Policies

Overview

We aim to provide an efficient and effective grants service at all times. However, we understand that sometimes our beneficiaries and other parties may wish to raise issues about our service provision. We want to resolve matters quickly and to the satisfaction of the complainant. We welcome your complaints and comments, because your views about the MCF are essential in helping us to continuously review and improve our grant making services.

Should you have any questions not answered within this policy guidance document, please contact the Masonic Support Department:

Thomas Hulme, Grants Policy & Research Officer

Email: thulme@mcf.org.uk

Phone: 020 3146 3310

Please also note that complaints regarding services outside of those delivered by our grant- making department are not covered or considered under this policy. For such complaints, again please contact Thomas Hulme for further guidance.

Appeals and complaints policy

We are committed to ensuring that everyone who receives a grant (including any support services offered through our grants department) receives professional, courteous and timely support at all times. This includes those that apply to us for the first time, or those that return for support having been previously considered for support in the past, whether successful or unsuccessful. All assessments of eligibility, masonic, financial or other, should be made irrespective of the outcome of any previous assessment and be assessed against current eligibility criteria.

Under this policy, we commit to deal with a complaint or appeal as quickly as possible. We will ensure that our process for reviewing and responding is fair, courteous and helpful. We will also treat all complaints and appeals seriously, confidentially and in line with our equal opportunities policy. We will ensure that all complainants are kept informed and we will also keep written records of all complaints and appeals.

We recognise any expression of dissatisfaction as a potential complaint. If you are dissatisfied with the conduct of MCF employees, the grant support service you have received, or outcome of your application, please formally tell us. We will then follow our complaints processes outlined within the relevant sections of this guidance.

All complaints and appeals without exception will be kept fully confidential and will only involve those MCF staff members affected or relevant to any review process. All complaints and appeals will be treated with equal respect and we expect that MCF staff involved in any complaint or appeal procedures will be provided the same courtesy.

Policy on rights

By making a complaint or appeal you do not give up your right or access to receive future support from MCF. Nor will any complaints or appeals submitted affect any future grants services you receive from MCF. It is important to stress that your future prospects of receiving support from MCF will not be affected or diminished.

Data Protection

By using our complaints procedure, you agree that we can use any personal information that you send us as part of your complaint for the purposes of reviewing and investigating your complaint and or appeal. We may in certain circumstances, depending on the complaint, need to refer your personal information to other staff and or departments and will seek your permission in such instances.

Supporting Freemasons and their entitlement to support

The Masonic Charitable Foundation builds better lives by enabling opportunity, advancing healthcare and education and promoting independence for Freemasons, their families and the wider community. Funded entirely by Freemasons and their families, the Masonic Charitable Foundation is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country, helping thousands of people every year, many of whom will be Freemasons and their family members.

While the charity is funded by, and supports, Freemasons, it is important to note within this policy document, that successful funding for Freemasons and their families is not a guarantee purely by nature of having a connection to the Craft. All support is subject not only to an eligible masonic connection, but also to the meeting of our wider encompassing eligibility criteria.

What is and is not considered a complaint

MCF defines a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of grant support service provided by MCF to a group and or individual. Most (but not all) complaints will generally fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Complaints about the grant service(s) or support that MCF provide or do not provide
• Complaints about the way MCF have provided grant support service(s)
• Complaints about staff interaction, attitude(s) or competency
• Complaints about MCF grant support policies affecting Masonic or other individual stakeholders
• Complaints that procedure has not been followed in MCF’s application assessment and outcome dissemination process
• Complaints that MCF have failed to give you timely access to information or have given you incorrect advice or information that has adversely affected your application submission
• You feel that discrimination or unequal treatment has taken place
• You feel that the needs of the Masonic community have not been met or considered
• You believe an act of fraud has taken place by an individual in regards to an MCF application

The distinction between a formal complaint and informal feedback/complaints is considered in light of the medium by which they are provided. We do not consider enquiries about support service(s) or initial requests for support, or information about MCF’s grant policy position(s) as a complaint. We also do not consider social media commentary/feedback or open forum commentary as a complaint under this formal policy. Our general position is not to engage in discussion on an open forum under the Data Protection Act and due to internal staff confidentiality and privacy restrictions. However, social media and open forum feedback and complaints may be captured, and relevant parties invited to submit a formal direct complaint for review.

