Grants Guidelines

Grants Guidelines

Authority
1. These guidelines are in all respects subordinate to the articles of incorporation, by laws and standing rules of the corporation.
General
1. The corporation makes grants on an annual basis to its community partners, all of whom are in the Bay Area. Community Partner Grants are the mechanism through which Bay Area non-profits may benefit from grants from the Corporation. The Corporation may make further grants from time to time to organizations outside the Bay Area and these shall be reviewed on a case by case basis. The corporation may proactively solicit applications in this regard but shall be under no obligation to make any such grants nor shall it be bound to publicize the possibility of making grants. These guidelines shall therefore not be public documents but remain confidential and known to the Board and Executive Director only.
Types of Activities Which May Be Sponsored
1. It shall be unusual to make any grant to a single organization in excess of $3,000 in any fiscal year.
2. It shall be unusual to make grants which, in aggregate, total more than $10,000 in any fiscal year.
3. Subject to 3.1 and 3.2 above the organization shall make grants in any amount to any number of organizations.
4. Grants shall be made to organizations both within the USA and outside the USA with an identical or similar mission to the corporation, i.e. other Pride Committees/Organizations or organizations who are seeking to put on a Pride event either for the first time or otherwise. No grants shall be made to individuals.
5. Grants make take the form of scholarships (consisting of transportation, accommodation and registration costs) to attend Pride conferences, grants for specific projects, sponsorship of events, donations for capital projects and contributions towards general running costs.
6. It shall be the desire of the Corporation to financially assist and otherwise mentor another Pride organization in the USA outside of the Bay Area and another Pride organization outside the USA as part of any Grants program.
Administration
1. Applications for grants shall be in writing to the Executive Director. Applicants shall be advised that a decision on their application may take up to two months from the date their application is received.
2. The Executive Director shall copy the grant application and circulate this to the members of the Grants Committee with additional commentary and/or documentation as appropriate, such additional information to be an aide to the committee is assessing whether the application meets the criteria spelt out in this policy.
3. The Grants Committee shall meet and assess applications on a regular basis. The Grants Committee shall be a sub-committee of the corporation and so it’s meetings shall be public. The committee itself shall be advisory and the purpose of the committee shall be to assess applications and to present its recommendations to the Board for approval
4. In assessing applications, the Grants Committee shall have regard to:
  1. The record of the applicant in relation to receiving grants from the corporation and/or others.
  2. What other sources of revenue might better suit the applicant.
  3. The Public Relations implications of making a grant
  4. Who is served by the grant.
  5. Diversity in terms of the organizations receiving grants and the persons served.
Local Project Grant
1. In addition to the above the corporation may also, at its discretion award a local once a year only project grant totaling no more than $1,000 for a specific activity, event or display. Such award must have a clear connection with the mission of the corporation and the subject must be freely enjoyed.
2. Conversion of Loans
Notwithstanding anything in this policy it shall also be within the power of the Board to forgive, (i.e. make a donation of) either in whole or in part, the principal of any loan made by this corporation pursuant to the Loans Policy of the corporation.

Approved: by the Board 02.01.99
Amended 04.03.01