Introduction
If you want to make a complaint about GrantScape or its staff we have a procedure that you can use. This procedure is detailed below. Making a complaint against us will not have any bearing on future funding applications you may make to GrantScape.
What can I complain about?
You can complain if you think that:
- You have a safeguarding issue you need to report
- ‘maladministration’ has taken place (for example, if we have delayed, made mistakes in or failed to follow the procedures in our application process);
- we have failed to give you access to information or have given you incorrect advice or information;
- we have not treated you politely; or
- we have discriminated against you or not treated you fairly.
If your complaint is about the decision on an application for funding, we can only look at your application again if:
- we discover (through dealing with a complaint) that we did not follow the published procedures for assessing your application;
- you can show that we have misunderstood a significant part of your application; or you can
- show that we did not take notice of relevant information.
If we discover an error in the grant making process we are under no obligation to award funding. This is due to the finite nature of most grant funds we operate.
What you cannot complain about
You may be disappointed if we turn down your application for funding, but you cannot use the complaints procedure to appeal against our decision on giving a grant if we have followed our decision-making process correctly.
You cannot complain about the funding criteria for grant programmes but if you have any comments we would like to receive them for future reference.
Do not use this procedure to make a complaint about any fraud or serious safeguarding issue you think has taken place. You should report this to our Chief Executive, the Chair of our Board or the police.
Complaints about GrantScape or its activities by people or organisations who have had no prior working relationship with GrantScape are not eligible under this procedure and should be addressed directly to the Chief Executive.
How do I make a complaint?
If the issue is about safeguarding, please contact our Chief Executive or Chair of Trustees. Please contact us at the details below, should you need their direct contact details. Please make clear in your correspondence this is a safeguarding issue.
For other complaints please follow Stage 1 first.
Stage 1 If you are not happy with the service you have received, you should contact the person you first dealt with as soon as possible. They will try to put things right. We hope that we can settle complaints as quickly as possible in this way.
We will send you a written response to your complaint at stage one within 10 working days, or sooner if the issue is more urgent.
Stage 2 If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can take this further by writing to or emailing our Chief Executive. You must do this within four working weeks of receiving our response to stage one. Please tell us:
- what happened;
- when it happened;
- who dealt with you; and
- what you would like us to do to put things right.
Also tell us if there is anything we need to know about how to contact you.
When will I hear from you?
Within five working days of receiving your complaint we will write to, email or phone you to say that we have received it. We will also tell you how you can contact the person who is dealing with your complaint and when you can expect a reply.
In most cases, we will send you a reply within 10 working days. If we cannot give a full reply in this time, we will tell you why and when you are likely to receive it.
If you are dissatisfied with our response to your complaint you may be eligible to take your complaint further. In our response to stage two, we will tell you whether stage three is open to you.
Stage 3 If you are not satisfied with the Chief Executive’s reply, and if you are eligible to do so, you can refer your complaint to our Board of Trustees. The Chair of the Board will appoint a member of the Board to assess the complaint (hereafter known as the Complaints Assessor).
You must write to them or email within four weeks of receiving our Chief Executive’s reply at stage two.
If your complaint is found to be justified, recommendations will be made to enable us to put things right, and to prevent a similar situation in future. You will normally receive a response from the Complaints Assessor within two months, and if not you will be informed as to the causes of the delay and a revised timescale. We will normally make any changes to our current procedures recommended by the Complaints Assessor as quickly as possible. The Complaints Assessor cannot consider complaints that have not gone through the procedure set out in this document.
The Complaints Assessor cannot reverse funding decisions or make comments or changes to our legal responsibilities and policies on awarding grants.
After the Complaints Assessor has responded to your complaint no further examination of your complaint will be possible.
Your Information
In order to fully investigate your complaint we may need to disclose information to a third party. If there are any people or organisations that you do not wish us to contact, you must inform us at the earliest opportunity. If no such requirements are disclosed we will conclude that we have your permission to disclose information to relevant parties.
In all other circumstances we will keep information relating to your complaint confidential.
Equal opportunities
We are committed to equal opportunities and take complaints about discrimination seriously. We may use complaints about discrimination to review our policies and procedures. This is to make sure we treat everyone equally.
Comments and suggestions
We welcome comments and suggestions as these can help us improve our services. Please send any comments or suggestions to our Chief Executive.
Contact information
GrantScape, Office E, Whitsundoles, Broughton Road, Salford, Milton Keynes, MK17 8BU
Telephone: 01908 247630
Email: info@grantscape.org.uk