Grant Funding Policy 2025, Equality Screening

S75 Equality And Good Relations Screening Form

General Information: This is a revision to an existing policy/procedure.

Operational Area: Funding Unit.

Title: Grant Funding Policy.

Brief Summary:

The purpose of this policy is to outline the Council’s agreed approach to Grant Funding in relation to resourcing external bodies to assist in the delivery of Council’s strategic objectives and priorities.

This policy outlines the criteria, processes, and governance for the allocation of financial grants by Causeway Coast and Glens. It aims to ensure transparent, fair, and accountable distribution of funding to eligible applicants in line with strategic priorities.

The policy was written for Councillors and the Council's officers and any who enquire about our policy and procedures.

What is it trying to achieve? (intended aims and outcomes)

The overall aim of the policy is:

‘To ensure Council has a consistent, customer focused process with relevant assessment and evaluation procedures with appropriate appeal and monitoring systems in place.’

The Grant Funding Policy is built on a set of agreed principles and an understanding that:

• Grant funding awards are at the sole discretion of council but will be dependent on the Council’s available and agreed level of funding which is determined in the annual budget.
• Activities grant funded must be fully consistent with strategic aims and priorities of the strategies to be addressed.
• Due regard will be given to equality considerations in accordance with section 75 and any other statutory duty.
• All funding applications will be determined on their objective merits. No organisation is entitled to funding because it may have been granted funding in the past or for any other reason.
• A consistent, customer focused process is required in relation to grant applications with relevant assessment and evaluation procedures with appropriate appeal and monitoring systems in place.
• Council must ensure proper, prudent and effective use of Public Money.
• Contracted services must be tendered in adherence to the Council’s Procurement Process.

Who owns and who implements each element of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, the Policy is overseen by the Funding Unit.

Other policies etc. which have a bearing on this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

All guidance notes for individual grant programmes are aligned to and emanate from this policy.

Available Evidence

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Section 75 Category

Details of Evidence/Information

Religious Beliefs

The 2021 Census outlined:

Religion / religion brought up in:

In terms of religion, or religion brought up in, the 2021 Census indicates that our resident’s religious beliefs are comparable to those in Northern Ireland in that there are 2 predominant groupings i.e., Roman Catholic and Protestant. However, we also have several individuals (16.4%) who do not practice a specific religion or who do not wish to be grouped into a specific religion. In addition, we have a small number of individuals who practice other religions (0.68%).

No issues regarding religious beliefs were raised to date with current stakeholders who have various religious beliefs and multiple identities and adopt the policy.

Conclusion:
This policy is not anticipated to have an adverse impact on any Section 75 group. The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Grant Funding Policy clearly establishes the Council’s full commitment to fulfilling its statutory obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The policy is designed to promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all communities, ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and transparency in the allocation of funding.

Political Opinion

The following results were noted after the Assemble elections in 2022, showing the percentage votes actually received by the main political parties in NI:

Evidence https://www.ark.ac.uk/election...

Racial Group

On Census Day 21st March 2021, 1.42% were from an ethnic minority population and the remaining 98.58% were white (including Irish Traveller) – as outlined below.

No issues regarding racial groups were raised to date with current stakeholders who adopt the policy, and the policy will have no impact on any racial group.

Conclusion:
This policy is not anticipated to have an adverse impact on any Section 75 group. The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Grant Funding Policy clearly establishes the Council’s full commitment to fulfilling its statutory obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The policy is designed to promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all communities, ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and transparency in the allocation of funding.

Age

Age:

Table below shows % Figures from 2021 Census broken down into different age brackets with comparison between CCAG and NI:

2021 Census Results for all usual residents by Council Area

Marital Status

Marital status provided by most recent figures from Census 2021):

Conclusion:

This policy is not anticipated to have an adverse impact on any Section 75 group. The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Grant Funding Policy clearly establishes the Council’s full commitment to fulfilling its statutory obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The policy is designed to promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all communities, ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and transparency in the allocation of funding.

Sexual Orientation

The following information was sourced from Census 2021 and is based on usual residents aged 16 and over in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area.

The consultation process for this project raised no impactful issues with regards to Sexual Orientation. In conclusion, there is no evidence to assess the project’s impact on this Section 75 group and will be assumed as neutral impact.

Men and Women Generally

On Census Day 21st March 2021, 51% of the usually resident population were female and 49% were male.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council’s Grant Funding Policy explicitly states it is fully committed to meeting its obligations in relation to Equality and Good Relations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.

