Premier League Places for Players
Make a Difference!

Would £20,000 make a difference to your community or a local 3rd Sector organisation that you are involved in?

Stoke City Football Club has £20,000 to grant to a local good cause. This money has been secured through the Premier League's Places for Players initiative.

Funding will be given as a one off donation of £20,000. Could your community benefit from a grant of £20,000 or are you a member of a local 3rd sector group that has a project idea that will help or meet a need in your community. Are you based within Stoke-on-Trent or does your organisation have a project idea that would benefit the people of Stoke-on-Trent then please read on.

What Projects Will Be Considered

The following types of project ideas will be considered;

• Projects promote, education, equality, health and social inclusion will be given priority
• The Project will be ready for immediate start once the award has been granted
• The money can be used for capital, buying equipment, small building works, etc., or revenue, e.g., volunteer expenses, to pay specific project worker/s or to stage a programme of events, or a mixture of both
• Grant can cover the whole costs of the project or be a contribution to a much bigger project
• The Project must primarily benefit the people of Stoke-on-Trent
• Must show continued on going benefits once the Project is completed
• Demonstrate innovative use of a Primary League player to help promote this project.

What Will NOT Be Considered

• Project activities that happened or start before the grant is confirmed
• Any costs incurred when putting the application together
• Any expenditure incurred or committed before the grant is confirmed including deposits
• Day to day running costs e.g., utility bills, rent, insurances
• Contingency Costs
• Existing activities, events, things that the organisation already does, etc
• Feasibility studies
• Loans or interest payments
• Projects or services that statutory agencies have a duty to provide
• Projects that can not be completed in the timescale

When

Applications must be made on the official grant application form. The official grant application forms can be downloaded and are available by CLICKING HERE.

Applications will be accepted from Wednesday 6th January 2010, submission is 12 noon Wednesday 10th February 2010. Applications are to be submitted to Adrian Hurst, Head of Community, Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke on Trent ST4 4EG. No late submissions will be accepted.

Who Can Apply

Generally, Stoke City will consider applications from;

• registered charities,
• voluntary and community groups
• sports clubs and societies
• Schools, PTAs
• Any other not for profit organisation

Organisations need to demonstrate, as a minimum, a Constitution or Terms of Reference, a system for recording income and expenditure and a UK bank account in the group's name that requires at least two people who are unrelated and do not live at the same address to sign cheques or make a withdrawal.

Priority will be given to groups based and working in the City.

Practices and Procedures

Stoke City Football Club operates an equal opportunities policy and will not discriminate against any group specifically on the grounds of race, ethnic or national origin, religion or creed, disability or impairment, gender, sexual orientation or marital status, employment status, social class or any other unjustified grounds. Therefore evidence of robust equalities policies and practices will need to be submitted with all applications.

Should your project work with or involve vulnerable people such as children, young adults, the elderly you must have the relevant policies, practices and procedures, training, police clearances for paid and volunteer staff that cover that your proposed project activities.

Insurances

Depending on the type of project your organisation may need public liability insurance, employee insurance etc. It will be the groups responsibility to ensure they have adequate insurance in place including cover for any equipment, events or activities. If your project covers sporting activities you must be affiliated to a governing body.

Who Cannot Apply

Stoke City Football Club will not accept applications from;

• Individuals
• Private for profit organisations
• 3rd sector groups whose fund raising or part of their fund raising goes to national headquarters for redistribution
• National and regional organisations unless they have local base and or where their application is for a specific project for the local community
• Political parties

How the Applications will be evaluated

There will be an evaluation panel set up who will assess all the application against the criteria set out above. The panel will then consider:

• The need for the project
• Who will benefit
• How you will achieve the outcomes
• The total project cost

Priority will be given to applications that;

• Show strong evidence of need
• Involve a broad range of people
• Meet a number of priority areas
• Are from local groups

Your organisation may receive a visit from the panel
You will be required to support your application with appropriate evidence.

Timescales

An initial panel review will take place on Thursday 11th February 2010.
A decision from the panel will be made on Friday 12th February 2010.

The successful applicant will be notified week commencing 15th February 2010.
A grant offer letter will be sent, and will need to be agreed to by your committee and signed by the Chairperson and another committee member. Stoke City will not authorise payment until the grant offer letter is returned.

Only one application per organisation will be accepted.

Financial and Monitoring Requirements

Evidence of spend will be required for example:

• Copies of receipts
• Quotes for work done
• Equipment
• Financial records
• Targets achieved

PR and Promotions

Unless otherwise indicated, publicity and written material relating to work supported by the grant should acknowledge the financial contribution made by Stoke City Football Club and the Premier League's 'Places for Player's initiative'.

All grant recipients should acknowledge the support given from Stoke City Football Club and the Premier League when producing any form of report, promotional or publicity material in relation to their funded project, including press releases, leaflets, posters, brochures and annual reports.

The support should be acknowledged through the use of the provided logos.