Grant-making policy
The Trust’s aim is to provide grants to support the Humanist schools in Uganda. Applicant schools must be run on a not-for-profit basis and have procedures in place for monitoring educational standards and for financial control and governance that are acceptable to the Trust. Membership and adherence to the principles of the Organisation for Humanist Schools of Uganda is normally sufficient to allow a school to meet these requirements.
The methods of support may include scholarships for needy students, funds for learning materials, staffing, staff development, school buildings and infrastructure. The Trust reserves the right to change the way it supports education in the schools in order to best meet its stated objects.
The Trustees consider applications for funds from individual Humanist schools or collectively, where the latter is judged to be more appropriate. Where bids exceed the funds available, Trustees reserve the right to provide a proportion of the funds requested or to mount an appeal for additional funds to meet a need that has been identified.
The Trust may offer grants to schools for specific purposes determined by the Trustees or according to conditions set by donors.
Applications can be sent at any time of the year by e-mail to stevehurd@uhst.org.
They should set out clearly, on the appropriate application form:
- How the money will be used.
- A justification of why this is a current priority.
- Itemised cost estimates.
- How the applicant proposes to report on the outcomes from the use of the grant.
Documentary evidence is required of all expenditures and written and photographic evidence of the completed action.
Scholarships and all other funds will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of appropriate organisations, normally those of individual schools, and never to the bank accounts of private individuals.
The Trust requires copies of the annual reports and accounts of grant recipients, which must record both the income and expenditures related to the UHST grant. These should itemise other external sources of funds and how they were used. Double funding of the same cost is disallowed, but the Trust will consider proposals based upon the co-funding of a large item with another appropriate donor organisation.
Pre-proposal: Applicants may wish to discuss their needs informally without commitment on either side, before submitting a formal application.
In cases of genuine emergency requests will be assessed immediately.
Normal conditions for support are that schools:
1. Are members of the Organisation for Humanist Schools of Uganda (OHSU) and follow OHSU guidance on Humanist Ethos and the induction of new teachers.
2. Are registered with the registrar of companies as not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee.
3. Have an effective Board of Management and PTA with representation from parents and the community among others.
4. Have a bank account used exclusively for school deposits and withdrawals. All withdrawals should be for school purposes and supported by appropriate paperwork.
5. Accounts should be annually audited and submitted to UHST.
6. Any documents requested as part of the UK Charity Commission’s annual financial scrutiny of UHST must be provided.
7. Before we help with buildings, we need to be assured that the school not-for-profit company has a long-term legal interest in the land on which the school is built.
We need to be confident that schools are truly embracing the Humanist Ethos. Some points are obvious. Our supporters expect the schools we support to:
- Be secular in nature – not promote religion or superstition and encourage a scientific and rational life stance.
- Have inclusive recruitment which does not discriminate among students on grounds of religion, gender, tribe or race.
- Demonstrate that every child matters by supporting the education and welfare of happy, self-confident and capable individuals who care for others and who are ready to play their part in creating a better world.
A good Humanist School is expected to:
– Have a clear Humanist ethos that guides day-to-day operations.
– Be strong in science and maths.
– Prioritise student and staff welfare.
– Be well-connected to the local community.
We need to be confident that school leaders are genuine about their own Humanism, and are active in sharing it with staff, students, parents and the wider community.
Achieving strength in science and maths is important and providing science materials and supporting science education is important to UHST.
It is important that schools monitor welfare levels and let us know when things can be done to improve them. The schools should be safe and happy places for all students and staff.
Connecting to the community can be done in a variety of ways including community and parent representation on the school board, active PTAs, students carrying out work in the community.
Grant-making policy
The Trust’s aim is to provide grants to support the Humanist schools in Uganda. Applicant schools must be run on a not-for-profit basis and have procedures in place for monitoring educational standards and for financial control and governance that are acceptable to the Trust. Membership and adherence to the principles of the Organisation for Humanist Schools of Uganda is normally sufficient to allow a school to meet these requirements.
The methods of support may include scholarships for needy students, funds for learning materials, staffing, staff development, school buildings and infrastructure. The Trust reserves the right to change the way it supports education in the schools in order to best meet its stated objects.
The Trustees consider applications for funds from individual Humanist schools or collectively, where the latter is judged to be more appropriate. Where bids exceed the funds available, Trustees reserve the right to provide a proportion of the funds requested or to mount an appeal for additional funds to meet a need that has been identified.
The Trust may offer grants to schools for specific purposes determined by the Trustees or according to conditions set by donors.
Applications can be sent at any time of the year by e-mail to stevehurd@uhst.org.
They should set out clearly, on the appropriate application form:
Documentary evidence is required of all expenditures and written and photographic evidence of the completed action.
Scholarships and all other funds will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of appropriate organisations, normally those of individual schools, and never to the bank accounts of private individuals.
The Trust requires copies of the annual reports and accounts of grant recipients, which must record both the income and expenditures related to the UHST grant. These should itemise other external sources of funds and how they were used. Double funding of the same cost is disallowed, but the Trust will consider proposals based upon the co-funding of a large item with another appropriate donor organisation.
Pre-proposal: Applicants may wish to discuss their needs informally without commitment on either side, before submitting a formal application.
In cases of genuine emergency requests will be assessed immediately.
Normal conditions for support are that schools:
1. Are members of the Organisation for Humanist Schools of Uganda (OHSU) and follow OHSU guidance on Humanist Ethos and the induction of new teachers.
2. Are registered with the registrar of companies as not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee.
3. Have an effective Board of Management and PTA with representation from parents and the community among others.
4. Have a bank account used exclusively for school deposits and withdrawals. All withdrawals should be for school purposes and supported by appropriate paperwork.
5. Accounts should be annually audited and submitted to UHST.
6. Any documents requested as part of the UK Charity Commission’s annual financial scrutiny of UHST must be provided.
7. Before we help with buildings, we need to be assured that the school not-for-profit company has a long-term legal interest in the land on which the school is built.
We need to be confident that schools are truly embracing the Humanist Ethos. Some points are obvious. Our supporters expect the schools we support to:
A good Humanist School is expected to:
– Have a clear Humanist ethos that guides day-to-day operations.
– Be strong in science and maths.
– Prioritise student and staff welfare.
– Be well-connected to the local community.
We need to be confident that school leaders are genuine about their own Humanism, and are active in sharing it with staff, students, parents and the wider community.
Achieving strength in science and maths is important and providing science materials and supporting science education is important to UHST.
It is important that schools monitor welfare levels and let us know when things can be done to improve them. The schools should be safe and happy places for all students and staff.
Connecting to the community can be done in a variety of ways including community and parent representation on the school board, active PTAs, students carrying out work in the community.