Royal Horticultural Society Community Fund 2014 – Page 1 of 9

Scotland

Community Fund 2014

Application form & Guidance

rhs.org.uk/regional

Royal Horticultural Society
Registered Charity

No: 222879 / SC038262

RHS Community Grants for Scotland 2014Guidance for Applicants

Community Fund Overview

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity, dedicated to promoting horticulture and good gardening. The RHS achieves this through many different means, including training and education programmes for schools and communities, campaigns to get people growing and qualifications and accreditation.

The RHS wishes to providing funding support for groups in Scotland who want to start or develop gardening projects within their community and has committed £100,000 funding to Scottish Community Gardening projects between 2013 – 2015. We are now in the second year of this programme of support, having distributed £30,000 to 17 community projects in 2013.

Groups applying for the fund should be able to demonstrate that their project has a strong horticultural focus and we are particularly interested in projects that demonstrate one or more of the following:

  • Opportunities for people to learn new skills in gardening
  • Development of volunteering opportunities within your local community
  • Involve people from a wide range of different ages and backgrounds
  • Long lasting benefits to your local community

The main criteria are:

  • Only groups and projects located in Scotland may apply.
  • School gardenprojects are not eligible, although we will consider community projects located on school grounds.
  • Groups must have a constitution and bank account with at least two signatories.
  • The RHS grant maybe used for capital costs (i.e.site-based improvement work, purchase of equipment) or for set up costs to establish a new group.
  • The RHS is unable to fund retrospectively, so you should only apply for money for work that will take place in the future.
  • Funds issued in January 2015 should be spent by the end of July 2015, although related project activities may continue through to the end of September 2015.

How much can we apply for?

  • There are two levels of grant funding for which groups can apply:
  • Start-up Grants - small grants are available for groups that require funding to get their project off the ground, with the minimum grant £100 and the maximum £300.
  • Main Grants - the minimum grant is £1,000 and the maximum is £3,000.

For Main Grant applications, the overall cost of your project should not exceed £10,000.

How do I apply?

The application deadline is 5pm on Monday 8th December 2014

Please make sure you read these guidance notes in full before completing your application, to ensure that your project is eligible, and that you answer each question as completely as possible.

When you have completed the application and have gathered your supporting information, please email to . We would prefer to receive applications via email but if you are having problems with this, please contact us (see below for contact details).

Supporting information for all applicants

To enable us to assess applications, please provide the following information:

  • Your organisation’s constitution
  • Your latest accounts or evidence of a bank account for new groups
  • Copy of minutes stating the appropriate signatories for your group

Additional supporting information for all MainGrants

  • Map of project location
  • Project plans and photos
  • Letter of support from landowner and confirmation of land ownership if applicable
  • Copies of planning consents if applicable
  • Estimates/quotations for capital works /purchase of materials and/or equipment

Need some help?

If you have any queries, would like to discuss your ideasor need any assistance in completing your application, please email or call:

Liz Stewart

Development Manager, Scotland

Tel: 07738 809441

Or

Angela Smith
Development Officer, West of Scotland
Tel: 07714 560008

We cannot fund

  • On-going staffing costs
  • Projects that cannot be maintained
  • Projects where allocated funding cannot be spent within 6 months.

This list is not exhaustive and may change from time to time. We try to keep exclusions to a minimum. If you have any questions about what is excluded, please contact us.

Terms & Conditions

  1. Only groups based in Scotland may apply.
  2. Each group may only receive one RHS grant in a 12 month period.
  3. The decision of the RHS is final and no correspondence may be entered into.
  4. The application form must be authorised by the group’s main contact and oneother authorised member of the group.
  5. Responsibility cannot be accepted for lost, damaged or mislaid applications; proof of postage is not proof of receipt.
  6. The amount of grant awarded is final and will not be increased if there is an overspend or costs have been worked out incorrectly.
  7. If all the grant provided is not allocated to the project, unspent grant must be returned to the RHS within six months of the end date of the project as stated on the group’sapplication form.
  8. The group agrees to itsname and address being published in connection with receiving a grant and agrees to the RHS disclosing the group’s address on the RHSwebsite.
    The group must promote the RHS Community Grants Scheme in all publicity relating to itsproject (the groupwill be provided with logos and contact details if its application is successful).
  9. The group agrees to providing a series of photographs documenting the progress of the project.
  10. Any photographs submitted as part of the group’s application and grant monitoring process may be used by RHS in any media, for any purpose, in any of its publications and on its website at any time in the future. It is the group’s responsibility to ensure they have written permission from the parent/guardian for any images that are submitted involving a child.
  11. RHS may monitor projects being carried out with help from the RHS grants scheme and thegroup agrees to co-operate with any visits/follow up visits.
  12. By submitting this form the group will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions and hasagreed to be bound by them.

