The MSE Charity Grant Application Panel

MSE_Martin

Update 11 March 2008: Thank you to all who have forwarded their details regarding this position. We've been overwhelmed by the response so will no longer be taking further applications.

What it’s about?

We are very close to starting off with the new MSE charity, which aims to help further education and information about consumer and debt issues (more info below). As part of this there will be a grant application panel (separate to the trustees), and we’re looking for two MoneySavers to join it.

What is the Grant Application Panel?

The four trustees, of which I’m chair, are already in place. Two of them (I’m not one, so I’m at arms length from it) plus two members of the forum, will sit on the GAP and decide who gets money and who doesn’t (which will then formally be approved by the trustees).

Who can apply?

This is a serious voluntary position, so we are looking for keen MoneySavers who have sufficient experience in charity/business/professional life or other related fields, who can take on board this responsibility and show dedication to the task. The meetings will be three or four times a year for an afternoon, but there may be a substantial amount of pre-reading necessary. Of course, this is mainly guess work at the moment; until the charity launches we can’t be sure of the exact demands.

The meetings will be in London, and thus, whilst travel expenses can be claimed back from the charity, it would be useful (to keep costs down) to reside within reasonable commuting distance. It should also be noted that members of the GAP and their families will be excluded from applying for grants.

How to apply:

Please send a CV and short covering letter stating why you’re interested to [EMAIL="charity@moneysavingexpert.com"]charity@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

IMPORTANT: You cannot apply for a grant yet; more details on the charity once it's up and running will be in the weekly e-mail

More about the MSE Charity

The following is the rough draft of the intro note that will go with the charity (some changes may happen) but it will give you a good guide to what it is about:

"The UK has a massive problem with consumer and debt illiteracy. Companies spend billions on advertising, marketing and teaching their staff to sell, yet we get no buyers training. We’re a nation in debt crisis, with a whole generation up to their eyeballs in borrowing. The MoneySavingExpert Charity Fund is here to help individuals and groups tackle these problems."

Where will the money go?

The charity’s funds will be distributed in two ways:

• Grants to help you educate yourself in money/consumer issues.
  
  If you’re considering taking an official course to educate yourself about money/debt/consumer issues, then we may be able to help, providing up to £500 of funding towards course fees and/or equipment (such as books or software). This excludes courses which teach you how to work in the finance industry.

• Educational or self help projects.
  
  The MSE Charity is also here to support self-help groups and other innovative projects which help educate people about money/debt/consumer issues. So whether you’re a charity or an individual with a good idea, let us know and we’ll see what can be done to help.

However, before we can give you funding, you will need to become a ‘constituted group’ which roughly means an organisation with its own bank account and rules which make it accountable. Don’t worry, if necessary we can put you in touch with people who’ll help you do this.

Where do the funds come from?

It’s hoped a donation of well over £100,000 a year will come from MoneySavingExpert.com, plus the profit from Martin Lewis’ books Thrifty Ways and Three Lessons. Plus the site is providing initial funding of over £200,000. It’s hoped site users and others may choose to donate as well.

All this money will go to the fund, with the Trustees aiming that no more than 10% goes towards administration charges, and the rest is distributed in grants. The cost of the operations manager for day to day running of the charity will be met by a separate personal donation from Martin Lewis.

- Martin.

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