Purpose

Provide guidance on requesting and distributing grants for expense payments from church/project funds. 

Scope

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

Policy Supporting This Standard

• Funds and Grant-Making Policy for Churches and Projects

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 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 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. Further approvals for increased grant payments above the projected amount approved for the fund are not needed.

Grant recipients 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, including annually checking applicable governmental lists provided and maintained by the U.S. Treasury Department.

Grant requests are used to request grant payments from the Reliant church/project fund. The Reliant Point Person for the fund submits grant requests on behalf of the church/project fund and sends grant reports. Authorized Signers of the specific church/project fund must approve grant requests 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 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. The Reliant Point Person must clearly communicate to the Designated Grantee that Reliant cannot hire the Designated Grantee or have the appearance that the Designated Grantee is being paid for hours worked, even as a contractor.

Foreign nationals may receive monies from a church/project fund as a Designated Grantee under the conditions that the foreign national:

• Work alongside an existing Reliant partnership.
• Be identified and vouched for by a Reliant worker or church/ministry partner.
• Be vetted using the OFAC Watchlist Verification.
• Able to receive monies through the officially registered-in-country church or ministry or a Reliant employee/associate. 
• Agree to inform Reliant if they come to the U.S. for any extended amount of time as Reliant cannot send them payment if they are on U.S. soil.

Once the above criteria have been met, and the Designated Grantee has been approved, then grant payment requests from church/project funds whose sole purpose is Designated Grantee funding can be officially submitted. 

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.
• 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 Reliant Point Person may only be disbursed to other organizations or individuals in a manner consistent with 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 Reliant's policies and procedures as well as local and country laws. 
• 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.

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. single one time payment vs. recurring grant relationship. contribution to church from leftover funds- we're donating to xqz ministry to be used for smith.. but we don't make the church give us a grant request or give us receipts for how they used it, etc. ... setting bar lower for one-time request. 

Get an MOU to send to lawyer with grant requirements.

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.

• Reports shall be submitted at least every six months (or within six months of expenditure of single payment grants).
• For ongoing monthly grants, the report is due 30 days after the end of the six month period. (For example, for the six month period of January – June, the report is due by July 30.)
• The reports shall include copies of all corresponding receipts (or substitute evidence) and give detail of exactly how the grant funds were spent.
  • Receipts needed for international expenses incurred over $25
  • Receipts needed for expenses incurred in the United States over $75
• The reports shall include a financial statement current within 30 days reflecting actual expenses in comparison with the projected budget.
• Project milestones should be briefly evaluated and all significant post-funding developments and problems should be discussed.

The Director of Organizational Affairs & Treasurer shall receive and evaluate these reports and refer them to the Executive Director whenever a recommendation to discontinue funding is necessary.

Suspension of future Grants. If the recipient does not supply the necessary/periodic grant support documentation every six months (or within six months of expenditure for single grant payments), Reliant:

• Will suspend all future grant payments until proper support documentation is received.
  • This suspension will be immediate for single-payment grants.
  • For ongoing monthly grants, Reliant may extend a maximum THREE month (90 days) grace period following the six-month reporting date. At which time, all future grant payments will be suspended.
• Reserves the right to obtain a return of granted funds if timely and proper support documentation is ultimately not provided by the recipient.

Reliant Retains Full Discretion. All grant requests shall be funded with the understanding that Reliant retains full and absolute discretion as to grant approvals, and retains the right to discontinue funding at any time that it determines that:

• Periodic reports are not submitted on a timely basis.
• The project goals are not being met or not being adhered to.
• The funds are not being spent according to the grant request.
• In Reliant’s sole discretion for any other reason.

Recipient’s Responsibilities After Receipt of the Grant.
After receipt of the grant, the Recipient will be required to submit reports to the Director of Organizational Affairs & Treasurer of Reliant, which include the following information:

• Financial reports showing how the grant funds were actually spent. 
• Programmatic updates, including project milestones briefly evaluated.
• All significant post-funding developments and problems.

Reports shall be submitted at least every six months (or within six months of expenditure of single payment grants). For ongoing monthly grants, the report is due 30 days after the end of the six month period. (For example, for the six month period of January – June, the report is due by July 30.)

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. 

Grant requests involving monthly, annual, or other periodic payments will normally (except in extenuating circumstances) be approved for a maximum of five years from the date of grant approval.  If the requested approved amount or individuals receiving funds for recurring grants change at any point after approval, then a new approval will be needed. If the grantee requires additional funding for the grant project after the grant expiration date, a new grant request must be submitted.

Required approvals are as follows:

• One-Time Grants 
  • One-time grant payment requests under $5,000 will be approved by the Accounting Manager
  • One-time grant payment requests between $5,000 and $25,000 will need approval by the Director of Organizational Affairs (in place of the Accounting Manager)
  • One-time grant payment requests between $25,000-$100,000 will need approval from both the Director of Organizational Affairs and the Chief Financial Officer

  • One-time grant payment requests over $100,000 will need additional approval from the Executive Director

• Recurring Yearly Grants (set up of recurring monthly payments)
  • Requests under up to $1,000 a month ($12,000/year) will be approved by the Accounting Manager
  • Requests between $1,000-$5,000 a month (up to $60,00/year) will need approval by the Director of Organizational Affairs (in place of the Accounting Manager)
  • Grant requests between $5,001-$25,000 a month (up to $300,000/year) a year will need approval from both the Director of Organizational Affairs and the Chief Financial Officer
  • A Grant Request over $25,000 a month will need additional approval from the Executive Director

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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QUESTIONS:

Funding Foreign National by Reliant

In most cases we would like funding from Reliant to a Foreign National to follow the path from Reliant Project Fund >> Foreign Non-profit >> Foreign National.

In the situation where the creation of a non-profit and the giving of money to a foreign national creates risk to that foreign national or to the ministry of the Reliant employee, we would like the path of funding to be: Reliant Project Fund >> Reliant Point Person >> Foreign National.

A question would be, in areas where there is not a risk to the Foreign National, but the creation of a non-profit is difficult or expensive are we able to have funds go from the Reliant Point Person >> Foreign National

Could we have a project fund entitled Zoe #1, Zoe #2 and each fund represented a person. Solicitor- just saying who raised the money, they decide what they do with the money. Using for salary-is that ok? 

Do all standards need policies? (Override fees)

If giving a grant to a registered church, do we need to know the names of the people that they are giving to? is confirming they are not a terrorist and that the church/ministry partner vouches for them enough vetting? designated grantees

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Grant Payment Approval Workflow:

• Accounting Administrator:
  • Reviews all expenses and receipts to confirm correct documentation has been received
  • Confirms approval was received from the authorized signer of the project fund
  • Links the grant payment request to the original approved project fund request form so that approvers can review fund purpose and fund pre-approved projected yearly grant amount
  • Shares the form with the appropriate approver(s) as outlined in the approval requirements below and strives to make sure approvals are received (with the exception of board approval) in a timely manner.
  • Acts as the communicator/liaison between Reliant and the individual submitting the grant request. 
• Reliant Approvers Confirm:
  • The expenses associated with the grant request align with the project fund approved purpose

• • Approval for a recurring grant request will last up to 5 years (depending on how long the grant request is for). A new recurring grant request must then be submitted.
  • If the requested approved amount or individuals receiving funds change at any point after approval, then a new approval will be needed.

• • All grants will be entered into Dynamics by the Accounting Administrator and the payment batch will also be approved by the Accounting Manager.
  • 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.