CEO Sleepout UK

Grant-Making Policy

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this policy is to set out the principles, criteria and processes that govern how CEO Sleepout UK makes grants.

1.2 A grant is defined as a financial award made by CEO Sleepout UK from its funds to support charitable activities. Grants are usually made to registered charities or charitable community groups, but may on occasion be made to other organisations or to individuals, provided the activity supported is charitable in law.

2. Introduction

2.1 CEO Sleepout UK is a registered charity (Charity Number 1154963) benefiting communities in England and Wales, with a particular focus on areas where CEO Sleepout events are held and the Tees Valley. It is governed by a Board of Trustees. A staff team, led by the Chief Executive, has delegated responsibility for day-to-day operations.

2.2 The Trustees ensure proper governance of CEO Sleepout UK’s grant-making in three key ways:

• Through grant-making principles, which ensure that, even where donors or funding partners are involved, all grant-making decisions remain under the ultimate authority of CEO Sleepout UK’s Trustees. Funds given are CEO Sleepout UK’s charitable assets, albeit sometimes restricted in use. Donors and partners may recommend grants but do not award them.

• Through published grant-making criteria, which set out the activities Trustees wish to support in furtherance of CEO Sleepout UK’s charitable objectives, and those they do not. Trustees recognise that, on occasion, grants may be made outside the published criteria, provided the activity supported is charitable in law.

• Through grant-making processes, which set out how decisions are reached and how grants are administered, monitored and reported.

3. Grant-Making Principles

3.1 The Trustees’ governance of CEO Sleepout UK’s grant-making reflects the scale and range of grants awarded and seeks to balance appropriate oversight with a proportionate and responsive experience for applicants, donors and partners.

3.2 The principles are as follows:

• The Board of Trustees has ultimate collective responsibility for all grant-making decisions, in line with CEO Sleepout UK’s charitable purposes and any donor restrictions.

• Trustees may delegate aspects of assessment, administration and approval to staff or committees. All delegated decisions remain subject to review and scrutiny.

• Trustees reserve the right to apply conditions to any grant.

• Trustees reserve the right to refuse or withdraw approval of any grant where it is determined that the grant would not be charitable, would conflict with CEO Sleepout UK’s policies, or could cause reputational or regulatory risk.

4. Grant-Making Criteria

4.1 CEO Sleepout UK’s published criteria for grant applications are set out in Appendix 1. Trustees aim to make grants to a wide range of organisations, with a particular emphasis on grassroots groups and small-to-medium voluntary organisations in areas where CEO Sleepout events are held.

Large national charities are not excluded, but grants are normally only made where there is a strong local connection and the proposal demonstrates clear and measurable impact.

4.2 CEO Sleepout UK can only make grants for purposes that are charitable in law. Organisations do not need to be registered charities to apply, but unrestricted or general running-cost grants can only be made to registered charities.

4.3 Trustees may consider supporting Community Interest Companies (CICs) and other non-charitable social enterprises where there is a robust business plan and the grant supports the charitable costs of start-up or expansion. CEO Sleepout UK does not normally fund the ongoing delivery costs of services that should be sustained through trading income.

4.4 Trustees expect grants to support one or more of the following outcomes:

• Services and activities that work – maintaining, expanding or creating effective services

• Stronger organisations – organisational development and resilience

• Change in policy and practice – influencing improvements beyond direct service delivery

4.5 External applications must be made using CEO Sleepout UK’s online application process.

4.6 Grants will not normally be made for:

• Contributions to general appeals or circulars

• Religious activity without wider public benefit

• Public bodies carrying out statutory obligations

• Activities solely supporting animal welfare

• Activities that have already taken place

• Grant-making by other organisations

• Privately owned, profit-distributing companies or limited partnerships

4.7 Trustees normally expect grants to have between one and three agreed objectives, set at the outset, to support accountability and impact reporting.

4.8 To enable CEO Sleepout UK to measure impact, grant recipients must provide a report at the end of a twelve-month period detailing how the funds were used and the outcomes or improvements achieved as a result of the grant.

4.9 The minimum grant in response to an external application is £500. The upper limit is usually £2,500, though applicants should be mindful of CEO Sleepout UK’s average grant size.

4.10 A limited number of funds support individuals. Applications from individuals are only accepted where explicitly advertised or through donor nomination.

5. Grant-Making Processes

5.1 CEO Sleepout UK aims for its grant-making processes to be transparent and proportionate. All eligible external grant requests follow a four-stage process:

• Allocation to appropriate available funds

• Assessment against criteria and priorities

• Review and recommendation by authorised staff, panels or committees

• Ratification by the Board or a person or committee acting under delegated authority

5.2 Administration, Due Diligence and Distribution

CEO Sleepout UK works in partnership with Point North, who administer grants on its behalf. Administration includes due diligence, grant agreements, monitoring, reporting and payment processing.

Prior to any grant being paid, grant recipients must complete due diligence checks, which may include:

• Completion of a due diligence form

• Provision of governing documents

• Latest accounts or financial information

• Safeguarding policies where relevant

• Bank details and confirmation of authorised signatories

Compliance and assessment checks may take up to four (4) weeks from receipt of all required documentation. This period allows for variations in volume and scheduling across grant programmes.

Distribution may take up to 4 weeks from receipt of all required documentation and will take place only after signed grant terms and conditions have been returned and all compliance requirements have been satisfied.

Failure to complete due diligence or return signed terms and conditions may delay or prevent the release of grant funds.

5.3 Donor-Nominated Grants

For donor-nominated grants:

• A donor or fund advisor may recommend a grant

• Due diligence is undertaken prior to approval

• Final approval rests with the Board or its delegated authority

5.4

Trustees may at their discretion invite or commission proposals or collaborate with other funders where this aligns with CEO Sleepout UK’s strategy and charitable objectives.

5.5 Delegated Authority

• Approval of donor-advised and panel-recommended grants may be delegated to the Chief Executive, with all decisions reported to the Board.

• External applications up to £2,500 from unrestricted or discretionary funds may be approved by senior staff and ratified by the Chief Executive.

5.6 High-Risk or Exceptional Grants

Grants deemed high-risk or unusual must be referred to the Board. This includes cases where:

• There is doubt about charitable purpose

• There are concerns about financial stability

• The grant is unusually large or outside normal practice

• Conflicts of interest exist

• There is potential reputational risk

• The grant conflicts with CEO Sleepout UK policies

6. Variations to this Policy

6.1 The Board of Trustees may vary the terms of this policy from time to time.

Version 3.0 – approved by the Board [month/year]
(Supersedes Version 2.0 March 2022)

APPENDIX 1: GRANT-MAKING CRITERIA

How do I apply?

All applications must be made using CEO Sleepout UK’s online application process.

Who can apply?

CEO Sleepout UK makes grants to a wide range of organisations, with a particular focus on grassroots community groups and small-to-medium voluntary organisations. Applicants do not need to be registered charities, but funded activity must be charitable in law. Unrestricted or general running-cost grants are only available to registered charities.

CICs and non-charitable social enterprises may apply for restricted grants to support the charitable costs of start-up or expansion, supported by a Community Interest Statement and business plan.

Geographic focus

Grants normally support activity in areas where CEO Sleepout events have been held or within the Tees Valley, unless otherwise specified.

What support is available?

Grants may support running costs, projects, equipment or capital developments. General grants are usually under £2,500.

What we will not fund

• General appeals

• Religious activity without wider public benefit

• Statutory services

• Animal welfare only

• Retrospective activity

• Grant-making by other organisations

• Profit-distributing businesses

Decision timescales

Decisions are normally made within twelve weeks.