Are you eligible?
This programme is open to applications from individuals, groups or organisations. Note: you are not required to be a formal group or registered charity etc – indeed we expect the majority of applicants to be from groups which are not constituted and likely choose to remain as such.
1. Relieve or prevent any form of poverty; be that financial, emotional, spiritual, relational, or mental in any way. This can be carried out in a variety of ways in almost any area of society.
2. Have a beneficial impact in any area of society, bringing about positive change which aligns with restoration of all things. We see this as aligned with the ‘Kingdom of God’ within the Christian faith however we do not require that you be a Christian to still bring about restoration in your community or sphere of influence. We are not primarily focused on promoting institutional ‘religion’ but rather the holistic wholeness and goodness we see described throughout the bible as the ‘Kingdom of God’
Applicants must be based and work within the British Isles and be over 16 years of age at time of application.
Previously unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply (providing the application is different from the previous). However, applicants who have been barred from grants due to misuse of previous funds are barred from re-application.
The Process:
You complete one of the application forms on the website as a group or individual.
You submit the application form by sending us a scanned PDF to the email admin@kingdomnetwork.org.uk
The Kingdom Network trustees will consider the application as time allows at the next trustees meeting. Submissions are considered by an order of receipt basis.
For those accepted into this ‘Continuous Grant Programme’, The Kingdom Network opens an additional bank account for use by the applicant(s). Other grants, gifts or donations received into this bank account are treated as restricted funds which we’re legally obliged to grant only to the applicants’ activity.
We (The Kingdom Network) will add gift aid (if the donation is from a gift-aider whom we have relevant paperwork from), we retain a proportion of this to cover central costs and use for the ‘Additional Grant Programme’. We would encourage applicants to also investigate this Grant Programme if they feel it relevant to them.
This proportion is calculated monthly as 10% of that month’s income into any accounts (opening balance transfers and external grants are exempt), capped at total eligible gift-aid. This ensures no applicant’s restricted funds are ever used centrally and that in the majority of cases the applicant’s account is topped up with a proportion of gift aid.
Centrally:
Some funds are required for the day to day running costs of The Kingdom Network, such as bookkeeping and report generation, admin of handling applications, Annual Accounts, Governance costs and promoting The Kingdom Network to more people who may wish to use it. Without these elements The Kingdom Network wouldn’t be able to legally function as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We plan and expect these costs to be significantly under the 10% allocation.
Towards the ‘Additional Grants Programme’:
The unused allocation is then earmarked for the ‘Additional Grants Programme’ to be given to groups in need of a boost to achieve, launch or investigate something and is entirely up to the Trustee’s discretion. We will include simple information on what has been funded by this grant Programme in the monthly spending reports sent to Accountability Partners and Named Users.
For ease of use, applicants are added as named Users of the account and provided with debit cards to use in whatever way required for the furtherment of their stated aims. However, withdrawals of cash are strictly regulated; each withdrawal will require paperwork including; person taking out money, their signature, information and contact data on who the cash is being given to (note, we may from time to time contact the person who has received the funds to check legitimacy) – failure to provide this data would be treated as a misuse of funds.
Misuse of funds or failure to provide information on account spending from time to time if requested will result in account freezing and/or closure. In this event any remaining funds in the account will be returned to those who gave it (where contact information allows) and anything remaining will be designated for allocation through the ‘Additional Grants Programme’.
We expect at least two main Users of each account (for all applications except for individuals), though accept more if there is a legitimate case in doing so. We normally require a minimum of two ‘Accountability Partners’ but welcome as many as are willing.
These ‘Accountability Partners’ will receive monthly reports of usage within each account. Additionally, if anyone who isn’t an ‘Accountability Partner’ requests to see these reports (as a one-off or by being added to the list of Accountability Partners), we will confirm they have a proven connection to the group (confirmed by us contacting the account Users). If so, we will forward these reports as a means of promoting transparency in use of funds.
Note, in these reports all donations are merged to protect the anonymity of givers.
FAQs
- Failure to fully complete/deliver the form.
- If the application doesn’t comply with the Charitable Aims of The Kingdom Network.
