Supporting Scottish Housing Communities!

SPA Community Benefit Fund Project Eligibility Criteria

At Lintel Trust, our grants are designed to support projects that create lasting, positive change in communities.   Our Grants Policy outlines our approach to funding, eligibility criteria, and the principles that guide our decision-making.

  1. The purpose of Lintel Trust is:
  2. to advance citizenship and community development and promote for the benefit of the community in Scotland social housing and community-based projects, through the provision of financial assistance and other forms of support to providers of social housing; community and voluntary organisations; social enterprises that have a close link to, or are supported by providers of social housing; and organisations that further community benefits purposes; 
  • to advance and promote the education of all organisations, bodies and persons involved in the provision of social housing and of all tenants, associated members and users within the voluntary and social housing movement in Scotland through the provision of financial support for training and apprenticeships; and

    3. to relieve those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage and to engage in any one or more of the following activities to provide a public benefit in Scotland by: 
  • providing support and assistance to providers of social housing; community and voluntary organisations; social enterprises that have a close link to, or are supported by providers of social housing; and organisations that further community benefits purposes for the benefit of homeless people, people with physical disabilities, mental health problems or learning difficulties, older people and people from minority ethnic groups who are in need of housing and associated amenities; and 

promoting participation in the voluntary and social housing movement and housing issues.

4. Priorities for support

The overall aim of the Charity’s grants programme is to improve the quality of people’s lives within communities Scotland, especially amongst those most in need. Although the Trustees are empowered to spend the Charity’s money on anything that is charitable in law, they will prioritise grassroots initiatives that encourage:– social mobility and individual wellbeing; improving the planet and local environment; and enabling people from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds to prioritise their health and wellbeing, develop skills for life and employment, and enjoy their local environment. The Trustees aim is to support projects and activities that are bringing about real change to the lives of people in their communities.

Additionally, the Charity gives priority to organisations supporting and empowering people who face particular difficulties in their lives such as:

  • people who rely on the state for housing and services
  • people experiencing mental health challenges
  • older people
  • people living with disabilities
  • people who are unemployed or on low incomes
  • carers of people with additional needs
  • young people who are affected by ‘disadvantage’ in any way
  • people threatened or affected by domestic abuse
  • people from the Black and Minority Ethnic Community
  • LGBTQ+ Groups
  • people who are from any other marginalised or disadvantaged group
  • people who are digitally excluded or who experience barriers to accessing digital services and technology

Some of the key themes will be:

Individual Wellbeing

  • Equality
  • Health
  • Confidence
  • Connected & inclusive communities
  • Homelessness
  • Food & energy
  • Feeling secure & safe

 

Social Mobility

  • Employment & skills
  • Inclusion & representation
  • Digital inclusion
  • Apprenticeships
  • Training

 

Planet & Environment

  • Enhanced community spaces
  • Enhancing premises / increasing use of community facilities
  • Carbon neutral business activities
  • Enhancing green spaces / more people having access to green spaces
  • Improving local environment
  • Providing inspiring places to live

5. Eligibility

In order to receive support from the Charity, applicants must comply with the following criteria:

  1. Grants will only be awarded to organisations, not to individuals. Organisations need to be constituted and have their own bank account but do not need to be registered charities. Priority is given to smaller community groups, though other organisations will be considered.
  2. Whether the applicant organisation is a registered charity or not, the purpose of the grant must be charitable under the laws of Scotland.
  3. Applicant organisations must be based within in Scotland.
  4. Applicant organisations must be not-for-profit, i.e. they cannot pay profits to directors, shareholders or members and, in the event of winding up, any residual assets must be passed on to another not-for-profit body or charity.
  5. The applicant organisation must have a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and be able to demonstrate how this is applied within the organisation if requested to do so.
  6. The applicant organisation must have a protecting vulnerable people policy and be able to demonstrate how this is applied within the organisation if requested to do so.
  7. The applicant organisation must have a governing body (board or management committee) comprising at least three people who are not related to one another. ‘Related’ can mean: related by marriage or civil partnership; in a long-term relationship with each other; living together at the same address; related by blood.
  8. The project must be properly planned, with clear aims, timescales, and targets.
  9. The organisation must be able to manage the funds effectively.
  10. The project must be able to provide monitoring and evaluation information to Lintel Trust. Lintel Trust will provide each project with the relevant tool/baseline questionnaires for the start and end of each project. The type and level of monitoring will be discussed and agreed prior to the project start date to ensure that the most appropriate method is used.
  11. Project staff must agree to providing a progress update six months after receiving funding and completing of an end of year evaluation form. This enables Lintel trust to report on the impact of the grant in a meaningful way.
  12. We are keen to maximise the impact of CBF awards by assisting with match funding. Lintel Trust is happy to help you to identify potential sources of match funding – either before or after your CBF award. Please let us know if have already sourced match funding or if you would like help.

