Grants Policy

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ARTICLE I - PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1. Purpose. The purpose of this Grants Policy ("Policy") is to describe the processes and procedures used by Wikimedia District of Columbia to implement its Small Grants Program ("Program").

2. Scope. This Policy applies all grants applications submitted to, and all grants issued by, the Program.

3. Exclusions. The provisions of this Policy do not apply to individual grants explicitly authorized by the Board of Directors of Wikimedia District of Columbia, nor to grant-making activities conducted by Wikimedia District of Columbia outside the scope of the Program.

ARTICLE II - GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Definitions. As used in this Policy, the following terms have the indicated meaning:

(a) "Prohibited Activity" shall refer to any activity not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or not permitted to be carried on by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Sections 170(c)(2), 2055(a)(2) and 2522(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) "Lobbying Activity" shall refer to any political or legislative activity whose conduct by a corporation exempt from federal income tax Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code is prohibited or restricted.
(c) "President" and "Treasurer" shall refer to the corresponding Officers of Wikimedia District of Columbia, as defined in Article VII of the Bylaws.
(d) "Grants Committee" shall refer to an advisory committee created by the Board of Directors of Wikimedia District of Columbia for the purpose of carrying out certain actions with regards to this Policy.
(e) "Charitable Purpose" shall refer to the purpose and objects of Wikimedia District of Columbia, as defined in Article II of the Bylaws.

2. Legal Requirements. No provision of this Policy shall be interpreted in a manner that conflicts with any applicable law or regulation. It is the policy of Wikimedia District of Columbia to comply with all applicable laws and regulations at all times.

3. Responsibility. The President shall be responsible for the overall implementation of this Policy. The Treasurer shall be responsible for disbursing funds in relation to grants issued by the Program.

ARTICLE III - ELIGIBILITY

1. Permitted Purposes. The Program shall be authorized to issue grants for any charitable purpose consistent with the Charitable Purpose, except as otherwise provided by this Policy.

2. Prohibited Purposes. The Program shall not be authorized to issue grants for any of the following purposes; and any applications for such grants shall be summarily rejected:

(a) Grants for the purpose of conducting any Prohibited Activity.
(b) Grants for the purpose of conducting any Lobbying Activity.
(c) Grants for the purpose of instituting or conducting a subsidiary or dependent grants program.
(d) Grants for the purpose of purchasing any capital assets with a fair market value of $1,000 or greater.

3. Permitted Applicants. The Program shall be authorized to issue grants to any person, group, or legal entity, whether located in the United States or elsewhere, except as otherwise provided by this Policy.

4. Prohibited Applicants. The Program shall not be authorized to issue grants to any person, group, or legal entity that meets any of the following criteria; and any applications for such grants shall be summarily rejected:

(a) Grants to any person, group, or legal entity, when the transfer of funds to such person, group, or legal entity would constitute a Prohibited Activity.
(b) Grants to any person, group, or legal entity whose name appears on the Special Designated Nationals List published by the United States Department of the Treasury.
(c) Grants to any corporation, partnership, or similar legal entity which is not a registered non-profit entity under the applicable laws.
(d) Grants to any Officer, Director, or employee of Wikimedia District of Columbia.

5. Permitted Amounts. The Program shall be authorized to issue grants in any amount up to the sum of $2,500.

ARTICLE IV - APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Application for Grant Funding. All grants issued by the Program shall be issued in response to an application for grant funding, which is to be submitted by the person, group, or legal entity requesting the grant.

2. Form of Application. All applications for grant funding under the provisions of this Policy shall be submitted publicly, on a page of the Wikimedia District of Columbia website designated for that purpose by the President.

3. Content of Application. An application for grant funding shall contain, at minimum, the following information:

(a) The full legal name of the person, group, or legal entity requesting grant funding;
(b) The amount of grant funding requested, listed as line items for each projected expenditure; and
(c) A description of the purpose of the grant, containing sufficient detail to establish whether said purpose is consistent with the Charitable Purpose.

