Complaints Policy
Complaints Policy & Procedure
Northern Consortium (the Charity) exists to advance education, we do this by providing grants to fund research or support students from under-represented groups to engage in opportunities that they may otherwise face barriers to and by supporting students to transition to university (via our subsidiary company, NCUK Ltd).
Complaints are a rich source of learning for us, whether it is a process we can improve, how we can communicate more clearly or in a timelier way, or how we can improve on our charitable activity. We take a learning approach to complaints and approach each complaint with an open mind.
Appeals
The Charity does not have an appeal process for grant making decisions as all grants are discretionary. If you are an applicant who wishes to complain about being declined a grant, we will investigate and make sure that we followed our policies and procedures correctly, and if we have acted incorrectly, we will put it right. However, if we have followed our policies and procedures correctly, the decision is final.
Concerns about an organisation we fund or work with
We welcome any concerns about an organisation we fund. In our response we may signpost you to other bodies which you may wish to raise your concerns with depending upon the nature of your complaint.
If you are unhappy about any aspect of Northern Consortium’s activity, please speak to the Executive Director. Often, we will be able to give you a response straight away. When the matter is more complicated, we will give you an initial response within five working days.
How to make a complaint
If you are not satisfied with our response or wish to raise the matter more formally, please write to us. All written complaints will be logged. You will receive a written acknowledgment within five working days. The aim is to investigate your complaint properly and give you a reply within ten working days, setting out how the problem will be dealt with. If this is not possible, an interim response will be made informing you of the action taken to date or being considered.
If after we have responded you are not satisfied, there is a second and final stage you may wish to pursue. You may write to the Chair who will conduct a review of the complaint and report the matter to the Trustees, which will decide on any further steps to resolve the situation. Finally, please also let us know if you are happy with Northern Consortium.
Contact
If you wish to raise a concern with us, you can do this by emailing Diane Leicester via diane@nccharity.org.uk phoning 07309 926751 or sending a letter to Northern Consortium 667-669 Stockport Road, Manchester, M12 4QE.
What if our response does not satisfy you?
If the matter concerns our use or handling of data then concerns can be raised with the Information Commissioner: www.ico.org.uk
If your concerns relate to any of the points below, you have recourse to the Charity Commission (who register and regulate charities in England and Wales). www.charitycommission.gov.uk:
- dishonest handling of funds
- misapplication of charitable funds
- actions that contravene the Charity’s trust deed or charity law
- actions that threaten to bring the charity into disrepute
for further information on complaints about Charity’s to the Charity Commission please see:
The Charity Commission (CC47) Complaints about Charity’s document: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-charities/complaints-about-charities
Registered Charity No. 1018979. Company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No. 02788226