    6.     Exclusions

Applications will not be considered for the following purposes:

  • retrospective funding (i.e. money already spent)
  • to pay off debts
  • supporting sponsored events, including expeditions
  • large research projects, including medical research
  • animal welfare
  • substituting services or money provided by the statutory sector
  • party political promotion and campaigning
  • fees of professional fundraisers
  • educational bursaries
  • trips abroad
  • part funding towards larger projects or appeals, where it is not clear what difference funding from the Charity will make.
  • to support existing permanent employment contracts
  • capital projects or contributions towards capital projects including building refurbishment
  • vehicles
  • general national appeals
  • holidays or provision of respite care
  • project costs that have already been incurred (retrospective funding)
  • funding for the same project over multiple years
  • funding for a project where our contribution is not a meaningful one (less than 30% of a project cost)
  • projects outside Scotland

*This list is not exhaustive.

7. Grant management

The Trustees of Lintel Trust are responsible for managing the Charity’s funds. However, they may choose to delegate decisions on awarding and managing applications to local or regional Fund Managers who are required to apply the same criteria and procedures as are prescribed by this policy.

Local and regional Fund Managers may only allocate funds to organisations referred to them or approved by the Trustees of Lintel Trust.

8. Grant application process

All applications for grants should be made in writing to the Trustees or the appropriate Fund Manager, delivered by post or by e-mail or via a website, as may be specified by the Trustees or Fund Manager. Where a standard application form is provided, this must be used.

The application must:

  • explain the purpose of the application with details of the project or activity, the way in which the grant will be used, and how it will be managed effectively for its intended purpose
  • include the names of those who are to be involved with the project/work to be carried out, and the identity of the person(s) who will be responsible for the administration of the grant money
  • provide adequate information regarding the identity, legal form and financial status of the applicant organisation
  • confirm that the applicant is willing to co-operate with the Trustees or Fund Manager to review and report on the status and standing of the applicant organisation
  • be signed or verified on behalf of the applicant to confirm that all information contained in the application is correct.

    9.     Assessment process

All grant applications will be subject to initial assessment to ensure they meet the basic criteria for funding.

Those which pass the initial assessment test will be subject to further scrutiny. Applicants must be prepared to provide such other information as the Trustees or Fund Manager may reasonably require in order to assist them in their decision-making.

Applicants should note that, as with many other charitable trusts, the Charity expects to receive more applications than it has funds to support. Even if a project fits within the criteria and priorities of the Charity and a detailed assessment has been made, the Charity may still be unable to provide a grant.

The Trustees or Fund Manager will not be obliged to provide an explanation to the applicant should their application be unsuccessful.

10. Conditions of receiving an award

Where an application is successful:

  1. The Trustees or Fund Manager may impose additional terms and conditions relating to the grant, which will be contained in an offer letter from the Charity or Fund Manager to the grant recipient.  The applicant must agree to be bound by these terms and conditions before funds are released.
  2. If there is any change in circumstances relevant to the grant, it is the applicant’s responsibility to inform the Charity or Fund Manager promptly.
  3. Grants must be used by the original applicant and must not be distributed to any other individuals or organisations, unless specifically authorised within the conditions attached to the award.
  4. The project or activity for which the grant has been awarded must be commenced within six months of receiving the money, otherwise it shall be returned to the Charity or Fund Manager.
  5. Support received from Lintel Trust shall be acknowledged in any publicity material, social media and press releases produced by the recipient which relate to an event or activity that was funded.

    11. Monitoring

It is the policy of the Charity to monitor all grants made. To this end, before a grant can be confirmed, conditions will be stipulated (appropriate to the work to be carried out) regarding how progress will be assessed against agreed targets and/or milestones. Once a grant has been confirmed:

  1. If the grant is payable in instalments, then payment of subsequent grant instalments will be dependent on satisfactory progress having been demonstrated and the Trustees or Fund Manager reserve the right to terminate the grant on receipt of unsatisfactory progress reports. Failure to submit reports within the time specified may also jeopardise the continuation of support.
  2. In addition to reports detailing progress, all grant recipients are required to provide:
    1. an annual statement detailing how their grant monies have been spent for the year (this may be included in or accompany their annual accounts)
    2. details (where applicable) of any other funds applied to the same project, and where these funds have come from.
    3. Monitoring visits may be made by representatives of the Charity or Fund Manager during the period of a grant, and the recipient organisation is required to co-operate with these visits.
    4. The Trustees or Fund Manager will expect to receive copies of any published articles, papers or other outputs which may result from the project.
    5. Following the conclusion of the project, the grant recipient will be required to submit a final report, normally within three months of the end of the grant, detailing fully the results and outputs from the project. The grant recipient shall inform the Charity or Fund Manager of any circumstances causing a delay to the submission of the final report, to allow a mutually acceptable date for submission to be agreed.