Just before you apply for a grant, please read these important Guidance Notes.
Objective
The GEM Road Safety Charity (The Charity) is registered in England and Wales (No 326857) and aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads across the United Kingdom. This is achieved in a number of ways including the provision of financial support, through grant funding, to projects and initiatives aimed at promoting road safety.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant the applicant must be based in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. The Charity welcomes applications from community groups, registered charities, foundations, professional bodies, road safety organisations, road safety partnerships, schools and universities whose projects aim to increase road safety for all through research, education, engineering or enforcement.
Where appropriate the Charity will require copies of applicant’s safeguarding and health and safety policies, together with copies of their annual accounts.
Grant Amount
The Charity aims to support one or two projects annually with a total grant allocation in the region of £10,000. The Trustees encourage applications that seek match funding for partnership based road safety projects, activities or initiatives, where the outcome of the project is greater than could be achieved by the GEM Charity grant alone.
Applying for a Grant
Applications must be submitted using the application form found on the relevant page of the Charity’s website. It may be necessary to submit supporting documents along with the application and this can be done via e-mail or by post as necessary.
Assessment Criteria
All applications that meet the funding criteria will be assessed by Board of Trustees in consultation with the GEM Executive Council. The Trustees reserve the right to contact referees supplied by the applicant as necessary.
Grants will be awarded on merit to those applicants who meet the necessary criteria:
- Applications for grant funding must support the aims and objectives of the GEM Road Safety Charity.
- Projects must demonstrate a road safety benefit to the wider community at a regional or national level (very localised projects may be considered but are less likely to be successful due to their limited impact/reach).
- Project applications must highlight a well-researched identified need and demonstrate a clear understanding of the road safety issue(s) to be addressed.
- Applications must contain clear aims and objectives and explain how these will be achieved.
- Applications should, where appropriate, include a project plan that outlines a timetable for the proposed project giving clear milestones and deadlines.
- Applications must include an appropriate assessment method and timetable for evaluation.
- There should be a clear breakdown of costs and a demonstration of value for money.
- Applications must demonstrate how the proposed project will be sustained over its lifetime and beyond.
- Where match funding is obtained, applications must include which organisation is providing this and any contracts or agreements that exist with that organisation.
- Where the application is made to support research it must include a plan for publishing any results.
- All applications must show how the GEM Road Safety Charity will be acknowledged.
We will not award grants to projects that do not demonstrate a road safety benefit to the wider community, are from a political party or are contrary to the relevant legislation regarding equal opportunities such as the Equality Act 2010.
Successful Applications
Successful applicants will be notified in writing as soon as practicable after the relevant meeting. Funds will be paid via BACS transfer to the applying organisation. Proof of bank account details will be required.
The Charity, in making a grant, requires regular updates on the progress of the funded project in line with the timetable established in the project plan. A final project report will also be required.
Copies of most recent accounts and relevant policies, such as safeguarding, will be required prior to the release of funds.
The contribution of the Charity must be acknowledged in any published material, press releases, social media or marketing communications that result from the project. In addition the Charity requires a copy of any report or evaluation prior to publication and will seek to assist, where possible, with the promotion of the project through the members of GEM Motoring Assist, the magazine Good Motoring, and our own social media channels.
Unsuccessful Applications
Applicants for grants that have been unsuccessful will be notified in writing as soon as practicable after the relevant meeting.
An unsuccessful application will not preclude a further application to the Charity in the future.