If you would like to make a complaint about your contact with our staff, a grant application that you have made or a grant that we have awarded you, you should use the following guidance.
Making a complaint will have no bearing on the level of service you receive from us. So, if your complaint is about a funding application, this will not affect your chances of getting a grant from us in the future.
There are certain circumstances that our complaints process will not handle, we explain more in this guidance. If you have any communication needs, or need information in other languages or in another format, please contact us or by email grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk
What can I complain about?
You can complain if you believe that:
- 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
- we have discriminated against you or not treated you fairly.
If your complaint is concerning a funding application, we can only review the application again if:
- we discover 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
- you can show that we did not take notice of relevant information.
What you cannot complain about?
A rejected application:
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 our published policies or any partner or government policy (where we are administering grants on behalf of partners) through this process.
If you have any comments about our policies, send these to us using email grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk
Fraud: Do not use this complaints procedure to make a complaint about any fraud you believe has taken place. You should report this to the police and to us by telephoning 01606 330 607.
Concerns that fall outside our grant-making process:
You cannot use this complaints process for any interaction with us which is outside of our grant-making processes. If you do have a concern that falls outside our grant-making processes please contact us on 01606 330 607 or email office@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk
How do I make a complaint?
If you are not happy with the service you have received, contact the office on 01606 330 607 or by letter or email to grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk Cheshire Community Foundation, The Challenge Academy Trust, Broomfields Road, Warrington, WA4 3AE
When making your complaint you should set out the facts as clearly as possible, in a logical order. Remember to include important details and dates where possible.
We will keep all complaints confidential. If you make a complaint, we will treat you with respect, and we expect you to treat our staff in the same way. If possible we will try to put things right. We hope that we can settle complaints as quickly as possible in this way.
When can I expect to hear back from Cheshire Community Foundation?
Within three working days of receiving your complaint we will write or phone you to confirm receipt. We will also tell you how you can contact the person who is dealing with your complaint and when you can expect a reply. You will receive a final response to your complaint within 10 working days. If we cannot give a full response in this time, we will tell you why and when you are likely to receive it.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive: you can take this further by writing or emailing our Chief Executive at: Cheshire Community Foundation, Sension House, Denton Drive, Northwich Cheshire CW97LU
Please tell us:
- what happened
- when it happened
- who dealt with you
- what you would like us to do to put things right.
You must do this within four weeks of receiving our original response to your complaint.
Your personal information
If you use our complaints procedure, you are agreeing that we can use any personal information you send us for purposes connected with your complaint. We may also give your personal information to other people and organisations if we have to do so by law or if you have given us permission.
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. We will keep all information confidential.