What is and is not considered an appeal

The MCF defines an appeal as an expression of concern and or belief that an application submitted to MCF has not been assessed correctly according to our eligibility criteria. Most (but not all) appeals will generally fall into one or more of the following categories:

• An appeal that MCF’s decision on your application is not justified or evidenced
• An appeal that key information within the your application has been misinterpreted
• An appeal about the process that MCF has or has not followed to assess your application
• An appeal that the Freemason connection has been incorrectly interpreted

The circumstances when an application appeal can be made

In all instances the successful applicant will have been written to with the outcome of their application, providing details of the amount of grant awarded, how the grant will be paid to them and how frequently it will be paid, and what will occur when the grant term is approaching completion that will enable them to reapply for ongoing support.

In all instances the unsuccessful applicant will have been written to with the outcome of their application, providing details of why they have been unsuccessful, specifically what elements of the MCF eligibility criteria their application failed on.

For those that believe that their application has been incorrectly assessed against our eligibility criteria as explained in their grant outcome letter, or feel that a reduced award has been unfairly awarded, a formal appeal against the outcome of the application can be submitted.

You will need to demonstrate that one or more of the following has occurred:

• We have interpreted a significant part of your application incorrectly
• We did not consider a relevant part of the application fully
• You believe that the decision taken is unjustified, for example any shortcomings we mention
• The Freemason connection has been incorrectly interpreted

Please note that there is a deadline of 20 working days from the date you have been formally informed of the application outcome, in which to make an appeal.

The circumstances when a complaint can be made

A formal complaint can be submitted by those that wish to make a complaint regarding

• the conduct of an MCF employee(s)
• the grant support service you have or feel you should have received

Please note that there is no deadline in which to formally lodge a complaint following your experiences of the MCF grants service. However, the longer you leave before submitting a complaint may result in it being more difficult for us to resolve your complaint satisfactorily.

How to make an appeal or complaint

An application appeal or general complaint should be made formally in writing or by email by completing the relevant form.

Appeals and complaints should be addressed as follows:

Email Gill Bennett, Grants Manager:  gbennett@mcf.org.uk

Write to Gill Bennett, Grants Manager: Masonic Charitable Foundation, 60 Great Queen Street, London. WC2B 5AZ.

Those who can submit an appeal or complaint

The appeal and or complaint can be made by:

a. The applicant

b. An immediate family member or carer acting on behalf of the applicant, with their knowledge and consent

c. The person acting as Visiting Volunteer

d. The Provincial or Metropolitan Grand Almoner

If either (b) (c) or (d) are appealing against an application outcome or lodging a complaint on behalf of an applicant, they must inform said applicant of their intention to do so.

Content of the appeal

 When formally making your complaint you should use the appeals form.

The key information we will need is:

• Grant reference number
• Masonic connection
• Who you have previously dealt with in regards to this application
• What communications you have received in regards to your application
• Important details outlining the nature and reasons for your appeal which should meet the categories in section four
• All new or additional information you feel hasn’t been considered as part of your application assessment
• The resolution you are seeking

Content of the complaint

 When formally making your complaint you should use the complaints form.

The key information we will need is:

• Dates of contact
• Who you have previously dealt with
• What communications you have received in regards to your complaint
• Important details outlining the nature and reasons for your complaint
• The resolution you are seeking

Please note that for purposes of ensuring your complaint is dealt with swiftly and in the most efficient manner, we ask that you do not cc any correspondents into your complaint email. It will help us to deal with your complaint faster and more efficiently if we deal solely with the complainant or a single individual on their behalf. If you do choose to cc any correspondents please note that we will not include them in our response(s).

