Have the long term aims and objectives of the grant scheme been clearly documented and communicated?
Grant schemes should operate under clearly defined and documented operational objectives which set out the principal aims and objectives the grant scheme is designed to achieve and be clearly linked to the relevant Government policy objective(s) and agency output(s). The operational objectives should be approved by Ministers, Board members or senior officials with appropriate authorisation and communicated to the relevant staff through the development of scheme guidelines. Operational objectives should be phrased in such a way that it is clear when they have been achieved, and thus raise the question whether the grant scheme needs to continue. Objectives should be restated at regular intervals (e.g. annually or each time applications are called for) and whenever a change in the grant scheme is made.