Dependants

On Census Day 21st March 2021, 11.95% of people stated that they provided unpaid care to family, friends, neighbours or others.

The Census information in 2021 showed:

People With or Without Dependents

No issues regarding dependants were raised to date with current stakeholders, who range from various backgrounds and adopt the policy.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council’s Grant Funding Policy explicitly states it is fully committed to meeting its obligations in relation to Equality and Good Relations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.

Disability

People with a Disability/People Without:

The table below shows people with/without a long term condition/illness in CCAG Council area compared to rest of NI (most recent figures available from Census 2021):

Type of Long Term Conditions in CCAG area

Data from 2021 Census Table-ms-d18

Source: NINIS, Census 2021, In order to protect confidentiality, the above statistics were based on settlements with a usual resident count of over 500 people.

Notes:

1. ‘'Long-term' refers to a condition which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.

2. ‘A mobility or dexterity difficulty’ means a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting or carrying.

3. ‘Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing’ includes conditions such as asthma.

4. ‘Emotional, psychological or mental health condition’ includes conditions such as depression or schizophrenia.

5. ‘Learning difficulty’ includes conditions such as dyslexia.

6. ‘Frequent periods of confusion or memory loss’ includes conditions such as dementia.

7. ‘Intellectual or learning disability’ includes conditions such as Down syndrome.

8. ‘Other Condition’ is taken from the relevant option from the census questionnaire, which noted ‘Other condition(for example cancer, diabetes or heart disease.

All information will be promoted in line with industry best practices and will ensure it is easy to read and understand. This may result in large print material, pictorial formats, electronic and hard copy material when appropriate. The information will also be available on council’s webpage and therefore may be accessed using a screen-reader for individuals whose sight may be affected by age. Assistance is available by Funding Unit staff, if required.

No issues regarding disabilities were raised to date with current stakeholders, who represent people from a variety of backgrounds, and who adopt the policy.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council’s Grant Funding Policy explicitly states it is fully committed to meeting its obligations in relation to Equality and Good Relations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.

Screening Questions 1

1. What is the likely impact on equality of opportunity for those affected by this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

Section 75 Category - Positive impact (it could benefit) Neutral Negative impact (it could disadvantage)

Gender
Women Neutral impact.
Men Neutral impact.
Transgender men/women Neutral impact.
Other please specify Neutral impact.

Race
The categories used in the Race section are those used in the 2011 census. Consideration should be given to the needs of specific communities within the broad categories.

Asian Neutral impact.
Black Neutral impact.
Chinese Neutral impact.
Mixed race Neutral impact.
Other please specify Neutral impact.

Disability
Long term health impairment could include mental health problems, asthma, heart conditions, chronic fatigue etc.

Neutral impact.

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual, lesbian, gay men, bisexual, others

Neutral impact.

Age

Older People Minor Negative impact.
Younger people and children Neutral impact.

Political Opinion

Neutral impact.

Religious Belief

Neutral impact.

Martial Status

Neutral impact.

Dependants

Neutral impact.

Reason: It is not anticipated that this policy will have an adverse impact on any of the Section 75 categories.

All grant programmes governed by this policy are designed to be open, inclusive, and accessible to all individuals and groups, regardless of their Section 75 characteristics.

As such, the policy is assessed as having a neutral impact on equality of opportunity, while maintaining a framework that supports fairness and non-discrimination.

Screening Questions 2

2. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within any of the Section 75 categories?

Gender

(Women, Men, Transgender men/women , Other please specify)

Yes.

Race

The categories used in the Race section are those used in the 2011 census. Consideration should be given to the needs of specific communities within the broad categories.
(Asian, Black, Chinese, Mixed race, White, Other please specify)

Yes.

Disability

Long term health impairment could include mental health problems, asthma, heart conditions, chronic fatigue etc.

Yes.

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual, lesbian, gay men, bisexual, others

Yes.

Age

Older People, Younger people and children

Yes.

Political Opinion

Yes.

Religious Belief

Yes.

Marital Status

Yes.

Dependants

Yes.

Details:

Yes, there are clear opportunities to promote greater equality of opportunity across all Section 75 categories.

The Council’s Funding Unit delivers outreach events such as funding roadshows, which provide an overview of the Grant Funding Policy and highlight upcoming funding opportunities. These events are designed to improve awareness and accessibility for all potential applicants, including individuals and groups from Section 75 categories.

In addition, service areas offer tailored support for specific grant programmes, helping to address any barriers that may disproportionately affect under-represented groups.