4. Review of Application. Each application for grant funding submitted to the Program shall be reviewed by the members of the Grants Committee, who may, but are not required, to provide individual feedback regarding the application to the person, group, or legal entity submitting it.

5. Additional Information. The President and/or the Grants Committee may, at their discretion, request additional information regarding any aspect of the application for grant funding which is unclear or unsatisfactory.

6. Committee Recommendation. No later than fifteen (15) days after the submission of a complete application for grant funding, the Grants Committee shall submit a recommendation to the President regarding said application; which recommendation shall indicate the opinion of the Grants Committee as to whether the requested grant funding should be issued. In preparing the recommendation, the Grants Committee shall consider the following factors as they relate to the purposes described in the application:

(a) Fit with the mission and strategic priorities of Wikimedia District of Columbia.
(b) Potential for impact in the projects that the grant aims to support.
(c) Availability and readiness of volunteers and other non-financial resources required to implement the grant.
(d) Past track record of the recipient in managing grants.
(e) Efficiency of proposed use of funds.
(f) Sustainability of impact beyond the duration of the grant.

7. Decision. No later than seven (7) days after receiving a recommendation fro the Grants Committee, the President shall come to a decision as to whether the requested grant funding should be issued; and shall communicate this decision to the Treasurer, to the Grants Committee and to the person, group, or legal entity requesting the grant funding. In making his or her decision, the President shall consider, but shall not be bound by, the recommendation of the Grants Committee.

ARTICLE V - DISBURSEMENT

1. Disbursement. Upon receipt of notice from the President of an approved application for grant funding, the Treasurer shall disburse such funding to the person, group, or legal entity requesting it.

2. Time of Disbursement. The Treasurer shall normally disburse funding in the form of a reimbursement for expenditures. Where appropriate, the Treasurer may, at his or her discretion, issue all or part of the grant amount directly to the recipient as an advance.

3. Return of Unused Funds. Any person, group, or legal entity receiving grant funding from the Program shall be required to return any portion of said funding not used for the purposes specified in the application for grant funding to Wikimedia District of Columbia.

ARTICLE VI - REPORTING

1. Report. Any person, group, or legal entity receiving grant funding from the Program shall be required to submit a report regarding their use of said funding no later than thirty (30) days following the completion of such use.

2. Form of Report. All reports regarding the use of grant funding made under the provisions of this Policy shall be submitted publicly, on a page of the Wikimedia District of Columbia website designated for that purpose by the President.

3. Content of Report. A report regarding the use of grant funding shall contain, at minimum, the following information:

(a) The amount of grant funding spent, listed as line items for each actual expenditure; and
(b) A description of the specific activities conducted using the grant funding, containing sufficient detail to establish whether said activities were consistent with the Charitable Purpose.

4. Supporting Documentation. Any person, group, or legal entity submitting a report regarding the use of grant funding shall submit sufficient supporting documentation to verify the claimed expenditures directly to the Treasurer. Such documentation may take the form of receipts, invoices, or other proofs of payments made.

5. Additional Information. The Treasurer may, at his or her discretion, request additional information regarding any aspect of a report regarding the use of grant funding which is unclear or unsatisfactory.

6. Use of Report. Any person, group, or legal entity submitting a report regarding the use of grant funding shall agree that Wikimedia District of Columbia shall have full rights to use their name and the information contained in said report in printed and electronic materials prepared by Wikimedia District of Columbia, including, but not limited to, materials intended to solicit funds on behalf of Wikimedia District of Columbia.

7. Failure to Report. Any person, group, or legal entity which receives grant funding from the Program but fails to submit a timely report regarding the use of said grant funding shall not be eligible to receive future grant funding from the Program, and may be required to return any received funds.

ARTICLE VII - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

1. Unapproved Expenditures. By submitting an application for grant funding, the person, group, or legal entity submitting said application agrees that Wikimedia District of Columbia is not responsible for reimbursing any costs incurred by the applicant in the course of carrying out any activity described in the application until and unless said application is approved by the President; and that any such costs will not be reimbursed in the event that the application is not approved.

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