Citi Foundation International Grant Program: Required Documents

Transcription

1 Citi Foundation International Grant Program: Required Documents Please ensure that you include all of the required documents with your application. You are required to attach the following documents on the last page of the online application form. If you cannot provide all of the required documents with the corresponding required templates, your application will not be accepted by the Citi Foundation. A list of the required documents and the corresponding templates can be found on the Invitation to Apply sent to you by your Citi Contact as well as on the application form (page 4 of the online application.) Required Documents: 1. Signed Certification Form Board of Directors and Organization s Senior Staff List Program Budget in U.S. Dollars Organizational Budget in U.S. Dollars Complete Externally Audited Financial Documents Registration Document Governing Documents Annual Report

2 1. Signed Certification Form (Required Form) The Executive Director (or equivalent) and the President or Chair of the Governing Board (or equivalent) of the organization must certify that the organization complies with the laws of its country, that all information and documentation provided is complete and accurate, and that the organization takes reasonable steps to ensure that grant funds are not ultimately distributed to terrorist organizations or for violent purposes. Please note that this form must be signed by two different individuals at your organization. Both signatures are required for the Signed Certification Form to be considered complete. This document protects Citi Foundation grant funds from fraud and diversion to non-charitable or violent practices. 2

3 2. Board of Directors and Organization s Senior Staff List (Required Template) The Board of Directors and Organization s Senior Staff List is used to verify that Board members and senior staff are not engaged in terrorist or money laundering activities. It is important to note that you must enter the FULL name of each person listed on the Board of Directors and Organization s Senior Staff List; please do not use abbreviations and ensure that the entire name is entered. For example, if a person has two last names, both should be entered. 3

4 3. Program Budget in U.S. Dollars (Required Template) A detailed Program Budget submitted on the required template, in U.S. dollars, will allow the reviewer to determine exactly how Citi Foundation funding will be used and what portion of the program the Citi Foundation is funding. The Program Budget should provide information on other funders who are financing the program, if applicable. The program does not need to have single-source funding. The organization should provide line item detail for overall program funding and the Citi Foundation s portion on the Program Budget. If the organization is requesting multi-year funding, they should provide a budget for each year by adding additional columns to the template. Common Mistakes: Excluding the other sources of funding from the Program Budget. The total amount in the Program Budget is different from the requested amount in the online application. This amount must match the exact amount requested in the online application. 4

5 Organizational Budget in U.S. Dollars The Organizational Budget is a valuable planning tool that allows reviewers to see what the organization s planned expenses and revenues are for the upcoming year. The Organizational Budget should not be one sentence or only provide actual revenues and expenses from the previous year. It is a forecast of expected expenses and revenues. By looking at the Organizational Budget the reviewer should be able to answer critical questions like: Can the organization meet the costs of its activities? Can the organization manage its budget? Can the organization continue operating in the event of a sudden loss of profit? How does the size of the program budget relate to the overall size of the organization? A sample 2012 Organizational Budget document has been provided below. Common Mistake: Providing a budget in local currency instead of USD. 5

6 5. Complete Externally Audited Financial Documents (English preferred): The Audited Financial Documents allow the reviewer to ascertain the organization s financial position and performance. The reviewer can see if any improper financing has occurred, the sustainability of the organization, and any legal issues that have taken place by looking at the Audited Financial Documents. Two years of comparative financials are preferred. In order for the Audited Financial Documents to be considered complete, they must include the following three documents: cover letter from an independent auditor, detailed financial statements, and notes to the financial statements. You should confirm that the Audited Financial Documents include: 1. Cover Letter from Independent Auditor Common Mistake: Audit is not completed by an external auditor. 2. Detailed Financial Statements A. Must Include: i. Statement of Financial Position/ Balance Sheet ii. Statement of Activities/Income and Expense Statement iii. Statement of Cash Flows Common Mistake: Financial statements are incomplete or missing pages. 3. Notes to the Financial Statements Common Mistake: Notes are not submitted with the financial statements. Sample Sample Sample Cover Letter Financial Statements Notes to Financial Statements 6

7 6. Registration Document The Foundation and its funding partners must be certain of the organization s legal status with its local government in order to certify that it is operating legally under local law. The organization should attach a photo/scanned copy of its official registration document (it can be in the local language). Common Mistakes: Confusing this document with a Governing Document or not providing a government endorsed document. 7. Governing Documents The Foundation and its funding partners must know how the organization is governed in order to be confident that the organization has the proper structures in place to ensure that granted funds are used for their intended purpose and that the organization has proper independent oversight. The organization should provide a scanned copy of its actual governing/by-laws (it can be in the local language). Common Mistake: Confusing this document with a Registration Document. 8. Annual Report The Annual Report gives the reviewer a better understanding of the organization s purpose and achievements. It answers critical questions such as: Does the organization engage in other activities/programs? What is the organization s capacity to complete the proposed program based on other activities/programs they have completed? All organizations must have an Annual Report, whether or not they are required to produce one under local laws. The Annual Report does not need to be a published document; it can be a summary of annual activities and programs from the organization s website, from annual Board meeting minutes, from a newsletter, or in a Word document created specifically for the Citi Foundation. Common Mistakes: Providing a progress report on one program. 7