Further assistance is also available upon request, ensuring that any applicant who requires additional guidance or support, whether due to disability, language needs, caring responsibilities, or other factors, they can access it in an equitable manner.

Screening Questions 3

3. To what extent is the policy likely to impact on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?

Section 75 Category: Religious Belief
Level of impact: None.

Section 75 Category: Political Opinion
Level of impact: None.

Section 75 Category: Racial Group
Level of impact: None.

Details of Impact:

The policy acknowledges the importance of promoting good relations between individuals of different religious belief, political opinion, and racial group.

As part of the grant funding process, all successful applicants are required to sign a declaration promoting equality and good relations.

By doing so, they commit to upholding the principles of equality and good relations and agree not to engage in any activity that would breach Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s statutory duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

This requirement reinforces a shared commitment to fostering mutual respect, inclusivity, and cohesion across all communities within the Borough.

Screening Questions 4

4. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?

Religious Belief: Yes.

Political Opinion: Yes.

Racial Group: Yes.

Details:

There are opportunities to promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion, and racial group through the implementation of this policy.

The policy recognises the importance of fostering positive community relations across all Section 75 categories. As part of the funding conditions, successful applicants are required to sign a ‘Promoting Equality and Good Relations Statement’, affirming their commitment to uphold and not infringe upon Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s statutory duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

This requirement ensures that funded activities actively support an inclusive environment, discourage discrimination or division, and contribute to building mutual understanding and respect among diverse communities.

Additional Considerations

Generally speaking people can fall into more than one Section 75 category. Taking this into consideration, are there any potential impacts of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance on people with multiple identities? (For example: disabled minority ethnic people, disabled women, young Protestant men, young lesbians, gay and bisexual people.)

It is recognised that individuals may experience multiple and intersecting forms of disadvantage due to having more than one Section 75 characteristic. While the Grant Funding Policy is intended to be open, inclusive, and neutral across all equality categories, there is a potential risk that people with multiple identities may face compounded barriers to accessing funding opportunities.

Council is therefore committed to monitoring participation through equality monitoring data and community feedback. If misrepresentation is identified, efforts will be made to adapt communications, provide support, and ensure that the grant application process remains inclusive to the needs of those with multiple identities.

Provide details of data on the impact of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance on people with multiple identities. Specify the relevant Section 75 categories concerned.

N/A

Disability Considerations

Is there an opportunity to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people by altering this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

No.

If yes, Please give further information and examples:

Is there an opportunity to encourage participation by disabled people in public life by altering this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

No.

Please give further information and examples:

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council currently administer grants which specifically target participation by disabled people, equality monitoring forms is issued with grants and terms of equality is outlined in the Letter of Contract.

Screening Decision

Likely Impact None

If the decision is to subject the policy to an equality impact assessment (i.e. likely impact – Major), please provide details of the reasons for this:

N/A.

If the decision is not to conduct an equality impact assessment (i.e. likely impact = Minor) the Council should consider if the policy should be mitigated or an alternative policy be introduced:

N/A.

If the decision is not to conduct an equality impact assessment (i.e. likely impact = None), please provide details of the reasons for this:

It is not envisaged that the policy will have an adverse impact with regard any section 75 equality category as the application of the grant programmes are open and accessible to all section 75 equality categories.

Mitigation

When the Council concludes that the likely impact is ‘Minor’ and an equality impact assessment is not to be conducted, the Council may consider mitigation to lessen the severity of any equality impact, or the introduction of an alternative policy to better promote equality of opportunity or good relations.

Can the policy/decision be amended or changed or an alternative policy introduced to better promote equality of opportunity and/or good relations?

No.

If YES, give the reasons to support your decision, together with the proposed changes/amendments or alternative policy:

N/A.

Timetabling And Prioritising

If the policy/decision has been ‘screened in’ for equality impact assessment, then please answer the following questions to determine its priority for timetabling the equality impact assessment.

On a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 being the lowest priority and 3 the highest, assess the policy in terms of its priority for equality impact assessment.

Priority Criterion

Rating (1 to 3)

Effect on equality of opportunity and good relations: N/A.

Social Need: N/A.

Effect on people’s daily lives: N/A.

Relevance to the Council’s functions: N/A.

Monitoring

Please outline proposals for future monitoring of the policy/decision:

Reviewed Annually.

Approval And Authorisation

Screened By Position/Job Title: Funding Development Officer.

Date: 28-03-2025

Approved By Position/Job Title: Funding Unit Manager.

Date: 28-03-2025