Privacy Policy

Introduction

The MacDougall Trust (Dorset) is a small grant making Trust. Its income is derived from its own investments and acts
as a clearing house and distributor of financial assistance for other local charities to residents of Dorset. This obviates
the need for The MacDougall Trust to canvass for financial support from members of the public or other bodies.

The Trustees meet on a quarterly basis to consider applications for assistance from people resident in Dorset who are
’in necessitous circumstances’. Applications are made on the Trust’s application form. Applications have to be
supported by a recognised agency or statutory body. The Trust does not make grants where a government or statutory
body has a legal duty to provide/meet the need. Grants are awarded on the basis of the information supplied, and only
in exceptional circumstances will they exceed £300. Trustees may, in some cases, make a contribution to a larger
project. Generally, the trustees require at least 3 years between applications from a single individual, except in
exceptional circumstances.

General Data Protection Regulation 2018

On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulations came into force, which built on existing legislation and which
requires organisations to have in place procedures to ensure that any information held on individuals is kept safe and
secure and is only used for the purposes for which it is held.

Its guiding principles are that all personal information will be:

• Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner.
• Collected for specific, explicit and legitimate purposes.
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary.
• Accurate and kept up to date, with inaccuracies being erased or rectified without delay.
• Kept in a form that permits identification of data subjects for no longer than necessary for the purposes for
which personal data is processed.
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data including protection against
unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage.

All Trustees and the Data Protection Officer (Trust Administrator) are aware of the Regulations and its principles.

The Trust will only hold information on Applicants in order to fulfil its obligations in relation to requests for financial
support from people within the County of Dorset. Such information will not be shared with any other organisation. In the
unlikely event that such a situation should arise, the Applicant’s permission will be sought in advance.

Applicants to the Trust will be told by referrers that the personal information they supply on their application form will
only be used to allow the Trustees to make a decision on whether they are eligible for financial support. The referrer will
confirm that they have consent from the applicant to submit personal details to the Trust. The Trust uses this consent as
the basis for collecting or using personal information.

The information held by the Trust will only be that information supplied by the Applicant themselves and any supporting
professional information relating to the application. Applicants will be advised by the referrer that they have right of
access to that information.

The Trust has a Retention of Information procedure and will respond positively to any request from an Applicant for
information held on them.

The Trust will not use information held on Applicants for any purpose, other than as supporting evidence for their
request for financial assistance.

The Trust will not share personal information of Applicants with any other organisation without the consent of the
Applicant.

All information held by the Trust will be held in a secure location either by electronic or paper means. In the unlikely
event that there should be a breach of security, both the Information Commission Office and subject will be notified.

The post of Data Protection Officer will be held by the Trust Administrator.

Personal Information

The Trust does not need to canvass for funds to carry out its aims and does not have or hold any personal information
about individual supporters.

We collect or use the following information to allow the trustees to make a decision on whether applicants are eligible for
financial support:

• Referring Agent name and work details
• Title and Full name
• Age
• First part of postcode and town/village
• Dependants and their ages
• Details of household/family members
• Assistance required
• Reason for application
• Disability and medical conditions
• Other agencies involved and other statutory bodies/charities approached
• Financial details
• Previous grants awarded
• Other relevant information

Trustees

The Trust holds personal information on the Trustees

• Full Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail address
• Declaration of Interest details
• Automatic disqualification declaration

Personal data

The Trustees fully endorse the principles that underscore and are laid out in the General Data Protection Regulations
2018.

Trustees are mindful of the often adverse personal nature of an Applicant’s circumstances and are vigilant in ensuring
that the information supplied to support the application is treated with respect and sensitivity. It is therefore incumbent
on all members of the Trust to ensure that any information they handle is kept safe and secure and is only used for the
purposes for which it was supplied.

Data Protection Officer

The Administrator of The MacDougall Trust is the nominated person to hold the position of Data Controller under
General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and is responsible for ensuring that confidential material is kept secure.

Requests for personal information held by the Trust

The Trust will ensure that the Application Form clearly states that the Trust will only use the personal information
supplied to allow the Trustees to make a decision on the circumstances of their application and will not be used for any
other purpose.