- If the group owns assets or buildings requiring maintenance or subject to legal requirements; The Kingdom Network cannot maintain property or be subject to liabilities outside of our control. These may need to be sold before your application can be considered.
- If it comes to the attention of The Kingdom Network that the application is in any way deceitful or mis-informative.
- The application is not in accordance with The Kingdom Network’s Grant Making Policy.
Only approved Users (as per your application form) and agents of The Kingdom Network will have access to the bank account. It should be noted that all funds are ‘one-to-sign’ so any individual user can access and spend funds how they see fit – e.g. cash withdrawals, card purchases or internet transfers.
The only occasion where The Kingdom Network would utilise this access (other than for getting statements for bookkeeping) is if the account was mis-used by any applicants where we’d be forced to freeze/close the account and return funds to those who gave it (contact information permitting). This is the last resort action to protect the wider charity and therefore all other grants.
Yes and No – all funds must be used in some way related to the Charitable Aims of The Kingdom Network in line with the original application. Providing it fulfils this requirement you can spend funds however you see fit – this can be made by bank transfers, by payments via debit cards or as a cash withdrawal (a form will need completing for each cash withdrawal).
All Grant accounts/restricted funds are protected against use by The Kingdom Network for ‘central’ running costs as any funds transferred into the specified accounts is treated as restricted funds and carries legal obligations to only be used for the activities detailed within the original Application Form. In the event of closure all funds can be transferred out of accounts or returned to those who gave it (contact information permitting).
We want to prioritise relationships and wherever possible, we want to reduce any damage around disagreements on use of finance may cause. With this in mind, we prioritise the view and will of givers NOT the Users.
Therefore, our policy is that any request from any Users or if we see suspected unusual activity to freeze their particular grant account will mean we freeze the account from all Users. We’d then contact all Users and the Accountability Partners to better understand the situation.
We’d allow givers that we can contact to determine how or where they would like their funds to go – this will occur in reverse date order until no funds remain. i.e. those who’ve given most recently decide about the amount they gave first until the account balance is ‘zero’. We’d normally expect the ‘smaller’ group of people to apply for a new account and unfreeze the account for the ‘larger’ body whichever way round this is. Then transfer or return funds as requested by givers.
Yes, it’s a simple form to remove a User, though we’d require them to be replaced if this would result in only one remaining named User (other than for ‘individual’ accounts).
We’d need all named Users to sign a form to close the account, this can occur at any time, no notice required and any remaining funds which haven’t been spent can either be transferred to another account(s) as stated on the signed form, or ‘donated’ to The Kingdom Network’s ‘Additional Grants Programme’
No – The Kingdom Network is a separate Charitable Incorporated Organisation providing grants to individuals/groups/organisations. All bank accounts utilised through the ‘Continuous Grants Programme’ belong to The Kingdom Network (though funds are restricted) and funds within them are considered ‘granted’ as they are spent.
The Kingdom Network is in no way responsible for any activity undertaken by anyone receiving or using these funds, or any activities of individuals/groups/organisations. The only time where The Kingdom Network will enforce action over a group’s dedicated account is in freezing the used account in the event of mis-use of funds or a group split as this relates to our own accounts before the money has been granted.
If a group is ‘un-constituted’ – i.e. has no formal governance structure/isn’t a charity in its own right, it isn’t legally required to have trustees/take out insurance/health and safety procedures/safeguarding etc – it’d hold the equivalent risk as inviting people into your home for a party etc.
However, we seek to encourage ‘good practice’ to allow groups to be ‘above reproach’. We have therefore generated a number of resources to enable good practice such as simple guidance to keep people and areas safe, basic safeguarding procedures, ability to DBS check individuals via The Kingdom Network etc. If you’d like to utilise any of these ‘Good Practice’ resources, please just get in touch.
Generally, no – if a group is un-constituted then it won’t be able to raise a loan or mortgage. The Kingdom Network will not sign anything relating to this on your behalf to own or maintain any building or asset. If groups grow to the point of wanting to own buildings or assets, we can help them register as a Charity/CIO in their own right. Groups which are constituted or are charities in their own right will be able to apply for these entirely separately from The Kingdom Network.