Eligibility
Overview
The ASMBA STAR Foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations that provide services to the men and women who serve, or have served, in our military, veterans, and their families. There are no geographical restrictions. The Foundation prefers to make grants that will have a significant and lasting impact on the lives of military members, veterans and their families, and the communities in which they live and work, and places special emphasis on assisting organizations that focus on:
- Providing support for combat wounded service members;
- Providing support to military member families;
- Providing scholarships for military members and families;
- Veterans’ needs and support; and
- Patriotic activities
Requests for capital projects and general operating support are eligible for consideration. An organization should be able to demonstrate a broad base of financial support for a capital project from its own community and constituency prior to asking for support from the Foundation. Requests for start-up projects that are shown to address important, unmet veteran and military community needs may be considered.
The ASMBA STAR Foundation does NOT fund the following:
- individuals (except through institutions that meet the eligibility criteria above);
- newsletters, magazines and other publications and periodicals;
- churches and religious organizations;
- tickets to charitable events or dinners, or sponsorships for such events or dinners;
- special events, productions, telethons, performances, or other fundraising or advertising activities;
- legislative lobbying or other political purposes;
- the retirement of accumulated debt;
- capital projects for colleges, universities, or other educational institutions;
- multi-year grants for operating funds.
How to Apply
Each request for funding must contain the following:
- Completed Application for Assistance;
- A cover letter on your organization’s letterhead with a brief history and statement of purpose of your organization, as well as a brief outline of the nature and scope of programs and services provided; as well as some information on projected intermediate and long-term outcomes surrounding your project or program.
- Board of Director’s roster, and whether they have contributed to the organization;
- A copy of your organization’s Internal Revenue Service Determination Letter; as well as an Affirmation Letter, signed by Management, stating that the IRS determination letter has not been revoked;
- A copy of your current operating budget and financial statements, including the salaries of key personnel; and
- A copy of your most recent financial audit and IRS Form 990, including all attachments. NOTE: If your organization has been in existence for less than two years, a detailed business plan with a proposed budget will be required.
- A brief (less than 1,000 words) concise description of the request for which you want funding, including who you wish to help and explaining the project or program and its current needs. Applicants need to demonstrate that their program/project will:
- address the root causes of the specific problem; and
- lead to sustained improvement in, or have a positive impact on, the lives of veterans, military members and their families
- A description of your organization’s overall mission and services (business plan) with an explanation of how this project or program fits that mission. Please communicate clearly how community needs cannot be met by other non-profit organizations; why your organization is uniquely qualified to get the job done; include a clear statement of expected results expressed as realized/projected intermediate and long-term outcomes (i,e., relating to changes in behavior, skills, knowledge, attitudes, values, improved condition, or other attributes); and how the efficiency, quality and effectiveness of the project/program will be evaluated using performance outcome indicators (i.e., focus on number and/or percent of beneficiaries: specific; observable; understandable; relevant; time-bound; and valid).
- A description of your fund-raising goal and the current status of fund-raising for this project.
- A detailed budget for the request, including a list of all funding commitments received for this project.
The Review and Decision Process
All organizations requesting assistance are subject to a review process that may include, but not be limited to, an initial interview (either in person or via telephone) with members of the Management Staff and/or Foundation Board of Directors after submission of their completed application package. This may also include a site visit by a member or members of the Board and/or Management of the Foundation. The Foundation’s Board makes its decisions based on the recommendations given to them by Management. All requests for assistance must go through the formal process in order to be considered.
The Foundation is on a fiscal year, which begins on 1 April each year and ends on 31 March the following year. Because funding is limited, not all requests will be approved. Only one grant application per organization per year will be considered. Funds are disbursed throughout the year.
Once a decision on a request has been made, applicants will be notified in writing as to whether the request is approved or declined
Authority for Approvals
The Foundation's Board of Directors will meet throughout the year to satisfy its responsibilities in approving grants for nonprofit organizations. The Foundation’s Board of Directors has ultimate discretion in all matters concerning the Foundation, and may give final approval for any grants that are funded outside of these guidelines, depending on circumstances. Because all requests must go through Management, direct contact with the Board of Directors is not necessary.
Funding Follow-up and Evaluation
Upon receipt of the funds and completion of the project, grant recipient organizations must submit a final progress report to the Foundation outlining the progress made towards accomplishing the project’s goals. The report must include all supporting financial statements detailing how the funds were spent. This final progress report must be received and final evaluations completed by the Foundation in order for requests for subsequent grant applications to be considered.
All funds given to applicants must be used for the purpose for which they were approved. Funds that are not used for the approved purpose must be returned to the Foundation, unless approval has been given by the Foundation for another purpose. Without this approval, subsequent requests for funds from that applicant will not be considered.
Acknowledgements and Press Releases
Although no formal acknowledgement or press release is necessary, the ASMBA STAR Foundation appreciates being included in a list of an organization’s annual supporters. Permission for all publicity and press releases concerning specific grants from the ASMBA STAR Foundation should be obtained from the Management of the Foundation.
