Untitled Document

Community, Sport & Cultural Grants Scheme

Purpose of Scheme

The Community, Sport & Cultural Grants Scheme established by the North Tipperary Local Authorities provides financial assistance for the development of sporting, recreational, environmental and cultural facilities in the county. The scheme is intended to assist community based clubs and voluntary organisations as well as providing an extra resource to the Local Authorities to assist in the provision by them of facilities that might not be otherwise funded.

As well as seeking to increase the facilities available in the county, the scheme is also designed to encourage those providing facilities to endeavor to ensure equal access by all and to examine ways in which barriers to use might be removed. It is also designed to ensure that environmental improvement is encouraged as an element of all developments assisted through the scheme.

The scheme has also been designed to recognize the more limited resources available to some communities and voluntary groups and to give additional assistance where it is clear that an area or organisation has a low level of facilities and cannot improve matters without special assistance.

Finally, the scheme is designed to assist those projects that are receiving funding elsewhere or where no other source of funding is available. Applicants will, therefore be expected to have sought funding from other available sources before being assisted by the scheme.

Structure of Scheme

Funding will be allocated at a variable rate based on a set of evaluation criteria that address the purposes of the Community, Sport & Cultural Grants Scheme. In essence the variable rate is designed to give a higher level of grant assistance to communities and organizations that are most in need and that have least capacity to improve their situation. Rates of support will vary from 10% to 90%. If projects do not meet a number of critical requirements, however, they may be deemed ineligible for assistance in the form submitted.

Eligible projects will be prioritised on the basis of a range of criteria that address the purposes of the scheme. An eligible project that is too low on the priority list to be funded in any funding round will be given priority in later funding rounds until it receives a funding allocation.

Funding of Scheme

The scheme is funded through the Community Development Levy. This Levy is a contribution required to be paid by a condition attached to all planning permissions granted since 1^st January 2001 and which must be paid to the relevant planning authority. Funding will be allocated to eligible projects within the electoral area or a Town Council area in which it is collected.

Administration of Scheme

The Community, Sport & Cultural Grants Scheme is administered by the Community & Enterprise Department of North Tipperary County Council on behalf of:

North Tipperary County Council

Templemore Town Council

Eligibility

Those applying for assistance must be properly structured clubs, voluntary organisations or groups, registered with their governing bodies where appropriate

Those applying for assistance must have approved constitutions or rules which are acceptable to the North Tipperary Local Authorities

Those applying for assistance must hold Annual General Meetings, be open to new members and keep proper financial records

Examples of Projects Eligible for Funding

Specific facilities required by an organization addressing the needs of disadvantaged groups

Parks

Amenity areas

Footpaths and walking areas

Lighting

Halls and meeting rooms

Arts projects

Playgrounds

Sport facilities

Ineligibility

Assistance will not be available to fund maintenance or day to day running expenses

Mobile assets will not be considered for financial assistance

Expenditure in respect of an approved project will only be allowed for grant aid with effect from the date on which the grant application was received by the Community & Enterprise Department of North Tipperary County Council

Types & Levels of Assistance

Technical Assistance

This fund permits community based clubs or voluntary organisations to apply for financial assistance towards the cost of preparing a development plan or feasibility study.

Up to 90% of the cost of preparing a development plan/feasibility study up to a maximum of €7,000 is available

Capital Assistance

Assistance under this fund is available to new projects or refurbishment of existing facilities. Funding will be allocated at a variable rate based on the criteria outlined below. The variable rate is designed to give a higher level of grant assistance to communities and organizations that are most in need and that have least

capacity to improve their situation. Rates of support may vary from 10% to 90% of total eligible cost of a project less grants from other sources up to a maximum of €100,000.

To be eligible for assistance a project must cost a minimum of €7,000.

Project Criteria

General

Assistance will be provided for substantial new projects or refurbishment of existing facilities

Works/expenditure in respect of an approved project will only be allowed for grant aid with effect from the date on which the grant application was received by the Community & Enterprise Department of North Tipperary County Council

In appropriate circumstances and with the approval of the elected members, funds may be used by the North Tipperary Local Authorities to provide necessary and important facilities for public recreation, amenity or leisure purposes

Applications for financial assistance will be considered as determined necessary by the North Tipperary Local Authorities

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance must be claimed and drawn down within 6 months from the date of approval

On completion of the study/plan a report must be submitted to the relevant Local Authority

Approval of financial assistance towards the cost of a development plan/feasibility study is not an indication of a commitment to provide capital assistance

