) • For-profit organisations • Political parties or affiliated groups • Organisations with free reserves equivalent or greater than 12 months’ turnover, except in exceptional circumstances. Organisations with over 6 months’ free reserves should be prepared to explain why they need to hold this level. (“Free reserves” does not include designated or earmarked reserves as stated in Annual Report). • Groups who do not supply the following documentation: o A governing document that details an appropriate asset lock and that details that the organisation is not for profit o Financial records for a minimum of 1 year. The type required will depend on the size and structure of the organisation. For organisations that have existed for under a year, a bank statement will suffice. o A bank statement in the organisation’s name, for an account with at least two unrelated signatories. o Equal Opportunities policy covering 9 protected characteristics as outlined in the equalities act. o Child and Adult Safeguarding Policies with details of the local lead person (including Vulnerable Adult Policy, if applicable) o Evidence of expected cost such as quotes when requested by the assessor Sufficiency of documentation provided is determined during assessment and organisations submitting documentation that does not meet required standards may be withdrawn from our programmes, at the discretion of the Philanthropy and Executive Teams.