We are interested in your views. If you don't have a contact at Nesta, please write to us at [email protected]

Complaints process

If you have a complaint about Nesta or the way you have been treated by us, you can complain to us by following the process set out below.

We aim to:

• Treat complaints seriously and deal with them properly
• Resolve complaints promptly and informally whenever possible
• Ensure that complaints are treated in confidence

Complaints about funding applications

You may be disappointed if we turn down your application for funding from Nesta, but you cannot use this complaints process to appeal against that decision. We can only look at your application again if you can show that we did not follow the published process for assessing your application.

What to do if you have a complaint

If you have a complaint about Nesta, we suggest that you first contact the member of staff you have been dealing with. If you complain in person or by phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. If you complain by email or in writing, we will acknowledge your complaint within five days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. We hope to settle most complaints as quickly as possible in this way.

What if the complaint is not resolved?

If you are not happy with our first response to your complaint, then you can get back in touch with us by email or writing to our Head of Legal at the address below. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 days. Your complaint will be reviewed by an Executive Director and we will respond to you in writing within 30 days.

If you are still unhappy with their response, you can then write to our Chief Executive, who will review your complaint and respond within 30 days.

If for any reason your complaint is still unresolved, you can then write to the Chair of our Board of Trustees. We will contact you within seven days and let you know how quickly the Chair or another Trustee will be able to consider and respond to your complaint.

When writing to us about a complaint, please set out the facts as clearly as possible in a logical order. Remember to include important details and dates where possible and the names of anyone you dealt with at Nesta. Please explain what you would like us to do to put things right and let us know how we should contact you.

If for any reason, we cannot meet the timescales set out here, we will let you know and give you a new deadline for a response.

If your complaint is about your Data Protection Rights

Nesta recognises the importance of maintaining good data handling processes and appropriate security in respect of Personal Data. If you are unhappy with how we are using any Personal Data that we may hold about you, please write to the Head of Legal at the address below, clearly indicating that it is a Data Protection complaint, providing full details.

You may be asked to provide additional evidence of your identity, so we can be sure who we are communicating with.

If you make a complaint on behalf of another person, you will need to send us proof they have said you can do so.

We will acknowledge your complaint within five days, and Nesta’s Data Protection Lead officer will investigate your complaint, and respond to you in writing within 21 days.

If you are unhappy with the response, you can ask that Nesta’s Data Protection Team review the response, and we will write to you with the outcome of that review within 30 days.

If you are still unhappy with our response, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at Wycliff House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF or by using the following links ico.org.uk/concerns or helpline: 0303 123 1113.

Where to send your complaint

By email: [email protected]

In writing:    

Nesta

58 Victoria Embankment

London EC4Y 0DS

Charity Commission and OSCR

Nesta is a registered charity regulated by the Charity Commission and by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Their contact details are as follows:

The Charity Commission

Charity Commission First Contact

PO Box 1227

Liverpool L69 3UG

Tel. 0845 300 0218

www.charitycommission.gov.uk

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator

2nd Floor

Quadrant House

9 Riverside Drive

Dundee DD1 4NY

Tel. 01382 220446

www.oscr.org.uk