Grant Making Policy — Bursary Awards for University Students
1. Introduction
This policy sets out the principles, criteria, and processes used by the charity when awarding bursaries. It ensures fairness, consistency, transparency, and compliance with Charity Commission guidance. Trustees will apply this policy proportionately to each application received.
The charity’s purpose is to advance education to those who are economically and/or socially disadvantaged and live in Rotherham by making grants:
(a) primarily to provide the opportunity for tertiary education; and
(b) additionally to Rotherham secondary schools to provide extra curricular educational experiences to students.
The charity has limited resources and so will currently do this by providing bursaries to students progressing to university who are economically or socially disadvantaged, and who have previously attended sixth form at either Thomas Rotherham College (TRC) or Wickersley School.
2. Grant Making Criteria
The charity may only provide grants and bursaries that directly further its charitable purposes.
Bursaries may be awarded to eligible students for up to 100% of a student’s annual university maintenance costs, subject to funds available. For the avoidance of doubt students are required to fund tuition fees payable to the university of their choice via a student loan or by other means.
Grants may be awarded to any secondary school in Rotherham for the benefit of one or more eligible students.
3. Eligibility
The charity defines those who are economically and/or socially disadvantaged as those:
- living in a low household income,
- with a lack of family financial support,
- with care experience,
- with other adverse circumstances.
There will be two categories of criteria:
1) merit which will be created and amended from time to time after taking advice from relevant teachers at the appropriate sixth forms and colleges of FE; and
2) means tested and based on household income using similar criteria to that used for 16-19 bursary funding in the area.
Student applicants for bursaries must have attended TRC or Wickersley School, have a confirmed or pending UK university place, submit a full application, and demonstrate disadvantage.
School applicants for grants must submit a full application, and demonstrate the relevant student(s) merit and disadvantage.
4. Funding Priorities
The number of good applications is likely to exceed the funding available, so the following criteria will be used to help make a decision on how best to allocate funding:
- Those most in need.
- The most vulnerable.
- Where a small grant might enable a larger project to go ahead, such as meeting a shortfall in funding.
- Any other priorities that the trustees may from time to time decide.
5. Application Process
Applications must be submitted online using the charity’s application form via the charity’s website www.rotherhamscholars.org . Supporting evidence may be requested.
Other than in order to consider the funding priorities, no consideration at any stage shall be given to any protected characteristics of the applicants, being age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
6. Initial Assessment
Applications that meet the eligibility criteria are reviewed by the Head (or representative) of TRC, the Head (or representative) of Wickersley School, and a Trustee to create a shortlist.
7. Interviews
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by a panel comprising of at least one Trustee and one representative from each institution.
8. Decision Making
Final decisions are made by Trustees. Awards are discretionary and subject to available funds.
9. Notification
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application and successful applicants will have funding made available once they have signed a grant agreement.
The grant agreement will include:
- The purposes for which it is given.
- Any unused portion of the grant is to be returned to the charity.
- Reporting back on how the grant was spent.
- Reporting back on the impact the grant had.
- Any supporting evidence required, such as receipts.
- Any deadlines.
- Any promotional activities the student may be asked to participate in (this would be limited to no more than two days in any 12 month period with all expenses covered) and if relevant to the activity, consent to use the student’s name and image.
10. Reporting and Monitoring
Successful applicants must provide updates on use of funds and academic progress. The content and nature of information to be provided will be appropriate for the size and type of grant awarded.
The charity will monitor such reports to not only ensure that grants are being used for the purposes intended, but also to assess the impact grants have made. This learning will be used to inform future decision making and policy to maximise the charity’s impact.
11. Promotion
The charity will promote bursaries through TRC, Wickersley School, and student support channels.
12. Data Protection
All personal data will be used and maintained in accordance with the charity’s privacy policy, a copy of which will be provided to applicants including being held securely, disclosed if subject to an access request, treated as confidential, only used for the purpose for which it has been provided and destroyed, once no longer needed.
13. Review and Version Control
Version 1.0
Reviewed annually.