Capital Assistance

Capital assistance must be claimed and drawn down within 12 months from the date of approval

Funding of equipment will only be considered in conjunction with infrastructural improvements

Provision of public facilities/amenities e.g. environmental improvements to villages and towns, lighting, footpaths and open spaces will be funded on the basis of established need and subject to the design and method of provision being approved by the relevant department of the local authority

Criteria of assessment

When applications for assistance are being considered, the Local Authorities will take account of the following, amongst others –

The needs of an organisation or community having regard to the existing provision in the general area

The extent to which environmental improvement is included in the project

The extent to which the project caters for the needs of the less advantaged

The extent of general community access to the facility that will be provided

Whether a similar facility is already in existence in the general area

The other sources of funding sought

The capacity of the applicant to organise the project and ensure its ongoing viability

The social and economic viability of the project

The extent to which it promotes gender equality

The extent of partnership and joint action involved

The extent to which the proposal caters for persons with a disability

In designing a project and seeking funding from the scheme, applicants should keep these criteria in mind as they will influence the priority given to a project as well as the funding level allocated to it.

General Conditions

Any beneficiary receiving assistance under this scheme will be required to enter into a legal agreement conferring the right on the relevant local authority at its absolute discretion to seek a refund on the grant paid, in whole or in part, where the facility is disposed of at any time or if the beneficiary ceases its activities

The relevant Local Authority reserves the right to seek submissions of the minutes of any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting or the audited Financial Accounts of any beneficiary funded under this Scheme

Where the beneficiary claims wages as part of the expenditure, these wages are subject to income tax and should be returned to the Revenue Commissioners by the beneficiary

Receipt of assistance under this Scheme must be appropriately recognised by the erection of a permanent sign in a manner and location to be approved by North Tipperary County Council

Applications for funding must be submitted on the appropriate application form and all relevant and necessary information and supporting documentation must be included. Incomplete applications not supported by the required documentation will not be considered

Appropriate evidence of financial need and proposals for matching resources must be produced and efforts to source alternative funding must be outlined.

The payment of a grant will be subject to the beneficiary providing up to date details of a C2/Tax Clearance Certificate

Facilities aided under this Scheme shall comply fully with all statutory and/or licensing requirements. In particular they shall comply with the provisions of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts and the Building Regulations

Payments in respect of technical and capital financial assistance will be made, in full or in part, on the basis of original invoices of expenditure vouched as paid in such a manner as may be required by North Tipperary County Council

The beneficiary must meet Public Procurement provisions as laid down by the relevant Local Authority

The beneficiary shall agree to be responsible for any loss, damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the provision or use of the facility and shall effect and produce evidence of appropriate Employers Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance to limits specified by the relevant Local Authority. All grant-aided assets shall, where appropriate, be kept insured at all times against loss or damage by fire, storm or flooding. All compensation paid under such insurance shall be used to restore the property so damaged or lost and any shortfall shall be made good by the beneficiary.

The beneficiary must produce appropriate satisfactory evidence of clear and valid title to the lands or buildings to be funded under the Scheme. Where title is leasehold the interest must be for a minimum of 10 years and such matters will be taken into consideration by the relevant Local Authority in deciding the amount of grant to be paid

All or any portion of a grant which has been unpaid may be withheld by the relevant Local Authority or any portion of a grant paid may be recovered where any of the terms or conditions of this Scheme are not being complied with or where there is a material change in the proposals for which the application was made

Grant-aided facilities shall not be alienated, assigned, sold or otherwise disposed of without the consent of the relevant Local Authority

Grant allocations may be reviewed or revoked at any time by the relevant Local Authority if progress on the development or refurbishment of the facility is not satisfactory

A formal Legal Agreement will be signed between the beneficiary and the relevant Local Authority to reflect the terms and conditions of this Scheme prior to payment of a grant or any part thereof

The conditions of this Scheme may be amended by North Tipperary Local Authorities, as it deems appropriate

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION FORM

North Tipperary Local Authorities Community, Sport and Cultural Grants Scheme

1. Application Details
1.1 Details Of Club/Voluntary Organisation
Name of Club or Voluntary Organisation:			Date Established:
Contact Name for Correspondence:			Phone:	Fax:
Contact Address for Correspondence:			Email:
Names, addresses and contact numbers of principal office holders
Name	Position	Address			Contact No.