How the appeal and/or complaint  will be reviewed and monitored

 If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service received, or outcome of your application, you should initially speak with the member of staff concerned. We hope that most complaints or informal appeals enquiries can be settled quickly via any relevantly linked staff member.

Complaints will be reviewed by the Grants Manager in liaison with any affected staff members.

Appeals will be initially reviewed by a Grants Team Leader in liaison with the initial assessor, with any review and decision signed off by the Grants Manager.

Expected initial response and resolution times

We will try our best to resolve your complaint or appeal as soon as possible. However, if this is not possible, your complaint or appeal will be formally acknowledged within three working days of receipt. The Grants Manager in line with any relevant Grants Team Leader will then investigate and send a written reply within 10 working days.

Complaints

 If a complaint, once internally investigated and reviewed, indicates fault on behalf of MCF we will look to offer:

• An explanation and apology
• A direct list of actions (with a timeline) in order to rectify things and reassure that the issue has been dealt with and will not happen again
• In no instances will financial compensation be considered for any and all complaints

Appeals

If an appeal, once internally investigated and reviewed, is denied, we will look to offer:

• An explanation as to why your request has been denied
• Re-assurance that procedure has been followed
• Feedback to ensure that any future applications meet our criteria

If an appeal is upheld, then your funding application will be re-assessed by a new assessor and a new decision will be made by MCF on the outcome of your application, taking into account any new information provided in your appeal. If your appeal is upheld and your application is re-assessed, this does not mean that an award will be offered automatically. It will still be assessed purely on its merits in regards to our published eligibility criteria and any new information provided in your appeal.

Where an appeal is upheld and it is felt that you would have been financially supported had your original application been successful, consideration will be given to backdating your grant to the point of your original application to a maximum of three months of support.

If you are unsatisfied with the response

 If you are not satisfied with the Grant Managers response, a telephone call between both parties will be arranged as the next stage, to further review the case and discuss the reasons for disagreement.

If you feel your complaint is still not satisfactorily resolved following this call, you can apply in writing to the Head of Masonic Support, Gareth Everett, for a review of your complaint. You will receive a reply from the Head of Masonic Support within 20 working days.

If you are dissatisfied with the Head of Masonic Support’s review, consideration will be given to an appeal to the Chief Executive, Les Hutchinson. An appeals and complaints panel consisting of the Chief Executive, Head of Masonic Support, Masonic Support Committee Chairman or Committee member chosen by the Chairman and the Grants Manager will review your appeal and or complaint. You will receive a reply within 31 working days. This level of review will only be upheld for serious lines of enquiry involving fraud, data protection breaches or criminality.

Public Whistleblowing Process and Procedure – Fraud and Misrepresentation Concerns

Sometimes members of the public or members of a Freemason lodge may have concerns about an individual that has received support from MCF. This may be in relation to potential fraudulent activity, misrepresentation or misuse of grant funds.

You can submit a complaint or whistleblowing enquiry if you reasonable believe that:

• An individual has misrepresented their household and/or family circumstance in an attempt to receive, or successfully have received, charitable support
• An individual that is currently in receipt of support or applying for support is currently engaged in potentially fraudulent activity(s)
• An individual that is currently in receipt of support has breached their grant agreement and not disclosed information that will have a material impact on the support we offer
• A Freemason linked to the award of financial support is believed to have been expelled from the craft

Please note that all complaints or whistleblowing in regards to potential breaches of grant agreements or eligibility criteria will be dealt with under the protection of anonymity of those submitting concerns.

All whistleblowing concerns will be investigated to the best of our ability given any information provided. However, for MCF to be able to investigate any whistleblowing concern we will require evidence to support your claims.

Should you have any concerns falling under the above criteria (or similar) please address them to:

Gill Bennett, Grants Manager

Email: gbennett@mcf.org.uk

Writing: Masonic Charitable Foundation, 60 Great Queen Street, London. WC2B 5AZ