Guidance Notes for Capital Grant Applications 2023-24
Where is the funding from?
The funding has been allocated as part of Kent's Integrated Transport programme for 2023-24.
This is the small scheme investment programme for highways and transportation improvements across the county. A key objective of the Integrated Transport programme is to develop schemes which encourage sustainable travel and reduce congestion.
School travel plans, reviews and the support and buy-in of Kent schools are viewed as key components of this objective.
What funding is available?
Capital grants of up to £5,000 per school, subject to available funds and a competitive bidding process.
Larger bids may be considered where 50% match funding is provided i.e. for a grant exceeding £5,000 the total project value must be more than £10,000. Alternatively, bids for £5,000 or under, which can demonstrate match funding - from the school or another source - will be looked upon favourably, although this is not a requirement of the bidding process.
When and how will the funding be allocated?
Successful applicants will be notified by email and will be asked to sign an online Funding Agreement, outlining the key Terms and Conditions of the grant (see Grant Funding: Your Agreement).
Schools will be expected to fund all projects up-front and invoice Kent County Council (
sample template) on completion of the works. Proof of purchase e.g. copies of contractor invoices and photographs will be required. Please note that invoices will be paid net of VAT. Schools will be required to self-manage all funded projects including procurement and installation.
Proof of legitimate use of these funds - including photos of the completed project - must be received by Thursday 22nd February 2024.
What can the funding be spent on?
This is *capital* funding that can be spent on any physical feature *within the school grounds* which you can demonstrate will support the aims, objectives and targets within your School Travel Plan. Categories include:
- Cycle/scooter storage - This could include, secure, sheltered, open or closed cycle or scooter storage of any size or capacity. This also refers to the replacement of old structures for new.
- Pupil safety measures - This refers to any change to the physical infrastructure on site, that will improve safety for pupils and wider school community.
- Footpath improvements - Creation of a new pathway for people who are scooting, cycling or walking on the school site, or resurfacing or refreshing markings on an existing pathway.
- Bus pick-up and drop-off facilities - This might be seating or a shelter for students to use whilst waiting for buses on the school site.
- EV charging points - It could also be used for electric vehicle (EV) charge points to help encourage EV use amongst your staff and visitors!
Please note: the above list is not exhaustive, and innovative bids will be looked on favourably.
For more examples of how schools have used their Capital Grant Funding, please view the Inspiration page.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to apply for this funding you must:
- Have, or be working towards, an approved School Travel Plan. Please note: if your School Travel Plan has not been created using the Jambusters system you will need to ensure that you have uploaded a copy of your current School Travel Plan to your school's profile.
- Not have accepted funding in the last round (financial year 2022/23) of KCC's School Travel Plan Capital Grant Awards bids. Unsuccessful applicants may still apply.
- Have fully completed the Annual Travel Review, including the 'Hands Up' travel survey data, for 2023 together with the Capital Grant application section on this site, and have submitted this online by Friday 23rd June 2023. If you are not already registered click here or to login click here
- Be able to fully implement your scheme within the financial year 2023/24 (schools should check if planning permission is required prior to submitting the Capital Grant application, which may affect you being able to implement the scheme within the timings required)
- Be able to provide evidence of other funding sources, should you choose to use this grant as match-funding for a larger project
How will applications be assessed?
All applications will be objectively scored and assessed based on the information provided in the Application Form.
Applications will be assessed by the Active Travel Interventions team. This team is part of the Road Safety & Active Travel team, which sits within the KCC Highways & Transportation department.
All applicants will be informed by email of the outcome of the assessment process on or before Friday 7th July 2023.
The decision of the assessment panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into concerning unsuccessful applications.
Who can I contact for further advice and clarification?
Iona Rogulski
Transport Planner
email: iona.rogulski@kent.gov.uk
phone: 03000 419 582
Inspiration
Some of the more recent school installations funded through capital grants from KCC.
Here you can see just a few examples of the many wonderful projects that schools have completed using their Grant Funding. Wellie sheds, cycle & scooter storage and EV charging points are some of the more popular requests that we have received over the past 2-3 years.
Grant Funding: Your Agreement
If you are successful in your bid for Capital Grant Funding, you will receive an email notification informing you of the amount of funding that you have been awarded and you will be required to sign the contract stating that you agree to deliver your project as per the terms and conditions. In the excitement of accepting the offer of funding and getting started on the project, people regularly overlook important aspects of the Funding Agreement.
In order to ensure that your project runs smoothly, I have prepared "5 Key Points" that you should be aware of before you sign the Funding Agreement:
- Make sure you note the exact amount of funding that you are being offered and be mindful that this amount will not cover the cost of VAT
- It's great to have received the full amount that you have requested, however there are occasions when Part Funding is awarded instead.
- Make sure you upload your Bank details
- Without your bank details (sort code, account name & number) we cannot reimburse your funding! It is good practice to upload your bank details as soon as you sign the Funding Agreement. However, it should be uploaded no later than mid-January to ensure that you can receive your funds promptly.
- Check the Grant Conditions
- You may have requested funding for several measures, however, the funding you have been awarded may only be to cover a particular aspect of your proposed project.
- Don't forget to log your monthly reports
- Monthly report/update/progress report - call it what you will, but it is an essential part of keeping us informed of how your project is coming along. You will receive an email reminder at the start of each month, however it is your responsibility to complete this - even if it's just a one-liner to say, "no further progress to report this month"!
- Uploading Evidence
- As your project draws to an end, you will need to ensure that you are uploading your evidence on to the Jambusters site promptly. This evidence must be uploaded to your site by the absolute latest, Thursday 22nd February 2024.
GLOSSARY:
Funding Agreement - This is the contract that you sign when you accept (or decline) the funding offered. It is available on the Jambusters site from the moment that you are offered your award amount. Simply log on to Jambusters and click on the "Grant" tab on your page to view the agreement at any time.
Part Funding - You may have been awarded part of the amount that you requested and not all. This can happen due to a number of reasons. Commonly this occurs when no quote was provided within the application to give a clear cost of a project. For example, you might have applied for £5,000 "for scooter storage". However, I am aware that scooter storage can be purchased and installed for less than £1,000. Part Funding may also occur when the grant conditions outline that only particular aspects of your project will be funded.
Grant Conditions - This will appear within the first few lines of your Funding Agreement. The Grant Conditions specifically outline what the awarded amount can be spent on. This could be "Towards X as requested". Or it may be that you requested funding for, "pedestrian shelter and seating areas, as well as the replacement of existing bike storage", however your Grant Conditions state, "Towards the replacement of the existing bike storage only". In this instance, whilst you may choose to install the additional items yourself, ONLY the Grant Conditions will be provided reimbursement.
Evidence - This refers to the Supplier Invoice (the invoice from the contractor(s) who has completed the installations on the school site), Photos (of completed installation), Final Invoice (invoice from your school to me, to request the reimbursement of funding).