Nature of applicant organisation

Registered Club ƒ Voluntary Organisation ƒ

Limited Company ƒ Community Group ƒ

Tax Affairs

Does your organisation have a current Tax Clearance Certificate? Yes ƒ No ƒ Number __________

Does your organisation have charitable exemption? Yes ƒ No ƒ Number __________

Membership (Please provide a breakdown of the membership of your organisation)

Male Female

Under 18:

18 – 30:

30 – 65:

65+:

Total:

Membership Fee:

Number of staff employed: Full – Time: Part –Time:

1.2 Description of existing facilities (See Note 1) :

2. Outline of project for which technical assistance is sought

2.2 Time scale of the proposed study:

Date of commencement: / / Date of completion: / /

2.3 Proposed expenditure on Plan/Feasibility Study

Breakdown of Cost €

Wages/Salaries:

Travel & Subsistence:

Consultancy:

Other (please specify):

TOTAL

2.6 Sources of funding: (See Note 2)
€

Own current resources:

Fundraising:

Borrowings:

Grants from sources other than this scheme:

Grants sought from this scheme:

Other (please specify):

TOTAL

3. Have you identified the person who will carry out the study for which assistance is being sought?
If ‘yes’, please complete the following

From whom has the organisation received technical advice regarding the proposed works or the costing?

Name: Qualification:

Company: Telephone:

Address:

If "no", please indicate your proposals for identifying and appointing the person

4. Other grant aid applications (See Note 3)

Have you applied for grant aid for this project from other sources? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If ‘Yes’ please complete the following

Funding Body Date Amount sought Status of Application Amount Granted

of Application i.e. Decided or Pending

1.

2.

3.

Do you intend to apply for grant aid from other sources? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If "yes", please detail

Signatories: This form must be signed by two members of your committee following approval by the committee at a formal meeting:
Name:	Name:
Office held:	Office held:
Address:	Address:
Telephone no:	Telephone no:
Statement: ‘To the best of my knowledge the making of this proposal has been approved by the committee of this organisation and the information provided in this form is true and accurate’.	Statement: ‘To the best of my knowledge the making of this proposal has been approved by the committee of this organisation and the information provided in this form is true and accurate’.
Signed:	Signed:
Date:	Date:

Note 1. It is the policy of the Council to have regard to the scale of the existing facilities of an organisation or a community and its capacity to fund-raise when rates of grant aid are being decided.

Note 2. It is the policy of the Council generally to require that a portion of the cost of a project is provided by the project promoters own funds

Note 3. It is the policy of the Council to grant aid only those projects that have first sought assistance from all other appropriate and available sources

General Notes

It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that make facilities available to a range of organisations and/or whole communities when considering applications for grant aid

It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that make provision for the less advantaged in the community when considering applications for grant aid.

It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that include elements of environmental improvement when considering applications for grant aid

It is the policy of the Council to give priority to partnership projects when considering applications for grant aid

Checklist

Please confirm that you have included the following documentation, where relevant, in support of this application

Please 4

Copy of Constitution and details of structure, in the case of Clubs and Voluntary Organisations ƒ

Copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association and copy of Certificate of Incorporation in the case of Limited Companies ƒ

Minutes of most recent Annual General Meeting ƒ

Copy of any relevant Planning Permissions and Fire Safety Certificate ƒ

Copy of architectural drawings/designs of any proposed development in the case of capital projects ƒ

Site location map ƒ

Evidence of Procurement – copies of three Quotations for any work costing in □

excess of €1,270 from contractors/suppliers with an up to date

Tax Clearance Certificate ƒ

Evidence of public and employers (where appropriate) liability insurance ƒ

Evidence of Title/Lease/Interest in lands/buildings ƒ

Copy of most recent financial records ƒ

Up to date copies of all bank statements of the Organisation ƒ

Copy of your organisations Tax Clearance Certificate ƒ

Copy of co-operation agreements with other Clubs/Organisations ƒ

Completed Application Form should be returned to:

Community & Enterprise Department,

North Tipperary County Council,

Civic Offices,

Limerick Road,

Nenagh,

Co. Tipperary

Tel: (067) 44851

Fax: (067) 31478

By 7^th April 2006 at the latest

CAPITAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION FORM

North Tipperary Local Authorities Community, Sport and Cultural Grants Scheme

1. Application Details
1.1 Details Of Club/Voluntary Organisation
Name of Club or Voluntary Organisation:			Date Established:
Contact Name for Correspondence:			Phone:	Fax:
Contact Address for Correspondence:			Email:
Names, addresses and contact numbers of principal office holders
Name	Position	Address			Contact No.

