Grant Management Policy

As a non-departmental public body, it is recommended that we publish annual details of grant awards with a value in excess of £100k to organisations and make our grant management policy available.

We have a clear and consistent approach to issuing grants across our work. This policy covers all grants issued globally by the British Council directly or as part of a client-funded project. This policy does not cover the management of grants received by the British Council. 

You can find out more about opportunities to apply for grants and lists of previously published grants under individual programmes in Education and Arts.

The British Council principally issues 2 types of contractual grants:

1. Project Grants are issued to organisations or individuals to fund a project or action, usually in response to a specific call for proposals to support British Council objectives. Typically, this funding covers direct costs related to project activities such as events, travel and expenses. However, indirect costs up to an agreed percentage may be included. Funding for reasonable adjustments to facilitate participate will be provided wherever possible. A scholarship is a type of project grant to an individual. 
2. Core Grants are issued to organisations to support that entity to pursue its aim which is of general interest to the British Council and its objectives. This grant takes the form of a financial contribution to the running costs and/or overall work/activity programme of the entity.

In all our granting, the British Council is committed to:

1. Fairness and equity: Through any grant award we maintain a fair and equitable process ensuring the grant supports inclusion and diversity by funding reasonable adjustments for participation where possible.
2. Due diligence: this is carried out on any recipients before contracting.
3. Transparency: Criteria against which applications will be assessed is readily available. All grants to organisations with a value over £100,000 are published on our website. We do not publish details of grants to individuals.
4. Flexibility: Our approach allows flexibility and a proportionate approach. There are minimum requirements which must be maintained, but the approach is adapted to various contexts, local conditions and different programme types, scale and specialisms. 
5. Non-profit: Grants issued must not have the purpose of producing a profit for the recipient.
6. Being fully auditable: The British Council is a registered charity in the UK regulated by the Charity Commission and audited by the National Audit Office. We must ensure our grants are auditable in terms of:

• what can and cannot be funded: eligibility of costs and/or what activity must be delivered under the terms of the grant
• compliance that the grant has been used for the intended purpose and that any claims are for eligible costs.