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CEC has a Grant Making Policy to set out the principles, expectations and responsibilities for the approval and management of Grants. Central to this policy is for CEC to promote efficient and effective grant making, to ensure funding is used as intended and provides best value for money through high quality delivery.

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Principles

The principles guiding the policy is that CEC:

• Follows best practice in line with the expectations of our funders, partners, and beneficiaries
• Demonstrates absolute equity and transparency in its grant making processes
• Makes Grants based on evidenced need and linked to CEC’s mission and strategy
• Has a consistent, collaborative approach, sharing practice and learning
• Manages Grants within an effective and proportionate control framework
• Has clear approval and accountability lines for Grant approval and management
• Achieves best value for money for public funds

Grant application, selection and contracting

All Grants are expected to be made following a clear, equitable and transparent application process. Including:

• ÌýThe submission of a grant proposal
• A detailed budget and phasing of costs, providing value for money
• Defined outputs, quality and social value KPIs
• For larger and longer term grants a risk register and escalation procedure.

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Grants should be competed by default; exceptions may be approved where competition would not be appropriate. Evidence for any direct award decision will be provided in the approval process.

CEC is agnostic as to the Grantee’s organisation status and can fund all types of business and non-profits, however eligibility rules may be used to limit organisations who can apply where:

• this is in-line with funder restrictions on who can benefit
• there is a clear advantage to selecting Grantee classes based on delivery efficiency and capacity

Grant eligibility and selection criteria will be given in advance to applicants. All selection decisions including scoring will be recorded and for larger schemes moderated.

Challenges to decision making or complaints will be handled before any award is made, balancing the needs for transparency and confidentiality.

Due diligence will be done at a level commensurate with the length and value of the award expected.

For all awards CEC will meet the core principles to:

• Identify and verify who it is funding
• Know what they do and that they are appropriate for CEC to be involved with
• Have demonstrated they can deliver what CEC wants.

Any member of staff, Board, Committee or external evaluator must declare and absent themselves from the decision making process where there is a conflict or overlap of Interest.