Purpose

Provide guidance on establishingproject and church funds.

Scope

This standard applies to all church and project funds.

Policy Supporting This Standard

• Funds and Grant-Making Policy for Churches and Projects

Standard Statement

The Reliant Board of Directors delegates Reliant leadership the authority to approve church and project funds to further Reliant’s tax-exempt purposes by establishing these types of church and project funds as defined in the above policy, in a matter compliant with applicable laws and regulations and according to the requirements outlined below. If deemed necessary by Reliant leadership, the Reliant Board may be asked for their additional approval. The Program Team will oversee all church/project fund requests, including obtaining approvals, coordinating with relevant departments, and finalizing fund set up.

Partnership:

All church and project funds must be vetted first by the Program Team lead to confirm the church/ministry partnership with Reliant (a Memo of Understanding has been signed) and to confirm that this request is one that they believe Reliant should move forward on.

Restricted church/project funds may be requested by Reliant partners regardless of whether that partner has Reliant employees/associates. Unrestricted church/project funds may only be created for partners who have Reliant employees/associates due to the purpose of the fund. 

Purpose:

Unrestricted Church Fund: The Program Team will review and approve every unrestricted church fund request as the sole purpose of these designated funds (accounts) is to absorb leftover funds (money) from exited staff that were a part of their church/ministry (typically for residencies/internships) and use those funds to help support other staff at the same church/ministry who need assistance with raising support. Any partner within any program team may create an unrestricted church fund for this purpose. Exit transfers must follow the order of eligibility (outlined in Exiting MTD Funds Transfer) for exit funds distribution. 

Restricted Church/Project Fund: The purpose of church funds tends to be more general and fund distribution tends to be determined by church leadership. The purpose of project funds can vary but they tend to be more specific with a focused purpose in mind. The Director of Organizational Affairs will review for approval every restricted church and project fund request to confirm the purpose of the fund is in alignment with Reliant's tax-exempt purpose. If secondary approval is deemed necessary by the Director of Organizational Affairs, it will be sent to the Chief Financial Officer. If the purpose varies too greatly from the normal purpose requests or from Reliant's original tax-exempt purpose, Reliant Board approval may be deemed necessary. 

The Director of Organizational Affairs will also confirm that the proposed budget categories included on the restricted church/project fund request for fund distribution through grants are in alignment with the fund purpose given.

If the sole purpose of a church/project fund is to support the funding of a Designated Grantee, the name of the Reliant project fund must be the church/project name and not the name of the Designated Grantee. Contributions given to the church/project fund are not considered personal gifts for the Designated Grantee. All contributions are the sole property of Reliant Mission; Reliant’s desire is to honor the donor preference of the contribution but Reliant has complete discretion and control over the use of the donated funds as part of our 501(c)3 status.

Projected Amount:

Required approval related to the projected amount of the church/project fund is as follows:

• Funds projected to receive under $25,000 annually are approved by the Director of Organizational Affairs.
• Funds projected to receive between $25,000 and $100,000 annually require approval from the Director of Organizational Affairs and the Chief Financial Officer.
• Funds projected to receive over $100,000 annually require approval of the Reliant board. The Director of Organizational Affairs will create a request for board submittal.

Reliant does not hold the fund to this pre-approved projected amount, it is simply used as a boundary for initial approval of the fund. 

Fundraising:

Any Reliant employee/associate may raise funds on behalf of a church/project fund. 

A U.S. citizen who is not a Reliant employee/associate must become an associate with Reliant in order to raise church/project funds on behalf of Reliant. Associates are eligible to submit church/project fund reimbursements and grant requests.

Foreign nationals may raise support as an Affiliate Fundraiser through a church/project fund on behalf of Reliant 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.
• Complete an assessment and application that is reviewed and approved by the Program Team.
• Be vetted using the OFAC Watchlist Verification.
• Complete training for raising church/project funds on behalf of Reliant and be officially deputized.
• Complete a dual solicitation agreement (Dual Solicitation) if raising funds for both Reliant and another organization.

Roles:

Affiliate Fundraiser is a foreign national raising funds through a church/project fund on behalf of Reliant.

Reliant Point Person is a Reliant employee/associate assigned to be the main contact for the church/project fund and is required for all church/project funds. The Reliant Point Person acts as a custodian of the fund and in some cases may receive and distribute monies on behalf of the church/ministry. 

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 in the form of a stipend.

New Fund Requests:

Unrestricted Church Funds (Dimension NRE): Field employees may request an unrestricted church fund by contacting their Program Team. Program Team submits a request for unrestricted church funds on behalf of Reliant partners. 

Restricted Church Funds (Dimension CHF) and Project Funds (Dimension PRJ): Reliant employees/associates may request a new restricted church/project fund by submitting a Church/Project fund request form to their Program Team, which includes the following:

• Church/Project Fund purpose and details
• Agreement to follow the Project Fund and Grant Standard
• Signed Master Grant Agreement

Master Grant Agreement:

Church/Project funds are created to receive donations and grants are used to distribute monies. Therefore, a master grant agreement must be signed at the time of requesting a new church/project fund to ensure a proper understanding of grant use when monies are distributed. 

Master Grant Agreements are customized for each church/project fund, but generally include acknowledgments of the following:

• A clear purpose for the money
• All contributions are the sole property of Reliant; Reliant maintains full control of the donated funds and ultimate discretion as to their use for Reliant’s ministry purposes. 
• For gifts to a Reliant fund to qualify as tax-deductible, they must be intended by the donor for use by Reliant Mission and are not personal gifts to an individual. If an individual associated with the church/project fund moves to another ministry, the funds do not follow as funds are intended for the ministry, not the individual.
• Overfunding of the church/project fund remains with the fund.
• Grant stipend disbursement amount does not increase based on donations received to the church/project fund. The amount can only be increased by submitting a new grant request. 
• For a Designated Grantee to receive stipends from Reliant, the Designated Grantee and donor must understand the church/project funds are not supporting an individual. They are supporting a pre-approved ministry purpose by a Reliant-approved church/project and ministry partner. 
• In the unlikely event of a cancellation of the church/project fund purpose or plans, Reliant will not issue refunds to donors. Reliant will use the funds for other similar Reliant mission activities beginning with those associated with the connected church/ministry. 

Approval:

All approvals including approval from the Reliant board must be received prior to church/project fund creation. 

Project funds whose sole purpose is to fund Designated Grantees will not be officially created until the Designated Grantees associated with the fund have been approved and signed a stipend agreement. 

Approval authorizes the solicitation and receipt of any funds for the approved recipient’s projects. Designated contributions generally will be honored, but Reliant shall retain full discretion over the ultimate expenditure or use of those contributions and retains the right to discontinue funding at any time.