Fund Guidelines
The following guidelines should be used to determine if your organization or project is eligible for funding.
1. Any cooperative or cooperative-related organization may apply for a grant. Other organizations can also apply for a general grant if the intended grant purpose is restricted to charitable purposes, or research or education on a topic related to the cooperative field and the Fund's specific focus. Individuals may apply for a scholarship grant to fund training in cooperative education related to the focus of the Fund.
2. The purpose of the Fund is to provide the resources to incubate, assess and replicate successful cooperative business models providing goods or services that enhance the quality of life for seniors living in rural America.
3. There will be an emphasis on proposals which have the potential to:
a. Increase public understanding of the cooperative model and the role cooperatives play in meeting the needs of seniors in rural areas.
b. Produce new information about emerging issues and opportunities in the cooperative community related to meeting the needs of seniors, through research and analysis as well as pilot projects.
c. Facilitate the education of current and future cooperative leaders about the potential for co-ops to meet the needs of seniors in rural America .
d. Provide technical assistance to new or growing cooperative enterprises and to non-profit organizations engaged in cooperative development that will meet the specific needs of seniors in rural America.
4. Within that framework, preference is given to grant applications and proposals outlining:
a. Projects (or scholarships) directed towards cooperative education, cooperative training or cooperative marketing/promotion.
b. Development or “leading edge†projects where seed money is needed to establish credentials for alternative future funding. Please note: grants are not awarded to fund salaries, general operating expenses or capital improvements.
c. Projects sponsored by organizations located in the continental United States that have demonstrated the ability to complete programs in a timely and quality manner.
5. To be eligible for funding, grant applications must be received by August 6th, 2010. Applications will be reviewed by the Fund’s trustees and approved projects will be funded by the fall. All grant applicants will be notified as to the status of their funding request.
6. Grants must not conflict with or duplicate any other grants an applicant has received in prior years from this Fund’s predecessor, the Mutual Service Fund of the MSI Foundation.
7. The MSC Fund prefers to fund only direct project costs, but understands that, particularly with smaller organizations, the recovery of indirect costs can be a necessity. If indirect costs are included in the project budget, they should be calculated as a percentage of direct project costs and they should fall in the 10% to 15% range. If the percentage appears reasonable, the Fund will approve the inclusion of indirect costs in the budget. If the proposal includes indirect costs exceeding 15% of direct costs, the grantee will need to provide justification for the amount. If the grantee's explanation is insufficient to justify the higher rate, the grantee will be notified that its grant request may not be approved.
8. General grants awarded have ranged from $2,590 to $48,000 in size.
