Introduction to Grant Making

Grants are available for the relief of need to benefit poor residents of the charity’s area, defined as ’The Ancient Parish of Harborne’ - this does actually include a large areas of Smethwick. When looking at ’need’, it is important to look at both material needs (food, warmth, housing, adequate income and employment) as well as psychological needs (mental health, quality relationships, sense of security and self-esteem, etc.).


Harborne Parish Lands Charity - Geographical Coverage

Please see our map if you'd like to know what area we can offer support to.  We support those residents and beneficiaries who live within the ancient Parish Boundary, marked by the green line .

Reproduced by permission of Geographers’ A-Z Map Co. Ltd. Licence No. D1455.  This product includes mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey®    ©Crown Copyright 2018. Licence number 100017302.

Grants to Individuals

Please Note:
We have refined and updated our processes, policies and procedures in accordance with the new General Data Protection Regulation legislation, effective from 25th May 2018.  If you have any queires as to how this may affect applications made for individual grant support, get in touch with  The Grants Officer  for more information.
 

  What the grant is for?
  • Grants are available for essential household
    • items (e.g.white goods, beds, bedroom storage, etc., according to circumstances).  Floor covering is only considered where there is a serious health and safety issue.
  • Maximum grant value would not normally exceed £700-900.
  • We do not give cash or pay debts such as utilities bills or rent arrears.
  Who is eligible?
  • Applicants must be permanent residents of the charity’s geographical area (see map).
  • Grants are only awarded for the relief of poverty to applicants on a restricted income.
 

  How to apply:
  • Applications are only accepted from recognised referral agencies on the Harborne Parish Lands Charity grants to individuals application form.
  • We do not accept applications made directly by individuals.
  • Application forms are available from the charity’s grants administrator (see below).

  Application process?
  • Application form received and checked for eligibility and essential information.
  • Appointment made for home visit – letter is sent to the applicant advising of date and time.  The referral officer is welcome to attend the home visit.
  • Following the home visit a report is prepared for the charity’s chairman to consider.  A decision on the grant application is usually made within a week of the home visit.
  • Goods ordered and applicant informed of decision.
     

Grants to Organisations

Our current strategy is to support established organisations to relieve need within our area in order to protect known and valuable services at a time when they are threatened by a reduction in funding from other sources.

Proposed activity must be within the geographical boundary of Harborne Parish Lands Charity (see the map link at the top of the page) or be for the benefit of residents of the area and must comply with the Equality Act 2010.

HPLC’s organisational grants are funded from the charity’s financial and property investments. The Statement of Investment Principles that guides the way the charity invests its money can be found here . Organisations applying for funding should satisfy themselves that the charity’s investment strategy is compatible with their organisational aims and objectives.

Application process:

  • All applications must be made on the Charity’s grants to organisations application form and submitted with a copy of the organisation’s audited accounts.
  • Applicant organistions are visited by the Grants Officer to ensure complete understanding of the proposal.
  • The Grants Officer prepares a report for the Board of Trustees.
  • The Board of Trustees meet – a decision is made regarfing which applications are approved and which are declined.
  • Letters are sent to all applicants advising them of that decision.
Application deadlines (2024-2025):
  • Friday 6th September 2024.   Approved applicants will be notified in December.
  • Friday 7th March 2025.   Approved applicants to be notified in June.
 
Application forms can be requested from the Grants Officer by email .  When requesting an application form please state who you are and which application form you require ('individual' or 'organisation').
 
Our most recent Grant Strategy can be found here:
Grant Strategy


Top tips for grant applications
 

  Read the guidelines:
  • We receive more applications than we are able to fund and so usually only support work which most closely measures up to our guidelines. Please do read these thoroughly before you fill out your application.
 
  Be professional:
  • An untidy or incomplete form won’t reflect well on your organisation. Make sure that every question has been answered and checked for spelling mistakes, all the figures add up, and the form is signed and dated. If you are not sure what to put check with us first..
 

  Make your case, be clear:
  • It’s vital that you include three key things: what you are going to do, what difference you hope it will make and how your project meets our guidelines.
     
  • Avoid acronyms and jargon and write in plain English. It’s a good idea to get someone who doesn’t know about your work to read your application and ask them to point out anything they don’t understand.

  Send what we ask for:
  • When you submit your application make sure that you include all the additional documents we need. If you can’t send all the paperwork we ask for, let us know and we’ll do our best to help.
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