IWNHAS Grant Terms and Conditions
1. Introduction and Objectives
The Isle of Wight Natural History & Archaeological Society (IWNHAS) offers financial support through small grants, made possible by a generous bequest from Jean McCormac.
All supported projects must fulfill at least one of the Society’s two primary objectives for public benefit:
- To promote the study of Natural History and Archaeology especially in relation to the Isle of Wight
- To promote in every possible way the conservation of the flora and fauna of the Isle of Wight, and the proper preservation of all objects of special archaeological and geological interest.
2. Funding Scope and Usage
The Society allocates up to £5,000 annually for project grants and expects to support multiple projects each year. Additionally, up to £1,500 is available specifically for financial support toward training courses.
Grants may be utilised for:
- The purchase of tools, equipment, or educational resources.
- The costs associated with researching and publishing a book or other publication.
- Research that enhances knowledge of the Island’s flora, fauna, geology, archaeology, or historic environment.
- Training that will facilitate any of the above purposes.
- Any other cause deemed worthy by the fund administrators.
3. Eligibility and Selection Criteria
Applications are open to both members and non-members, though members of the Society will be favoured during the award process.
Applications are viewed more favourably if they:
- Fall within the Society’s core objectives.
- Lead to records, data, articles in IWNHAS publications, or field meetings.
- Contribute to a management plan.
- Are unlikely to proceed without IWNHAS funding.
- Involve training or lead to greater involvement of others.
Applications are less likely to be successful if:
- They are retrospective (seeking funding for work already completed).
- The applicant has a history of not meeting previous grant conditions.
- The work or procurement takes place wholly or partly outside of the county.
- Another charity or organisation exists that might reasonably be expected to fund the project.
- The application is primarily for time or wages.
- The applicant or project has previously received funding from the Society.
- The application is from an organisation with substantial resources of its own.
4. Application and Decision Process
Prediscussion: Applicants are encouraged to contact the Society for an informal discussion prior to submission, when considering an application.
Submission: Applicants must complete the formal application form in full.
Timeline: The application must include a rough timeline of when the grant will be used and a deadline for completion of the work.
Review: A grants panel meets up to three times a year to make decisions.
Outcome: Decisions typically take six weeks, though requests for additional information may extend this period. Applicants will be notified by email or post.
Finality: The Society will not enter into discussions regarding the outcome of an application and will not normally provide reasons for acceptance or refusal.
5. Financial Management
Reimbursement: Payment is usually provided on an expense-claim basis. This means applicants may need to pay costs upfront and claim the funds back by providing proof of expenditure.
Staged Payments: For projects extending over a long period, the Society may require additional information and may agree to staged payments.
Purposes: Grantees will use the funding solely for the purposes specified in their application.
6. Project Delivery and Equipment
Completion: Projects must be completed and claims submitted within 15 months of the grant being awarded. After this time, claims submitted will not normally be reimbursed.
Equipment Care: The security, maintenance, and repair of any equipment acquired with grant funds are the sole responsibility of the applicant.
Equipment Disposal: If equipment purchased with a grant is no longer required by the applicant, it must be offered back to the Society before disposal. The Society reserves the right to decline the equipment or redirect it to another project.
7. Reporting and Publication
Acknowledgment: Successful applicants must acknowledge the Society in any publications resulting from the grant, including online publications and social media. If published, the origin of the grant must be explicitly acknowledged.
Feedback: Grantees must, wherever possible, provide the Society with reports, articles, photographs, or other materials to provide feedback on the supported project.
IWNHAS Journal “Wight Studies”: The Society may wish to see the progress or results of the work published in its own journal and if so, the grantee agrees to provide suitable information to the Society, and to allow publication.
Publicity: The grantee agrees to allow information about the grant, the work, and its outcomes to be published on the IWNHAS website, social media accounts, and in press and media for the purposes of promoting the Society, its work, and the grant scheme. This could include the names and photographs of grantees, and details of the grant.
8. Liability
The grantee warrants that the proposed activities supported by the grant are lawful. All actions taken by successful applicants as a result of a grant are the sole responsibility of the applicant. The Society accepts no liability for any such actions or for the use of equipment purchased via the grant.
The grantee will assume full responsibility for obtaining any permissions, including licences, landowner permissions, and insurance required for the project.