The Charity of Hervey and Elizabeth Ekins Grants Policy
Our current grants policy is as follows:
Object Clause
“The object of the Charity shall be to promote the education (including social and physical training) in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of England of young persons residing in the area of benefit. Preference will be given to boys and girls residing in the Ecclesiastical Parishes of St. Peter, Weston Favell, St. Peter and St. Paul, Abington and Emmanuel, the Parish of Great Doddington, and the area of the Borough of Northampton.”
Application of Income Clause
28 (1) Grants
The Trustees may apply not more than one-third part of the income of the Charity or such other part as the Commissioners approve from time to time in providing special grants of any kind not normally provided the local education authority for the School of the Charity or any other maintained School situated in or serving the educational needs of persons residing in the area of benefit as may be agreed from time to time between the Trustees and the Managers or Governors of the said School or schools. Our current policies are:
Weston Favell School
An annual grant, subject to a report being made of how the last grant has been spent. In addition grants may be made for specific projects for which a specific application is made.
Other Maintained Schools
Schools in the area of priority are encouraged to make applications for specific projects related to religious education. Applications from other schools in the area of benefit will be considered.
Clause 28(2) Grants
Theses are educational grants to individuals, known as beneficiaries, and ‘in otherwise furthering the object of the charity’. In giving clause 28(2) grants ‘the Trustees shall have regard to the promotion of education in accordance with the principles of the Church of England’. Educational grants are defined some detail in the scheme as are beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are young people ‘under the age of 25, who have attended the school of the charity or any other maintained school situated in, or serving the area of benefit, or who have for not less than three years been resident in that area, and who are in need of financial assistance’. In special circumstances benefits can be given to young persons over the age 25 and under the age of 30.
There are no restrictions in the scheme in terms of limiting beneficiaries to those attending church. Currently individual applicants are required to provide a statement from the incumbent of their parish church or from the Church of England Chaplain of their college or university chapel stating that the applicant worships regularly at the relevant church or chapel. An educational reference is also required.
- First degrees - Grants of up to £500 per annum and no more than £2,000 in total over a course.
- Further education - Grants of up to £500 per annum.
- Professional and vocational course - Grants of up to £500 per annum.
- School pupils - Grants of up to £500 per annum.. Grants are not made in support of home to school travel.
- Promoting RE - Annual grants to the PCCs of the three preferred parishes for work with young people under 25 are made subject to reports of how grants are being spent. Applications for promoting RE will also be considered from other PCCs, schools and other organisations from the area of benefit.
How are Applications Considered
Applications are considered individually. and where there is an exceptional need grants may exceed the maximum figures. Account is also taken of grants made in previous years. A means tested scale, which takes account of both family income and size (as below), is used as an indicator for the level of grant to be made to those aged under 18, the percentage figure being of the cost of the activity for which the application has been made.
Means tested Scale for applications for those aged under eighteen
| GROSS INCOME Weekly / Annual | FAMILY 1 child (under 18) | FAMILY 2 children (under 18) | FAMILY 3+ children (under 18) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £500 / £26,000 or below | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| £501-£600 / £26,000 - £31,200 | 75% | 100% | 100% |
| £601-£800 / £31,201 - £41,600 | 50% | 75% | 100% |
| £801 - £1200/ £41,601 - £62,400 | Nil | 50% | 75% |
| £1,201 - £1,450 / £62,401 - £75,400 | Nil | Nil | 50% |
| £1,451 / £75,401 or more | Nil | Nil | Nil |
The percentage figures relate to the cost of the activity and the resulting figures are then subject to the maximum figure of £500 for each year. So as an example music lessons costing £800 for a family with two children with earnings of £700 would first have 75% limit applied, resulting in a figure of £600. Then the maximum grant figure would be applied and the final maximum grant would then be £500 as that is below the first figure. If the cost were £400 the maximum grant would only be £300, that is 75% of £400, as it is a figure below the £500 maximum.