To Ensure the Proper Operation of the Grants Scheme;

Rugby League Cares
Grants Committee
Grants Committee – Terms of Reference
2015 Goals and Targets
Report by: / Chris Rostron / Job title: / Head of Rugby League Cares
Date: / 10/11/2014
Summary / This report:
Informs Members of the Terms of Reference for the Grants Committee the schedule of dates for meetings.
Recommends 2015 goals and targets, new application criteria, 2015 meetings schedule, application dates and awarding periods and promotional activities.
Recommendations / That Members:
Note the Terms of Reference
Note the schedule of meetings.
Support the appointment of proposed new grants committee members, and suggest alternatives for discussion at the next meeting scheduled for the 27th November.
Support the proposal for 2015 goals and targets, applications criteria.
Note the schedule for applications, meetings and award notifications.
Note the planned activities to promote the new criteria and changes to the grants programme.

Operation of Grants Committee

Grants Committee Terms of Reference

To ensure the proper operation of the Grants Scheme;

To make recommendations to Trustees on overall policies, strategy and priorities;

To consider grant applications and make grants to eligible voluntary, charitable organisations.

Rugby League Cares Objects

·  To organise or provide or assist in the organisation and provision of facilities which will enable and encourage pupils of schools and universities and members of youth organisations in any part of the United Kingdom to play rugby league football or other games or sports and thereby to assist in ensuring that due attention is given to the physical education and development of such pupils as well as to the development and occupation of their minds and with a view to furthering this object.

·  To provide or assist in the provision of rugby league football or games or sports equipment of every kind for the use of such pupils as aforesaid.

·  To provide or assist in the provision of courses, lectures, demonstrations and coaching for pupils of schools and universities and members of youth organisations in any part of the United Kingdom and for teachers who organise or supervise playing and coaching of rugby league football or other games or sports at such schools and universities and youth organisations as aforesaid.

·  To promote, provide or assist in the promotion and provision of training colleges for the purpose of training teachers in the coaching of rugby league football or other games or sports at such schools and universities and youth organisations as aforesaid.

·  To lay out, manage, equip and maintain or assist in the laying out management equipment and maintenance of playing fields or appropriate indoor facilities or accommodation (whether vested in the trustees or not) to be used for the teaching and playing of rugby league football or other sports.

·  To organise or provide or assist in the organisation or provision of facilities for physical recreation in the interests of social welfare in any part of the United Kingdom (with the object of improving the conditions of life for the boys and girls whom the same are provided) for boys and girls who are under the age of twenty-one years old and who by reason of their youth or social and economic circumstances have need of such facilities.

The Grants Committee will:

·  Keep under review the needs of the Rugby League Cares its beneficiaries and report to Trustees from time to time on a strategy for collective grant giving devised with due regard to those needs

·  Receive, assess and process grant applications from eligible voluntary and community organisations.

·  Administer the payment of approved grants to eligible voluntary organisations and monitor the use made of such funding

·  Convene and service meetings of the Grants Committee.

·  Provide information to Rugby League Cares – Operations Manager on successful applicants and projects for publications and promotional purposes.

1.  2015 Goals & Targets

·  Distribute 50 to 100 x £500 grants to support new and developing junior (U7’s) Rugby League teams in clubs and schools.

·  Gain support from the RFL’s kit and ball suppliers to match each grant with an additional £500 value in kind support of kit and equipment.

·  Grants will be paid in two instalments £250 at the start of the project and a further £250 paid on receipt of an interim report from the grant recipient.

·  Consider on merit a small number of solicited applications from targeted communities and partnered groups such as University and College Rugby League and Masters.

2.  Schedule of Meetings:

The schedule of Grants Committee meetings for the coming year is set out below: All meetings will be at Headingley, unless notified by RL Cares Secretary of an alternative venue.

Date / Time / Main Business
27th Nov 2014 / 10.00am / Review 2015 goals and targets.
Grants.
25th Feb 2015 / 10.00am / Grants
27th May 2015 / 10.00am / Grants
19th Aug 2015 / 10.00am / Grants
26th Nov 2015 / 10.00am / Grants

3.  Grants Committee Members

·  The members of the Grants Committee shall be appointed by the Trustees of Rugby League Cares, who will also decide upon the Chair of the Committee.

·  One member of the trustees will be present at meetings to act in an advisory role to the Grants Committee. (Niel Wood).

·  The Grants Committee are regarded as experts in their field and representative of the whole game, eminently qualified to fulfil this important function for the Rugby League Cares, Grants programme.

The following current members of the grants committee are:

David Oxley (Chair)

Maurice Oldroyd

Andy Harland

Alf Taylor

Alan Simpson

John Piercy

Dan Steel

Proposed new members:

Peter Bridge (Chorley)

Simon Howe (Rochdale Mayfield)

Alan Havercroft (York)

Player Representatives

Adrian Morley

Lee Briers

4.  Criteria, Application Deadlines and Awarding Dates:

The objective for Rugby League Cares grants programme is to provide small grants to the grassroots game to assist clubs, schools and other community voluntary organisations to organise and support the start-up, running and development of new Rugby League playing opportunities for children aged 7.

To provide assistance to clubs, schools and other community voluntary organisations in times of crises and emergencies to ensure the continuation of playing opportunities for people at the grassroots of the game.

Criteria:

·  Applications must be from a constituted RFL registered club, local authority registered school or other community voluntary organisation.

·  Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are compliant with the RFL’s rules regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people.

·  Applications must include activities supporting children aged 7 years.

·  Applications must identify how activities will continue after the award.

·  Applications must clearly outline how the money will be spent.

·  Applications encouraging participation from underrepresented groups are encouraged.

·  Only one application is permitted per organisation, per year.

·  Successful organisations will be required to promote Rugby League Cares membership programme.

·  Successful organisations will be sent details of Rugby League Cares Community Game Raffle.

·  RL Cares continues to accept applications from clubs in times of crises or emergencies. Applicants are encouraged to contact Cares separately via email with an explanation of the issue and how the charity can assist –

·  Applications which fall outside of the criteria, unless deemed to meet the crises or emergency category will not be considered.

·  Rugby League Cares reserves the right to review the above criteria periodically, or as the trustees deem necessary.

Applications should be received no later than two weeks before the grants committee meeting, decisions will be taken at meetings and applicants notified of decisions no later than 2 week after the decision.

2015 Schedule:

Application Deadlines / Committee Meetings / Awards Notice Deadlines
Wed 11th Feb / Wed 25th Feb / Wed 11th March
Wed 13th May / Wed 27th May / Wed 10th June
Wed 5th Aug / Wed 19th Aug / Wed 2nd Sept
Wed 11th Nov / Wed 25th Nov / Wed 9th Dec

5.  2015 Communication and Marketing Plan

To ensure that clubs and schools are informed of the priorities for applications in 2015 the following promotional activities will be delivered:

Activity / Responsibility / Timescale
New criteria published on RL Cares website. / Chris Rostron / Dec 2014.
Email to all clubs and coaches on RFL database. / Chris Rostron & Dan Steel / Dec 2014.
Information at league and youth and junior meetings. / Dan Steel. / On Going.
Face to face with community orgs. / Club and Competition Managers & Education Team. / On Going.
Media announcement with Partners. / David Oxley, Niel Wood and Player Rep. / Jan 2015.

Chris Rostron

Head of Rugby League Cares

Nov 2014