Grants Regulations
Last updated 4 July 2024
- Every grant shall be given as a donation towards the removal of the Applicant’s distress and not as a loan or for the completion of any literary work. A grant may, however, be paid in instalments. Such instalments may be increased by the decision of the Committee at any date during the period covered by the grant, notwithstanding the fact that the ultimate total of all the instalments paid exceeds the original sum granted.
- Any person whose literary merit or application for a grant is refused shall have a right of appeal. No case in which literary merit has been refused following an appeal shall be re-opened unless the applicant, since the appeal, has produced a new eligible work, the literary merit of which must be considered afresh.
- Where literary merit has been passed, but the trustees have declined to award a grant, no further application may be made within twelve months.
- Payments are made in advance, not in arrears.
- Where funds have been paid/overpaid in error to a beneficiary, the paid/overpaid amount shall be returned to the RLF in full as soon as is practicable or deducted from a future payment if applicable.
- Beneficiaries (or their nominated contact) are solely responsible for informing the RLF of any change of address, email, telephone number or bank account to which grants shall be paid.
- Before an annual instalment is made, the Fund will write to the beneficiary asking for confirmation that their circumstances have not changed. Once a response has been received (by phone, email or post), payment shall be released. The Fund will make reasonable efforts to contact the beneficiary or a nominated representative (next of kin, attorney, etc.) using the provided contact details.
- Where a grant is made for goods or services, and the RLF requests a receipt as proof of purchase, the RLF retains the right to withhold future payments until the receipt has been provided.
- No further application can be made within the grant term unless in circumstances of extreme gravity. If an application of extreme gravity has been made and declined, no further application may be made within twelve months.
- If a beneficiary is awarded additional assistance (i.e. top-up for exceptional circumstances, reassessment of the level of support due to a change of income, etc) during the term of a grant, the original term of the grant shall remain. However, if the nature of the grant changes substantially, then the longer terms will apply (i.e. had a one-year grant and is awarded a five-year grant).
If you have any queries concerning our regulations, contact our Grants team.