Community Grants

Merchant City and Trongate Community Council

Community Grants

The MCTCC Community Grants scheme is designed to disburse any funds that we receive as donations for filming, etc. In our first round of funding, we were able to help: Trongate 103 install a defibrillator in the buildingFriends of Ramshorn Graveyard with seed funding for the projectImpact Arts with a contribution towards their Cashback Summer programme The next round of applications will open in the near future. To find out more about the scheme, or to register your organisation’s interest in the next round of funding applications, please email [email protected]. The same address can be used to ask about supporting our grant scheme by making a donation.

Merchant City & Trongate Community Council

Eligibility

Who Is Eligible for Funding?

Constituted Community Groups
Voluntary Organisations
Social Enterprises

Preference will be given to groups based in or focussed on the MCTCC area

Who is NOT Eligible for funding:

Private Businesses
Political Groups
Religious Groups
Individuals

Scoring Criteria

Highest marks will be given to projects meeting the above criteria and deemed to have the greatest beneficial impact on the local community, its economic and practical feasibility, and the timeline to fulfilment. The scoring criteria used are included as an appendix.

Total Project Cost Max % we will support
Up to £500 100%
£501 - £1,000 80%
£1,001 - £2,500 60%
£2,501 - £5,000 50%
Over £5,000 Maximum of £2,500

Applicants must give a breakdown of their expected costs in their completed application form.

The Grant Review Committee will recommend the level of grant to be awarded which may be more or less than the percentage above. This will require to be agreed by the full Community Council.

Costs We Can Help With

Professional Fees for projects
Site preparation
Environmental improvements and enhancements
Feasibility studies
Rental costs
Software
Participant and Volunteer Expenses
Purchase of Equipment directly related to the project
Altering, refurbishing or extending a building owned or leased by the Applicant/Group
Construction of a new building
Arts and monuments
Exhibitions or fairs
Online/web resource development
General heritage restoration
Promotion of active travel
General improvements to the community environment

Costs we cannot help with

Financial Charges including Accounting Costs, Bank Charges on Account and Other Financial Charges (i.e Credit Card Charges),
Service charges (leases and Hire purchase),
Company winding-up costs
Bad Debts and fines
Staff costs
Expenditure committed to or incurred before your grant has been awarded (offer letter signed and returned)
Recoverable VAT
Animals and livestock
Prize Money
Alcohol

Application Process

Whilst there are funds available, there will be two rounds of applications each year, in March and September.

A call for applications will be sent out at least 3 months before the submission deadline.

- Applications can be made at any point up to the submission deadline.
- Applications will be made using the specified application form, which should be submitted electronically wherever possible. Postal applications post-marked after the submission deadline will not be accepted.
- Late applications will not be accepted in any circumstances.

For more information, or to discuss your project, contact us at [email protected]

Download Application Form

Decision-Making Process

Initial application screening will take place after the submission deadline to ensure that applications are complete. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
We may ask for more information about your proposal before we can consider it.
The Grant Giving Committee will screen all applications and make a recommendation on each to the community council.
The recommendation will cover whether to award a grant or not, the reasons for the recommendation and the amount recommended if appropriate.
Recommendations for grants will be reviewed at the earliest practical Community Council meeting and ratified at the public meeting following that.
Applicants will be notified of the decision, and the reasons for that, within one week of the Community Council meeting at which their application was considered. Notification will be by email.

Grant Conditions

Grants should be spent within six months of being awarded, unless there are unforeseen circumstances. Any potential delay to the grant being spent must be notified to the Community Council.
Grants will be paid by bank transfer to a nominated bank account belonging to the organisation.
Applicants will have to submit a short report to demonstrate how the grant was spent, along with receipts.
The Community Council may request reimbursement for any underspend of the grant, or if the grant was used for an ineligible purpose.
All successful applicants will advertise that their project is part-supported by MCTCC Community Grants.
All grants awarded will be listed on the MCTCC website.

Scoring Matrix

Criteria Evidence Score awarded (1 – 5)
Local need and community benefit Section 5(a) Applications must show that their project will meet a local need and provide a benefit to the community 1 or 2: Some evidence that project will benefit MCTCC residents, but little evidence that there is a high demand for the proposed project.3 or 4: Evidence that project will benefit MCTCC residents, and evidence that project will meet proven need.5: Good evidence that project will benefit significant number of MCTCC residents. Good evidence that the project will meet a high and possibly a previously unmet need.
Support for MCTCC’s objectives Section 5(c) Applications must show how they meet the criteria they have selected. This can be achieved even if only one criteria selected 1 or 2: Project appears to meet some of criteria ticked, but no clear clarification.3 or 4: Project meets all criteria ticked, with limited explanation. 5: Project meets all criteria ticked in Section 3, with clear explanation.
What will the physical outputs from the project be Section 5(d) 1 or 2: Little evidence of what the outputs from the project will be, or poorly defined success metrics.3 or 4: Evidence of the expected outputs from the project and how the project’s success will be measured.5: Good evidence of the expected outputs from the project and how the project’s success will be measured.
Locally based Section 5(g) 1 or 2: less than 25% of the group live in the MCTCC area3 or 4: up to 60% of the group live in the MCTCC area.5: Over 60% of the group live in the MCTCC area.
Financial viability Section 5(e) and (h) A good application should have approached other bodies for similar funding levels 1 or 2: Little or no financial information provided, no detail on budget, no evidence of attracting funding from other sources, especially for larger application amounts.3 or 4: Financial information provided showing a level of organisational maturity and that budgets have been set. Have applied for match funding.5: Good level of financial information supported by accounts.

Criteria	Evidence	Score awarded (1 – 5)
Local need and community benefit	Section 5(a) Applications must show that their project will meet a local need and provide a benefit to the community	1 or 2: Some evidence that project will benefit MCTCC residents, but little evidence that there is a high demand for the proposed project.3 or 4: Evidence that project will benefit MCTCC residents, and evidence that project will meet proven need.5: Good evidence that project will benefit significant number of MCTCC residents. Good evidence that the project will meet a high and possibly a previously unmet need.
Support for MCTCC’s objectives	Section 5(c) Applications must show how they meet the criteria they have selected. This can be achieved even if only one criteria selected	1 or 2: Project appears to meet some of criteria ticked, but no clear clarification.3 or 4: Project meets all criteria ticked, with limited explanation. 5: Project meets all criteria ticked in Section 3, with clear explanation.
What will the physical outputs from the project be	Section 5(d)	1 or 2: Little evidence of what the outputs from the project will be, or poorly defined success metrics.3 or 4: Evidence of the expected outputs from the project and how the project’s success will be measured.5: Good evidence of the expected outputs from the project and how the project’s success will be measured.
Locally based	Section 5(g)	1 or 2: less than 25% of the group live in the MCTCC area3 or 4: up to 60% of the group live in the MCTCC area.5: Over 60% of the group live in the MCTCC area.
Financial viability	Section 5(e) and (h) A good application should have approached other bodies for similar funding levels	1 or 2: Little or no financial information provided, no detail on budget, no evidence of attracting funding from other sources, especially for larger application amounts.3 or 4: Financial information provided showing a level of organisational maturity and that budgets have been set. Have applied for match funding.5: Good level of financial information supported by accounts.

Community Grants

Merchant City and Trongate Community Council