Grant Making Procedure and Policy

The Douglas & Joanne Chapman Animal Trust (RCN 1153676) is a grant making organisation aiming to distribute funds to organisations and/or individuals (i) who strive to improve the lives and wellbeing of small animals in Norfolk and (ii) who work in carrying out the aims for the benefit of animals for whom Compassion for Animals in Farming (a national registered charity no 1095050) exists and (iii) who desire for the reduction and/or elimination of cruelty to animals in Norfolk.

The current Policy of the Trustees:

1. The Trustees’ intention is to make grants from income only in amounts not exceeding £10,000
2. Grants are aimed at fulfilling a non recurring expense of the Beneficiary Applicant
3. The Trustees require Beneficiary Applicants to complete the attached Application Form and submit it to the Trustees together with the most recent copy accounts and the following
4. An explanation of the organisation’s reserve policy should accompany the accounts
5. Where the organisation applying has reserves in excess of the sum applied for, an explanation of why funding is being sought would be beneficial
6. Where proposed works exceed £500, the Trustee’s would like to see a minimum of three quotes from three different contractors or providers.
7. Applications for replacements or repairs to existing structures or equipment would be strengthened by the inclusion of photographs showing the damage or deterioration
8. Where a completely new building or other structure is proposed, detailed plans would help the Trustee’s understand the proposals better
9. All beneficiary applications, whether successful or not, will be acknowledged
10. If the Trustees require further information from the Beneficiary Applicant beyond that disclosed in the beneficiary application they will request this
11. Beneficiary applications will be considered by the Trustees at the Trustee Meeting next following receipt of such application
12. If a beneficiary application is unsuccessful the Trustees are not obliged to give reasons for declining the beneficiary application
13. A successful Beneficiary Applicant will be notified in writing (by email and/or letter) and the Trustees will advise on arrangements to be made for the funding to be advanced to the Beneficiary Applicant
14. The Trustees will require Beneficiary Applicants to agree that if their application is successful they shall account to the Trustees, if required and in a time frame to be agreed between them, as to how the funds have actually been applied and supply such evidence in support as may be required by the Trustees to ensure that the funds have been applied in the manner specified by the Beneficiary Applicant in the beneficiary application.
15. The Trustees will particularly welcome beneficiary applications from those in the course of or about to embark on their activities and who have little or no other funding available to them.
16. For those Beneficiary Applicants who apply for a Grant to use in their desire to reduce and/or eliminate cruelty to animals in Norfolk, the Trustees will favour a passive, rather than active, approach to such reduction and/or elimination
17. The Trustees specifically do not define what they consider to be a “small animal” thus leaving the opportunity for Beneficiary Applicants to not eliminate themselves from being considered for a Grant. But whether or not an animal is a “small animal” for the purposes of a beneficiary application is within the Trustees absolute discretion.