Okehampton United Charities

Okehampton United Charities is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1210636).

Okehampton United Charities makes grants to local groups and organisations for charitable benefits to residents of Okehampton Town and its Hamlets, Brightley, Southcott, Meldon and Stockley. It was brought about by a scheme ordered by the Charity Commission, which joined six charities that benefited the inhabitants of Okehampton and the Hamlets. Alongside its grants to organisations and groups, it gives directly to residents for post-16 education, the first year of apprenticeships and further education. The annual report records £407,392 awarded in the year it covers.

Priority Areas

The Foundation makes grants to local groups and organisations for charitable benefits to residents of Okehampton and its four Hamlets. Its stated fields include community facilities, community support, sport and recreation, and education; it considers both capital and running costs. Organisations applying must have members or beneficiaries who are not unreasonably restricted and reside within the area of benefit; grants may be adjusted pro rata where an organisation operates beyond it. The Foundation also supports local schools and education for residents, including post-16 study and apprenticeships. Trustees use evaluation questions tailored to each application and monitor aims and results at project completion or annually before considering further applications.

Themes

• Community facilities
• Community support
• Sport and recreation
• Education

Geographic Focus

Okehampton Town; Brightley; Southcott; Meldon; Stockley.

For applications under £1,500, applicants submit a letter or email and basic accounts. The Clerk and Treasurer scrutinise these, a summary is presented at the monthly trustees' meeting, and the trustees decide the grant.

Deadlines: Applications under £1,500 are considered monthly; applications over £1,500 are considered quarterly, and must be received by the relevant deadline.

Who can apply:

• Organisations applying are required to confirm that their members or beneficiaries are not unreasonably restricted and that they reside within the area of benefit.
• Organisations applying must have at least one charitable purpose and benefit residents of Okehampton and the Hamlets.

What to send:

• Applications under £1,500: Letter / email and basic accounts.
• Applications between £1,500 and £10,000, Applications over £10,000: Full application form and accounts.
• Sporting and Arts Awards to Individuals, Educational Bursaries: Application form and additional evidence.
• Exceptional Achievement Award: A letter / email and additional evidence as requested.
• Educational Establishments Allocations: Requests from the College and other Schools to release their allocations to fund / part fund projects not funded by statutory bodies.

Applying again: The specific evaluation aims and results are monitored at the end of each project or annually, in advance of further applications.

What the charity says:

• Applications must have a charitable purpose and benefit residents of Okehampton and the Hamlets.
• Trustees tailor evaluation questions to each application and monitor the aims and results at project completion or annually before considering further applications.
• Commercial and regeneration organisations must demonstrate a clear, direct link between their work and a charitable purpose benefiting local residents.