Application checklist

Details / Question / Yes/No
Your group /
  • Your group is a voluntary or community group/organisation located in Scotland

About your group: /
  • Does your group have its own bank account?

  • Are two signatures required for cheques and withdrawals?

  • Is your group constituted?

  • Are there three or more people on the group committee?

About your project: /
  • Is your application for:
  • Start Up – funding for a minimum of £100 and a maximum of £300?
  • Main Grant - funding for a minimum of £1,000and a maximum of £3,000?

  • If successful, will the funding allocated be spent by July 2015?

Supporting information for all applicants /
  • Have you provided supporting information, as outlined in the grant criteria, with your application form?

RHS Community Fund 2014Application Form

SECTION ONE – ABOUT YOUR GROUP

1. Your details
Group Name
Group Address
Postcode
Group Status(eg: Registered Charity,Community Group,Voluntary Group)
/ Please include your charity number if relevant.
When was your group set up?
Does your group have a constitution?
Please enclose a copy
Briefly describe your group, including your aims, objectives and activities
2. Contact details
Main contact name
Position in group
Address
Email address*
/
Tel Number
3. BankAccount
Does your group have a current bank account with at least two unrelated signatories?
/ Yes/No
Please note that you will need to provide your bank details if your application is successful.

SECTION TWO – ABOUT YOUR PROJECT

4. Level of funding requested
What type of grant are you applying for? /
Start-up funding max £300 Main grant funding max £3,000
5. Project details
Project Title
Project location
Please provide address with postcode / grid reference
6. Timing
When will the project start? (mm/yy)
When will your project be completed?(mm/yy)
Please note all funds should be spent by July 2015 although related project activities may continue after this time
7. Project outline
What project or activities would you like us to fund?
Please provide a summary of your project – max 300 words.
How do you know there is a need for this project?
What evidence do you have that local people support your project?
What difference will your project make? How will your project help your local community or your local environment?
Who will benefit as a result of your project?
e.g. children, young people, elderly people, adults with special needs
How many people do you expect to be actively involved in your project?
How will you involve the wider community in your project?
Who owns the land on which the project is located? If your organisation/group does not own the land what agreement do you have with the landowner? Please provide evidence (see Additional Supporting Information for Main Grants) that you have the landowner’s permission to carry out the work.
Does your project require planning permission?
What will be the long term benefits of your project to the local community?
What experience do you or your group have of running similar projects?
How will you continue the project after the grant has been spent?
How will your site be maintained in the future?
How do you plan to promote your project?
How will you promote RHS support?
How will you measure the success of your project? This could include the numbers of people involved in your project; anecdotal evidence from participants; number of people learning new skills
7. Project Costs
How much funding are you requesting?
Start-up Grant - up to £300
Main Grants - up to £3000 / £
Item
Please itemise the costs/ activities of your project that your grant will be used to fund.
(please add more lines as necessary / Total Cost of Item/ activity
£ / Amount requested from RHS - £
Total
If the total cost of the project is more than the grant requested, how will the remaining money be sourced?
Checklist
Please ensure you have answered all the questions and included the following items with your application. Please note that incomplete applications may not be processed. / 
  • Latest accounts (or if a new group, evidence of bank account, e.g. a bank statement)

  • Your constitution

  • Project plans/photographs

  • Evidence of consultation, where required (see Supporting Information)

  • Your budget and evidence of costs where appropriate

Applicant’s declaration
Signature/name of primary contact / Date
Signature/name & position in group of authorised member / Date
Terms and conditions

Please submit your application via email to:

Closing date for applications: 5pm on Monday 8th December 2014