New applications will normally be for the Responsive Programme.
Please consult the page for the relevant programme carefully before applying to ensure your charity meets the criteria and timescales.
Applications to the Responsive Programme
We do not currently have an application form – just send us:
- a short letter explaining what your organisation does and how a grant from us might help – see the link for more details on the content of your application letter;
- enclose your charity’s latest Annual Report and Accounts (full version – see our page on submitting your accounts); and
- if you would like any grant paid electronically please enclose evidence of your charity’s bank details (however we are happy to make grant payments by cheque if preferred).
- Please ensure your charitable status is clear – from 1 Sept 2023 all applications must come from charities registered in Scotland (even if based elsewhere).
- If you are a local branch or project of a larger charity, remember we are interested in the status and accounts for the whole charity – not just your group or project.
- If your charity has any specific commitment to climate action in your ways of working (for example, in relation to your methods of travel, use of premises etc) please mention this. We stress that we do not required every application to have climate policy, but as Paristamen is a signatory to the Funder Commitment on Climate Change we are keen to support charities (in all fields of work) that consider the environment in their activities.
Please remember that as our Responsive Grants are normally unrestricted our main interest is in your organisation as a whole rather than the details of a specific project.
All applications (apart from obvious circulars) are acknowledged – either with an immediate rejection if outside our criteria, or with an indication that the application will be considered at the next Trustees’ meeting.
Although we do not acknowledge circular appeals, we are very happy to receive them and will consider them at the next trustees meeting if they are within our criteria: we do not wish to force those seeking funds into preparing detailed individual applications for the small levels of grants that we can provide.
We are currently happy to accept applications by post or email – see details below.
- If applying by email, please send to Sharon Morgan admin@paristamen.org.uk and attach two/three PDFs:
- (a) a grant application letter – see above for guidance on content;
- (b) a copy of your latest annual report and accounts – see above for what’s needed; and
- (c) if you would like any grant paid electronically please make this clear in the letter and enclose evidence of your charity’s bank details – for example a copy of a paying in slip or bank statement (if not, grants will be paid by cheque) – though we do not recommend sending bank statements by email.
- The letter should preferably be on your charity’s normal letterhead – see the link above for guidance.
- PDFs should be formatted for A4 paper. (Please note we cannot receive documents in other electronic formats such as Word or Excel files – if you have trouble saving your application as a PDF we suggest you print it and submit by post.)
- Please note that we cannot accept emails of more than 8Mb so if your accounts (for example) are in a high resolution format that would create an email above this size, please apply by post (or alternatively you could give a weblink if the full annual report and accounts as approved are on your website).
- If applying by post, please send to: Mrs Sharon Morgan (Trustee), The Paristamen Charity,10 Kings Court, Dunbar EH42 1ZG enclosing:
- (a) a grant application letter – see above for guidance on content (even if applying by post, be sure to give an email for the person applying);
- (b) a copy of your latest annual report and accounts – see above for what’s needed; and
- (c) if you would like any grant paid electronically please make this clear in the letter and enclose evidence of your charity’s bank details – for example a copy of a paying in slip or bank statement (if not, grants will be paid by cheque).
- Please be sure to affix the correct postage when sending applications – in particular, if you are enclosing A4 documents such as accounts your envelope will need to be stamped for a Large Letter. Each year we get a number of communications from Royal Mail regarding post for Paristamen where the item was under-stamped – in these cases we do not pay the excess postage so your application will never reach us!
If you have a query you are welcome to call (01368 864582) or e-mail (admin@paristamen.org.uk) – but please make clear whether a message is a general query or an actual application.
Asssessment of Applications and Decision
We seek to acknowledge all applications and provided your applications fits our criteria for a Responsive grant, when we reply we will confirm the timescale for it to be considered by the trustees. Acknowledgements are normally sent out within 2-3 weeks of receipt of an application, but this may take longer if the application is received just after the deadline for the next trustees meeting. Acknowledgments are normally sent by email even if you applied by post. However, if you have sent an application and more than four weeks have passed with no response from us, feel free to get in touch.
Trustees meetings are normally held three times a year towards the end of June, October, and February, with decisions normally confirmed by 21st of the following month (July, November, or March). For Responsive grants, if your application is complete in all respects, including your Annual Report and Accounts, we can normally accept applications up to 1 June, 1 October or 1 February.
If a grant is awarded we will do our utmost to get back to you on the timescale above – so if your application was acknowledged but you haven’t heard from us by the 21st of the month after the relevant trustees meeting, please assume your application has been unsuccessful (though feel free to get in touch if you want clarification).
Where a grant is awarded, we always need a receipt – please make sure that the arrangements are in place to send us a receipt once a grant is definitely received (i.e. once you have seen the transfer on your banking records or once you have deposited the cheque). We are happy to receive receipts by email so long as they include your charity’s full details.
Further applications
If you have made an application to Paristamen please wait a further 12 months from the previous application before re-applying. This applies whether or not a grant was awarded (unless we have been in touch on a point of detail and invited you to re-apply sooner).