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2021-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 1 April 2020 To 31 March 2021

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name The Spark Foundation

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1097058 Charity's principal address Hugh House Hugh Place Faversham, Kent Postcode ME137AD

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Name of person (or body)
Dates acted if not for
Trustee name Office (if any) entitled to appoint trustee
whole year
(if any)
Danny Chair
1
Chesterman
2 Irene Hall Treasurer
3 Sheila Patel
4 Tracey Sorrell
5 Kirsty Ginn
6 James Whitton
7 Cathy Walker
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

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1

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser
Name
Address		 Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser
Name
Address		 Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser
Name
Address
Independent
Examiner		 Mrs Jennifer
Sherwood FCA
 1 The Heath, Whitstable, CT5 3HJ
Bankers Charities Aid
Foundation
 CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling,
Kent ME19 4TA

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Trust Deed Type of governing document

Charitable Trust How the charity is constituted

Interviewed by Chair and appointed by Board decision Trustee selection methods

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Potential Trustees are invited to attend a meeting of the existing Trustees before a decision is made on appointment so that both parties can be satisfied that the appointment is appropriate.

We have a document defining the responsibilities of Trustees which is explained to all new Trustees.

The Board reviews annually risks and actions to mitigate them.

Section C Objectives and activities

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The Objects of the Trust are:

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

by providing them with grants or loans in cash or in kind or in such other ways as the trustees in their absolute discretion think fit

The Foundation made 161 individual grants (amounting to £59,285 in total in 2020/21) compared to 110 in the previous year. The successful applicants came via 66 different agencies in all parts of England, 27 of which had never previously applied to the Foundation. The sharp rise in the number of grants given reflects the rapidly rising number of applications received (up from 164 in 2019 to 240 in 2020). Our income was not sufficient to meet all applications even where they met our tightened criteria. As we aimed to provide at least some help to as many applicants as we could, the average grant reduced from £474 (in 2019) to £334 (in 2020).

Summary of the main Applications were received for a variety of needs. For example, activities undertaken for for young people who have left care, the Foundation provided the public benefit in key goods such as washing machines, carpets and beds. Grants relation to these objects were also given for a wide variety of other needs, for example, (include within this laptops, driving lessons, training courses. Grants were mainly section the statutory given to young people in the age ranges 16 – 20 and 21 – 25. declaration that trustees have had regard to the The Foundation’s application form asks for the applicant’s age, guidance issued by the gender, nationality and ethnicity and whether or not the Charity Commission on applicant has a disability. This information does not have to be public benefit) supplied for an application to be considered. Once a year the

The Foundation’s application form asks for the applicant’s age, gender, nationality and ethnicity and whether or not the applicant has a disability. This information does not have to be supplied for an application to be considered. Once a year the Foundation reviews this information both for applications it has approved and ones it has rejected. It uses this information, and data on the type of grants it has approved, to consider whether any changes should be made to its Grants Policy, website and application forms. The Foundation treats all applicants equally regardless of nationality, religion or ethnic background.

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit. Benefits are in the form of grants and nearly 100% of the Foundation’s annual expenditure relates to grant payments.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

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3

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

The main achievement was in giving out more grants than ever before, whilst continuing to manage the rising number of applications with a minimal administrative cost (less than 5% of income). This is all achieved through the voluntary services of a small Board of Trustees and a part time administrator.

A significant development during the year was a change to the way of working for Trustees in determining grants, which is now done entirely virtually. This was needed to handle the increased number of applications and adopt safe methods of work during the pandemic.

During the last five years the number of applications received has increased each year, and this trend has continued even more steeply in 2020/21. It is clear that many vulnerable care leavers lost employment and sources of income during the pandemic, and this had knock on effects in being unable to sustain their homes and relationships. In order to keep within Spark’s budget, we tightened our criteria further, in particular not approving grants in situations where we judge that another agency has the primary responsibility for providing support.

Spark Foundation produced a slide deck in support of our quest for more sources of income and are using this wherever we have an opportunity. We made a grant application to the Kent Community Fund, resulting in two small payments due in year 2021/22.

We also produced a short report on Care Leavers and Rent Arrears, which we circulated to our contacts in the fostering world in an effort to draw attention to the particular issues faced by Care Leavers who fall behind with their rent payments. The report contained practical recommendations on actions that could be taken to tackle the problem.

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The policy of the Trust was amended in December 2020 and is now to maintain enough money in our accounts to cover expenses and a buffer of £5000 towards grants in the next quarter.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

None

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Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Since 2014 the main donor to the Foundation has been the Tunstall Jubilee Foundation (TJF). The Foundation would like to record its thanks to TJF for this funding. It was agreed with TJF that the Foundation would submit an application for funding in January each year. This enables the Foundation to plan its grant giving for the next financial year.

In 2020 we were delighted to receive a significant donation from the Foster Care Co-operative, for which we were extremely grateful. Despite this however Spark’s income is not keeping pace with the growing demand for our services. It is clear that Covid19 and economic uncertainty continues to impact on the most vulnerable. Spark is therefore continuing to explore other complementary funding sources.

The Spark Foundation does not rent premises but it does pay a small amount for administration support. As The Foundation has dealt with a sharp rise in the number of applications for grants, so the amount we pay for admin has also had to rise slightly. The administration per application has increased too as many applications are submitted without the required information and many social workers are slow to provide the information necessary to make a grant payment.

Even so, as in previous years, almost all The Foundation’s expenditure is in the form of grants.

The Foundation has a grant making policy and this is reviewed annually

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

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Chesterman Full name(s) Daniel Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 3 Dec 2021

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The Spark Foundation 1097058 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01/04/2020 31/03/2021 To from

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Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations and gifts 10,608 - - 10,608 194
Grants 50,000 - - 50,000 70,000
Investment income 10 - - 10 21
Grants reimbursed 300 - - 300 1,150
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
60,918 - - 60,918 71,365
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 60,918 - - 60,918 71,365
A3 Payments
Website costs - - - - 170
Administration fees 2,135 - - 2,135 1,895
Bank charges 70 - - 70 60
Printing, postage and stationary costs 418 - - 418 265
Travel costs - - - - 488
Independent examination fee 300 - - 300 -
- - - - -
Grants payable 59,285 - - 59,285 44,975
- - - - -
Sub total [ 62,208 ] - - 62,208 47,853
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 62,208 - - 62,208 47,853
Net of receipts/(payments) - 1,290 - - - 1,290 23,512
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 36,540 - - 36,540 13,028
Cash funds this year end 35,250 - - 35,250 36,540
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B1 Cash funds		 Signature
Details
Details
Details
Details
CAFCash Account
CAF Gold Account
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
3,003
-
32,247
-
-
-
35,250
-
OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Cliarity Nanie The Spark Foundation On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021 Charity no (if any) 1097058 Set out on pages 3+4 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3110312021. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act"). Responsibilities and basis of report I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent tThe charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete [ ] rf not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below") which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records. or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Con￿rning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Date: 0311212021 Signed: Name: Mrs Jennifer Sherwood Relevant professional qualification(s) or body FCA- Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) IER Oct 2018

(if any): Address: 1 The Heath, Tankerton Whitstable, Kent CT5 3HJ Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018