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GUIDELINES
The
Downtown Optimist Club (DOC) welcomes your proposal to fund
projects or programs that serve the youth of the Columbia,
Missouri
area. Decisions to fund a proposal are made on a case-by-case basis;
whether your group/project did or did not receive funding in a prior
year will not affect a current funding decision.
GUIDELINES
The
Board of Directors of DOC uses the following guidelines to help it
evaluate requests for funding:
- Does
your group/project benefit, have a significant effect on youth?
NOTE: If the answer to this question is “no,” your request
will be denied since the mission of the DOC and Optimist
International is to serve youth.
- Is
your request to DOC for funding part of a mass mailing, or is it
an individualized request?
- Does
your organization serve the
Columbia
area exclusively? If not, can our contribution be earmarked to
benefit only this area?
- Will
the funds donated by DOC be used for current projects and not
for investment purposes?
- Is
your group fiscally sound and responsible?
- Is
your group recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a
Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity? If it is not, has it
established a record of service locally that will merit our
consideration?
- Has
your group received one of our grants in the past?
- Did
DOC receive satisfactory follow-up from you regarding the past
grant, as listed under FOLLOW-UP REQUIREMENTS?
REQUIRED
INFORMATION
Your
request for funding must include the following information:
- A
description of your group/project, which includes a response to
the questions listed under GUIDELINES.
- A
copy of your most recent IRS Form 990, Return of Organization
Exempt from Income Tax, or a copy of your most recent financial
statements. If this information is not available, please explain
why.
- The
name and phone number of the person(s) who will present your
request at our Board meeting. Your presentation should take no
more than four minutes.
TIMING
REQUIREMENTS
Board
meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, starting at
7:00 pm, at our clubhouse at
1201 Grand Ave.
, just south of Business Loop 70, one block west of
Providence
. In order for you to be eligible to make a presentation, the
Required Information must be submitted by the fifth day of the
month. If you fail to include all the information, your presentation
may be delayed. Please email the information to: Steve
Klein.
In the event that you do not have access to email, please mail a hard copy to:
Funding
Committee
Downtown Optimist Club
P.O. Box
1959
Columbia
MO
65205
FOLLOW-UP
REQUIREMENTS
- Please
add DOC to your mailing/contact list.
- You
will be expected to acknowledge the grant in a personal letter
to DOC.
- Within
six months, you will be expected to send DOC a follow-up report,
describing how our funding was used.
- Public
recognition is very important to DOC since it helps us raise
money and support for youth programs. DOC will appreciate your
help in recognizing us in newspapers, radio, TV, public
speaking, printed programs or other outlets.
- Members
or recipients of funds donated by DOC are expected to provide
service on DOC’s annual Christmas tree lots. Days and times of
this service will be scheduled with you in advance and consist
of:
a. greeting
customers to the lots and thanking them for their purchases, and
b.
describing to customers how DOC funds are used to benefit youth in
general and your group/project in particular.
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