GRANTS PANEL RESPONSIBILITIES

Applications for Foundation funding are assessed by members of the Foundation Grant Management Team (GMT). This involves a robust and comprehensive process, designed not only to test that applications meet the necessary criteria, but to closely examine the viability and sustainability of applications. The GMT members then provide a report to the Grants Panel. It is then the Grants Panel’s responsibility to provide independent scrutiny of all applications and recommendations made. This independent scrutiny is critical to the Foundation’s robust governance process.

The key responsibilities of the Panel include:

○ Ensuring that all funding applications have been properly assessed by Foundation staff in accordance with the Foundation’s governance framework, and that the required investment would achieve essential outcomes.

○ Ensuring that approved guidelines and assessment criteria have been applied consistently and equitably.

○ Providing objective-based recommendations to the Board of Trustees, as required.

Ultimate fiduciary responsibility for all Foundation activity rests with the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. However, the Board awards delegated financial authority to the Panel to enable it to make awards up to a specified amount. Currently the Panel may make awards up to the value of £750,000 and is able to make recommendations to the Board for applications for funding above that level.