This personal information will be retained for a period concomitant with the Trust’s retention of information period.

Following receipt of a request from an individual for information held on them by The MacDougall Trust, the
Administrator will respond to that request. Requests can be made by email to admin@macdougalltrust.org

Process of consideration for assistance

The Trust meets quarterly to consider any applications received. The Trust Administrator will prepare a summary of the
information from each application and send it to the Trustees, via email, prior to the meeting to allow them to consider
the merits of the request, which are more fully discussed at the meeting. Applicants are only identified by the Trustees
by title, initials and first part of their post code. A decision will be made on whether the Applicant should be awarded a
grant or not. A pledge of financial support can be made if the request is part of a multiple charity application for a sum
higher than the Trust’s limit. Applicants will be advised by email, via their referrer, of the Trust’s decision.

Applications

On receipt of an application for financial support to the Trust, the Administrator will log this on the Trust’s Applicants
system and on a quarterly basis will collate a summary of all applications and distribute them to all Trustees via e-mail.

The Trust Administrator will ensure that all applications will be held in a secure location. It is incumbent on all Trustees,
on receipt of the application summary, to ensure that this information is stored securely on their computer to avoid
accidental access to that file. If printed, the details will be stored in a locked and secure provision.

Following consideration of the applications Trustees will confidentially destroy all copies of the applications summary
held on computers or on paper. The exception to this is where the application could not be resolved at the meeting and
further information or outstanding issues remain to be clarified and, retention of the information will be required to make
a final decision at a future date. Such information will be kept secure until the purpose for which it is retained has been
resolved, and then be destroyed. The Trust will retain the original application for a period of seven years.

Decisions

Following the decision of the Trustees on an application the Administrator will record the name of the applicant, the
decision and where successful, the amount awarded.

It will be the responsibility of the Administrator to advise the Applicant by email, via the referring agency, of the outcome
of the meeting and arrange for the individual processes particular to the case to be progressed.

The original application form will be stored by the Administrator in a secure and confidential manner in line with the
Trust’s Retention Policy.

Application for personal information

Should any person who submitted an application, contact the Trust seeking to elicit personal information held on them in
relation to a previous application for financial support from the Trust, they will be advised that this must be made in
writing. Proof of identity will be requested.

Following a written receipt of an application for personal information, this should be acknowledged in writing by the
Administrator within 28 working days after receiving the request.

In the circumstances where the Trust does not hold any information on the enquirer, or that their enquiry is beyond the
date on which information is retained, they should be informed of this in writing and no further action will be required.

Where information is currently held, a response will be made to the enquirer within 1 month, sending copies of all
information. It is essential that a correct and secure address is supplied by the Applicant. All information should be sent
by Royal Mail Recorded Delivery, at the Applicant’s own risk.

Information relating to children will be part of some applications for financial assistance from the Trust. The Trust will
hold personal information on them including their age, as well as other information which would support the application
i.e. a disability. The Trust will respond to any request from a young person over the age of sixteen years who seeks
access to information held on them specifically.

No charge will be made for this service.

If applicants have any concerns about our use of personal data, a complaint can be made to The MacDougall Trust at
admin@macdougalltrust.org. If the applicant remains unhappy with how the Trust used the data after raising a
complaint, applicants can also complain to the ICO.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint 

Third Party Enquiries

It is essential that requests for personal information are scrutinised to ensure that the person requesting the information
is the person to whom the information relates. This applies to situations where a person was in the past separated from
the applicant or has subsequently separated and is inappropriately seeking information to which they do not have right
of access.

Where a third party was mentioned in the application, they can be given that information, but they will be advised that
the remaining information will be redacted and that they are not entitled to that information.

The Administrator should, in all cases where a request for personal information is being sought, whether no information
is held or where information is held, advise the Chair of the Trust or nominated Trustee in their absence. A written
record of all requests should be maintained.

Any breach of confidentiality will be reported to the Information Commission Office immediately it becomes known.

Aug 2024