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Funding Review Procedure

ARTS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN IRELAND
FUNDING REVIEW PROCEDURE

 

 

STAGE 1 – CONTACT STAFF MEMBER
 
If you are unhappy about a funding decision, you must contact the staff member responsible for handling your application to let them know about your concerns.   This contact can be in writing, by e-mail, fax or by telephone within 10 working days of receipt of the decision.

If, following your discussions with the staff member, you still think that the funding decision is flawed on the basis that either the Arts Council failed to follow its own procedures, or that its procedures were deficient, you can formally request a Review of the funding decision as set out below at Stage 2. 

You cannot ask for a Review against a Council decision that was taken on the grounds of artistic quality.

 

 

STAGE 2 – SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN FUNDING REVIEW REQUEST

Funding Review Request forms are available below, or in hard copy from the staff member responsible for your original application.  These forms must be submitted within 20 days of receipt of the Council’s decision.

Funding Review Request Form ( Word , Rich Text or PDF )

Reviews will only be considered on the grounds that:

  1. The Arts Council failed to follow its own procedures or processes as described in the Guidance Notes for the particular scheme, a copy of which can be obtained from our website www.artscouncil-ni.org or by telephone requested from the Review Administrator
    (Tel: 028 9038 5200) or
  2. If you feel the procedures or processes set out in the guidelines are deficient.

 

Failure to identify which of the above 2 criteria applies will result in your application for a Review being invalidated.

If your request is considered valid it will follow one of the following procedures, dependent on which programme and/or amount of grant requested.


 

a)         Annual Support for Organisations Programme
            Major Individual Awards
            All Lottery Applications seeking more than £25,000

If your request is considered valid, your Funding Review Request form will be passed to an Independent Reviewer along with the application file, including the officer assessment and record of the final decision.  The Independent Reviewer will have the authority to ask for the application to be re-assessed if it is found that the Council’s processes/procedures were deficient or incorrectly applied.  The Independent Reviewer does not have the authority to award a grant.  Normally, you will be notified of the Independent Reviewer’s decision within 30 working days of receipt of your Request Form.  

If the Independent Reviewer finds in your favour the original funding application will be re-assessed against the relevant programme criteria.  This will normally be carried out within 20 working days of the Reviewer’s decision and there is no guarantee that funding will be forthcoming.

Decisions of the Independent Reviewer will be brought to the attention of the Board of the Arts Council at its next scheduled meeting, dates of which are on the Arts Council website.

 

b)         Support for the Individual Artist Programme (except Major Individual awards)
            All Lottery Applications seeking up to £25,000

If your request is considered valid, the Chief Executive of the Council will assess your Funding Review Request Form, along with the application file, including the officer assessment and record of the final decision.   Normally, you will be notified of the Chief Executive’s decision within 20 working days of receiving your Review request.

If the Chief Executive finds in your favour, your original funding application will be re-assessed against the relevant programme criteria.  This will normally be carried out within 20 working days of the Chief Executive’s decision and there is no guarantee that funding will be forthcoming.

Decisions of the Chief Executive will be brought to the attention of Board of the Arts Council at its next scheduled meeting, dates of which are on the Arts Council website.

 

STAGE 3 - OMBUDSMAN

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Stage 2 Review, you can contact the Ombudsman:

The Ombudsman, Freepost BEL 1478, Belfast BT1 6BR. 
Tel: 028 9023 3821   Freephone 0800 343424
Fax: 028 9023 4912

You should be aware that the Ombudsman will normally not investigate a complaint which has not been through the above procedure.


 

 

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