Governance
A core value of the Trust is to recognise we are accountable to a range of stakeholders including our donors and the people with whom we are working to seek social justice. We will hold ourselves accountable by setting high standards for ourselves and by how we assess our impact. We see ourselves as enablers and we appreciate the importance of learning from both successes and challenges – our own and those that we fund. We are committed to being open about how and why we do things and will adhere to the highest possible standards of governance.
St Stephens Green Trust is a registered charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority CRA: 20026547. It also holds a Revenue Charity Number: CHY10449. It was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on 11th October 2007 to take over the assets and undertaking of the unincorporated St Stephens Green Trust which it succeeded to on 1 January 2008. Our financial statements comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2014 and with the Charities SORP (FRS102) where appropriate.
SSGT Trustees act in a voluntary capacity and a list of members is here. SSGT is compliant with the CRA Governance Code and compliance is reviewed each year by trustees. We have a conflict of interest policy for staff and trustees which can be found here. We also have a feedback and complaints procedure which can be found here.
The 2024 Charities Governance Code Compliance Statement is here.
SSGT became a Living Wage employer and a Living Wage Friendly Funder in June 2020. Our policy and practice is here.
Strategic Plan
Our Strategic Plans are informed by a periodic review of the areas of greatest need and the most recent review was carried out in July 2022 by Avila Kilmurray which is available here.
The 2023-2027 Strategic Plan is here.
Funders
SSGT’s primary annual funders are a Dutch family foundation, advised by Porticus; the Discalced Carmelites, and the Sisters of Mercy. The Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service contribute to the Traveller Justice Initiative.
SSGT also manages endowments from the Daughters of the Cross of Liege and the Presentation Sisters (NE Province). Details are contained in our Annual Report and Financial Statements.
Grant making policy
SSGT operates a programmatic approach to grant-making. Two and three-year grant programmes are designed around the strategic aims of SSGT. Theories of change or roadmaps for each strategy are developed which include the outcomes to which the programme is seeking to contribute. The process explores assumptions, a framework for measuring outcomes and the most appropriate grant programme activities for the programme. Criteria for grants are developed and application forms designed. In most programmes, an open, competitive process is followed.
The grant application assessment process seeks to establish whether funding a particular organisation or project is likely to lead to a contribution towards the specified outcomes. The process for assessment and timeframes for decision making is set out for each grant programme. A two-step process is generally used whereby applications are shortlisted for a full assessment within three weeks of the application deadline. Therefore, the bulk of unsuccessful applicants have a decision within a short period. Shortlisting of applications is not a guarantee of funding and more detailed information on the application is sought before a final decision is made, which may take another six weeks.
SSGT places a heavy emphasis on learning from grant programmes and uses a MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) approach whereby frameworks are developed for each grant programme and overseen by internal or external evaluators. Activities such as annual or biannual Learning Network meetings are used to gather and share learning among grantees involved in similar activities. SSGT endeavours to be proportionate in these processes. Grantees are asked to report on the contribution they have made towards the SSGT programme outcomes. The purpose is to learn from the work of grantees and to help organisations reflect on their work, whether it changed from the original intentions and if so, why. In addition, gathering information from grantees allows SSGT to reflect on the impact of its grant making approaches. Strategic advocacy is also employed as a method of disseminating the learning from grant programmes.
Annual Reports & Financial Statements
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