It is advised that local institutes should only hold up to 12 months' annual operating costs. Where an institute holds more than 12 months' operating costs an adjustment will be made to their second tranche ordinary grant payment.

Local institutes receive 14% of total UK CII member fees.   All institutes are now allocated to one of four bands – exceeding, mastering, progressing and needs addressing – on the basis of their annual assessment score. These bands are assigned an associated percentage payment of an institute's total membership fees ranging from 10% to 14%. From 2020 local institutes annual assessment scores are also ranked in three separate peer groups, for small, medium and large institutes. The purpose is to further ensure fair distribution of grant funds.

Your local institute’s financial returns should be submitted by accessing the TOOLS tab once you sign into Network Know How. Ideally you will be using the local institute Accounts Tool to manage your annual finances, so you simply submit the completed Accounts Tool for the financial year, which includes an Annual Return tab. Please note that all annual returns need to be submitted by 31st May of each year.

At each AGM the CII approves a level of grant funding (ordinary grants) based on the numbers and level of members across the local institute network; thus annual local institute funding can change year on year dependent on UK membership figures (and associated special grant payments). This normally equates to 14% of member fees.

To apply for a special grant, local institutes need to submit a written application, including both Special Grant Applications Forms: A and B; the latter to include a full breakdown of your local institute’s financial accounts. The application process is communicated to all institutes every August. Applications must be submitted by 30th September.   

The annual ordinary grant is paid in two separate tranches. 50% is paid in January with the second tranche paid in July. Please note that an adjustment may be made to the second tranche of your ordinary grant if your institute holds more than 12 months' operating costs in reserve. Special grant payments are paid in full in January of each year.

Two types of grant can be awarded to local institutes; the ordinary grant and the special grant. The ordinary grant is based on a funding model linked to individual institute performance, as measured by the annual local institute assessment. In addition to the award of an ordinary grant, local institutes may also apply for additional funding known as a special grant for any planned exceptional expenditure that will fall outside the parameters of the ordinary grant that the institute currently receives.