Nature of applicant organisation

Registered Club ƒ Voluntary Organisation ƒ

Limited Company ƒ Community Group ƒ

Tax Affairs

Does your organisation have a current Tax Clearance Certificate? Yes ƒ No ƒ Number __________

Does your organisation have charitable exemption? Yes ƒ No ƒ Number __________

Membership (Please provide a breakdown of the membership of your organisation)

Male Female

Under 18:

18 – 30:

30 – 65:

65+:

Total:

Membership Fee:

Number of staff employed: Full – Time: Part –Time:

1.2 Description of existing facilities (See Note 1) :

Fundraising activities undertaken in the last two years:
Activity Year Amount (€)

Details of works undertaken by your organisation over the last five years:

Works Year Amount (€)

1.3 Description of your community. (See note 1)

Number of sporting organisations:

Number of other organisations:

Population that you serve

(e.g. Parish, town, area) :

Number of halls:

Number of sports pitches:

2. Proposed development

Project Title:

New Project ƒ Extension of existing facilities ƒ Refurbishment of existing facilities ƒ (Please tick as appropriate)

Details of works involved:

Access to and use of the facilities (See Note 2)
To whom will the facilities be made available?

Your own organisation? ƒ

Other organisations? (Please list) ƒ

Social Inclusion(See Note 3)

Please outline any steps that you propose in the design, construction or future management of the project that will increase the participation of those less advantaged in the community.

Will the project be accessible to people with disabilities by way of (Please tick as appropriate)
Ramp ƒ Wheelchair entrances and exits ƒ Disabled toilets ƒ

Other (Please specify)

Improving the environment. (See Note 4)
Please outline any improvements to your premises or site that will help to improve the general environment and that you wish to include as part of this application.

Working with others. (see Note 5)

Could the proposed facility be provided with and jointly used with others? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If yes, please describe how

If no, please indicate why

2.1 Planning Permission:
Has planning permission been obtained? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If yes Date of grant of permission: / / Reference Number:

If no Date of application if made: / / Reference Number:

2.2 Time scale of the proposed development:

Date of commencement: / / Date of completion: / /

2.3 Project Cost:
What do you anticipate will be the total capital expenditure on the project

Please give details of how this costing was obtained:

Breakdown of Cost €

Purchase of land or building:

Construction/adaptation costs:

Machinery and equipment:

Professional fees:

Other (please specify):

TOTAL

2.4 Elements of the development for which grant assistance is sought
Element	Cost

2.5 Voluntary Labour:

Does the project cost include voluntary labour? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If "yes", please detail the following

Description of works:

Number of hours:

Estimated value:

2.6 Sources of funding: (See Note 6)
€

Own current resources:

Fundraising:

Borrowings:

Grants from sources other than this scheme:

Grants sought from this scheme:

Other (please specify):

TOTAL

3. Technical

From whom has the organisation received technical advice regarding the proposed works or the costing?

Name: Qualification:

Company: Telephone:

Address: Drawings/Specifications attached Yes ƒ No ƒ

Has the organisation sought advice from consultants with regard to the design and management of the facility? Yes ƒ No ƒ

If "yes", please give details and forward a copy of the consultant’s report

Name:

Company:

Address:

4. Other grant aid applications (See Note 7)

Any other comments you wish to make in support of your application

Signatories: This form must be signed by two members of your committee following approval by the committee at a formal meeting:
Name:	Name:
Office held:	Office held:
Address:	Address:
Telephone no:	Telephone no:
Statement: ‘To the best of my knowledge the making of this proposal has been approved by the committee of this organisation and the information provided in this form is true and accurate’.	Statement: ‘To the best of my knowledge the making of this proposal has been approved by the committee of this organisation and the information provided in this form is true and accurate’.
Signed:	Signed:
Date:	Date:

Note 1. It is the policy of the Council to have regard to the scale of the existing facilities of an organisation or a community and its capacity to fund-raise when rates of grant aid are being decided.

Note 2. It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that make facilities available to a range of organisations and/or whole communities when considering applications for grant aid

Note 3. It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that make provision for the less advantaged in the community when considering applications for grant aid.

Note 4. It is the policy of the Council to give priority to those projects that include elements of environmental improvement when considering applications for grant aid

Note 5. It is the policy of the Council to give priority to partnership projects when considering applications for grant aid

Note 6. It is the policy of the Council generally to require that a portion of the cost of a project is provided by the project promoters own funds

Note 7. It is the policy of the Council to grant aid only those projects that have first sought assistance from all other appropriate and available sources

Checklist

Please confirm that you have included the following documentation, where relevant, in support of this application

Please 4