SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME 
The County’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) makes available grant funding to assist Clubs to improve their facilities and pitches. The funding exists principally to provide a kick-start to major capital projects, such as the building of a new clubhouse or to improve changing room facilities, but subject to the financial resources being available, it is also used to support smaller projects.  Grants from the SGP are available to all the County’s clubs.

Phase 2 is now open for applications – Applications invited from 1 December 2019, to be received by no later than 6th January 2019, with grant awards announced by 31 January 2019.

Applications should be submitted to Nigel Fray (Facilities Funding Manager), by the deadlines above, to facilities@kent-rugby.org

Application criteria

The County has therefore set out the following criteria (including two new criteria) against which applications for grant funding will be assessed:

Applications will be accepted from all clubs at whatever Level and applications should clearly explain:

• The amount being applied for. The Maximum amount that can be applied for is £5000. This is not a target for applicant clubs to aspire to! The total annual budget for the SGP is £25,000 (split over the two phases); given the disparity between available funds and the anticipated number and size of grant applications, the assessment process will be very rigorous.
• The project to which the grant award will contribute and its objective(s);
• The issue that the project is seeking to address, i.e. an identifiable ‘need’
• Applications should indicate when the expenditure will be incurred (the County will also consider retrospective applications, where costs have already been incurred).
• The priority the club attaches to the project
• What the club has already done to commit to the project, i.e. funds already raised and commitment of the club’s committee and its membership.
• Clubs must have completed and/or updated and submitted the County’s ‘Club Facilities Audit’ see below.
• Clubs must have returned their current annual financial report/accounts to the County (this is a standard requirement for county funding).
• Clubs must support County teams, where players are required and must either be an England Rugby Accredited Club or actively working towards becoming Accredited, through engagement with their RFU Rugby Development Officer.

Please make sure that you have complied with ALL of the above criteria when you submit your application. If you do not, then your application will not be considered.

Successful applicants will be required to spend the grant award within 6 months of receipt.

Successful clubs must supply actual invoices for the work carried out/supplies purchased in order for grant awards to be disbursed. Club invoices will not be accepted as proof of spend.

Successful clubs will, 6 months after the award, be required to notify the County of the spend and also to indicate the extent to which the award has helped to secure the project’s objective(s)