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This standard applies to all grants used in connection to with church and project funds.

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• Funds and Grant-Making Policy for Churches and Projects
• See also: When to use Grant vs. When to use Reimbursement for a Church/Project Fund Expense. (Need to update Reimbursements vs. Grants wrong info but also links to old reimbursement pages)

Standard Statement

The Reliant Board of Directors desires to issue financial ministry grants to other organizations to further Reliant’s exempt purposes and for use with programs not conducted directly by Reliant. Reliant leadership will review and determine whether to approve grant requests. requests in a matter compliant with applicable laws and regulations and according to the requirements outlined below.

Roles:

Reliant Point Person is a Reliant employee/associate assigned to run point as the main contact for the church/project fund. The Reliant Point Person receives and distributes monies on behalf of the church/ministry to any Designated Grantees. All church/project funds are required to have an individual assigned as the Reliant Point Person. The Reliant Point Person agrees to complete training on grants and expense submissions and agrees to send a grant report every 6 months for the monthly payments received.

Authorized Signer(s) is the individual(s) who is authorized by the church/ministry to approve transfers, reimbursements, grants, and other payments from the church/project fund . The names of the Authorized Signers may be found on the Accounts Payable Signing Authority List.as outlined on the original church/project fund request form. 

Designated Grantee(s) is a foreign national receiving monies distributed from the church/project fund.

Distribution:

Grants can only be distributed through an approved church/project fund which can only be created in connection to an approved Reliant partner.

The approval of a church/project fund confirms that Reliant is in agreement to pay out any amount of grant expenses incurred that are in line with the approved church/project fund purpose and no further . Further approvals for increased grant amounts payments above the projected amount approved amount for the fund are not needed.

Grant recipients may be related or unrelated organizations and may be domestic or foreign. Reliant will take reasonable steps of due diligence to ensure that it is not otherwise assisting known or suspected terrorists through its foreign grant-making process. This would include the checking of , including annually checking applicable governmental lists provided and maintained by the U.S. Treasury Department.

Grant requests are used to request grant payments that will be distributed from the Reliant church/project fund. The Reliant Point Person for the fund typically will be the one submitting submits grant requests on behalf of the church/project fund as well as sending and sends grant reports. Only Authorized Signers of the specific church/project fund can must approve the grant requestrequests before distribution. 

Grants can be one-time or recurring payments for expenses and for support through Designated Grantees. The church/ministry partnership determines if the Designated Grantee is receiving will receive monthly payments or one-time payments through grants. The program team will work with the church/ministry partner to determine a monthly amount that may be sent for support. It The Reliant Point Person must be clearly communicated communicate to the Designated Grantee that Reliant cannot hire them the Designated Grantee or have the appearance that they are the Designated Grantee is being paid for hours worked, even as a contractor.

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Once the above criteria have been met, and the Designated Grantee has been approved, then any associated grant payment requests from church/project funds ( whose sole purpose was for is Designated Grantee funding ) can now be officially createdsubmitted. 

Guidelines:

• Reliant will refuse any grants that are requested if it determines that the grant is not in line with the approved purpose of the associated church/project fund. 
• Reliant grants cannot be used for any purpose other than those approved by Reliant.
• Reliant may approve charitable grant requests after reviewing all relevant information to determine whether the use of funds by the proposed recipient is consistent with Reliant’s tax-exempt purposes.Grant administration and control procedures will vary based upon grant materiality (amount and significance), the nature of the grant recipients’ operations, and the nature of the relationship between Reliant and the grant recipient. ---?Dave explained-Reliant won't accept a personal gift and pass it along to the individual through a grant- all gifts must be received as a donation to Reliant and go through the normal process with admin fees, etc. Gift Acceptance Policy (last paragraph- gifts)
• Reliant will require periodic accounting of the usage of the grant funds.
• Reliant retains the right to withdraw approval of a current grant or to receive a refund of any unexpended grant funds.
• Reliant grants cannot be used to cause any private inurement or improper private benefit to occur.
• Reliant will not act as a conduit of funds for any recipient. Gifts received by Reliant that will be used for grants , will be accepted in accordance with Reliant’s gift acceptance policies and for Board approved purposes.
• Grant funds received by the recipient Reliant Point Person may only be disbursed to other organizations or individuals in a manner consistent with recipient’s grant agreement with Reliant and pursuant to a written agreement with the ultimate recipient of the funds that ensures full compliance by the ultimate recipient Reliant's Grant-Making Standard with the understanding that the church/ministry and/or Designated Grantee fully complies with the grant purposes and the requirements of the Reliant's policies and procedures as well as local and country laws.

Acquisition of Information. The elements of the grant process should include at a minimum:

(1)  Adequate description of the charitable and ministry purposes to be served by the project;
(2)  Determination by the Board that such purposes are consistent with the tax-exempt purposes of Reliant and are worthy of funding;
(3)  Detailed project budgets showing expenditures by sufficient line items for the Board to determine the economic efficiency of the project?;
(4)  Specific project goals with milestones for monitoring; and
(5)  A commitment by the persons responsible for overseeing the project to comply with Reliant’s reporting and monitoring requirements.

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• Reliant Point Person requesting a grant must attest they agree with the Reliant Grant-Making Standard before grant funds can be distributed.
• These guidelines shall be presented to all organizations seeking funding from Reliant, and shall be publicized whenever appropriate to Reliant donors.

Grant Agreement. Reliant will normally obtain a signed Grant Agreement with the Recipient that summarizes the amount of the grant, the approved usage, and other pertinent information. This Agreement must be signed before any grants will be disbursed.  This requirement may be waived in the case of single payment grants not exceeding $25,000 made to Reliant affiliated churches and ministries in the United States.

Publicize Guidelines. These guidelines shall be presented to all organizations seeking funding from Reliant, and shall be publicized whenever appropriate to Reliant donors.

Reporting:

Reporting:

Acquisition of Information. The elements of the grant process should include at a minimum:

 Specific project goals with milestones for monitoring; and
A commitment by the persons responsible for overseeing the project to comply with Reliant’s reporting and monitoring requirements.

Periodic Reporting and Monitoring. All approved projects shall be monitored by Reliant management through periodic reporting from the responsible person for each project or grant.

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Failure to provide this information will result in a withholding of future funds until information is submitted, and may possibly result in termination of the grant.

Approval:

Only Authorized Signers of the specific church/project fund can approve the payment for the grant request. 

One-time grants require approval for each submission. 

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If the Accounting Manager is unable to approve within a reasonable timeframe then the Director of Organizational Affairs may approve in their place. If the Director of Organizational Affairs is unavailable to approve within a reasonable timeframe, the Chief Financial Officer may approve in their place. If the Chief Financial Officer is unavailable to approve within a reasonable timeframe, the President may approve in their place.

Gift Acceptance Policy (last paragraph- gifts)

Grants for Events

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