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Grant Application and Disbursement Policy

Overview

In order to provide adequate control and governance, the Board establishes this Grant Application and Disbursement policy, applicable to all of its actions, but in particular to the award of grants.

This Grant Application and Disbursement Policy governs the activities of the Board and staff of the Fund for Assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Questions about the policy should be directed to the President or the Executive Director. It is the duty of all board members and staff to be aware of and abide by this policy.

The grant process is divided into five phases: grant request, decision on grant, disbursement, monitoring and reporting, and finally evaluation. The Board will assess the effectiveness of this policy on an annual basis and modify it as needed.

Grant aims

All grant requests should be aligned with the FFA’s Mission, namely:

The mission of the Fund for Assistance is to raise funds in order to provide financial support to initiatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia whose sole purpose and aim is to propagate the Holy Orthodox faith, spiritually educate and care for Church members, support clergy and maintain its holiest places and houses of worship.

Specific causes aligned with this Mission include:
  • Youth programs
  • Clergy support
  • Emergency Relief
Grant Process

1. Grant Requests

1.1 Grants requests can be made by previous grantees or by new applicants. Grant requests can be made by individuals or organizations.

1.2 There will be a simplified process for grant requests from ROCOR parishes and organizations that have received a grant from the FFA in the past for the same or similar activity (such as an annual youth conference or pilgrimage). For repeat grant requests by ROCOR institutions, the minimal requirements for a grant will be a statement of purpose, a budget and commitment to competitive pricing. The budget should itemize all disbursements, such as travel, lodging, purchases of materials, scholarships to participants, etc. Such requests must be made at least 30 days prior to the event, even if the event has received support in previous years.

1.3 Grant request by individuals on the grounds of lack of funds or catastrophic events need to be accompanied by proof of the individual’s actual income (such as the previous year’s income tax return) or some proof of the catastrophic event. A statement from the diocesan bishop may be accepted in lieu of other proof in extraordinary circumstances.

1.4 Grant requests by new applicants that are organizations must contain at minimum the following information: 1) full name, address, and organizational affiliations; 2) the organizational form and tax-exempt status; 3) a statement of purpose of the organization; 4) list of Board members or other governing body; 5) description of the proposed activity; 6) detailed budget; and commitment to reporting to the Board. Please refer to the Grant Request Form.

1.5 Budget items for purchase of services (such as purchase of publishing services, hotels, etc.) must include proof that the most cost-effective option is being proposed. For instance, if a hotel is proposed for an event, there must be proof that the rate quoted is competitive relative to alternatives in the same general location.

1.6 All grant requests must identify any affiliations with any Board members of the FFA so that the Board can implement its Conflict of Interest policy.

1.7 The Board of the FFA may approach potential grantees and solicit grant requests.

2. Decisions on Grant Requests

2.1 The Board of the FFA will evaluate grants in line with the Mission stated above. In addition the Board will take into account its overall budget for the year and the cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget. The Board may make inquiries to the grantee if additional information is needed to evaluate the request.

2.2. Grants for $1000 and under shall require only the approval of Executive Director, subject to the limitations of the annual budget.

2.3. Grants for $1000-$5000 shall require the approval of the Grants Committee, subject to the limitations of the annual budget.

2.4. Grants over $5000 require approval of the entire Board.

Grant requests will be reviewed for approval no later than [one month] from the date of receipt of the request.

3. Disbursement of Grants

3.1. Grants will be disbursed after written approval of the Board and after receipt of the following by the organization:
  • If the grant is to an individual, that person’s full name, address, social security number and bank details
  • If the grant is to an organization, that organization’s name, address, taxpayer identification number and bank details
3.2. For all organizational grantees that are implementing a program or conducting an event, receipts for the actual costs incurred must be received before disbursement (see point 3.5. for exceptions). Receipts must be originals showing the expense item, the name, the date and the purpose. No reimbursement shall be made in excess of actual costs incurred and the approved grant amount. For instance, if the budgeted airfare for a trip is $1400 but the actual cost is $1000, only $1000 will be reimbursed. Similarly if a budgeted proposal for airfare was $1400 but cots was $1500, only $1400 will be reimbursed.

3.3. Only economy class airfare will be reimbursed.

3.4. Disbursement of a grant for an event such as a conference, pilgrimage, etc. prior to the event will be permitted only if previously approved, and requires reporting with all receipts within a week after the event’s completion.

4. Monitoring and reporting

All grantees must provide a follow-up report report to the organization.

4.1. Organizational grantees that receive a grant for an event or a program must send the following information: 1) detailed description of the event; 2) number of participants and a list of participants with their names, mailing and email addresses, and ages (for youth programs); 3) details on the budget and expenses. All grantees should be encouraged to submit photographs of the event.

4.2. Individual or organizational grantees seeking assistance after a catastrophic event must provide a description of how the grant was used for mitigation of the catastrophic event.

4.3. Failure to report within a month after the event or the receipt of funds, whichever is earlier, shall disqualify an organizational grantee from future grants. The Board may waive this rule in the event of extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters, fires, etc.

4.4. Individual grantees receiving income support or assistance after a catastrophic event must provide a receipt evidencing receipt of the grant and appropriate use of the funds..

4.5. Records of all grant applications and approvals will be kept a minimum of five years.

5. Evaluation of Completed Grants

The Board shall evaluate all grants on an annual basis to confirm that the stated purpose of the grant was met, that the budget was reasonable in light of the circumstances, and that the grantee met the organizational purposes of the FFA. In addition, the grantee’s compliance with the reporting requirements and the ease of obtaining information from the grantee shall be considered.

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Fund for Assistance to the ROCOR
P.O. Box 272
Glen Cove, NY 11542
info@fundforassistance.org
917-817-2925

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