Grants Committee Receives Approval of Board for 18 Projects

Throughout the month of September the 11-member Grants Committee reviewed 26 applications for funding that had been sponsored by members of the Order. Application sponsors did an excellent job of working with candidate organizations to provide complete information about programs, financial status and involvement of members in the provision of services and oversight.

On September 23 the committee met to discuss each application and determine the best allocation of approximately $500,000 to support regional projects assisting the sick and the poor. In advance of the meeting each application was assigned to one member of the committee for in-depth review and recommendation. Preceding the final meeting every application was read and assessed by each member. They then cast their votes and made recommendations to be presented to the Board of Directors.

The determining criteria in selecting an application for funding is, as always, service to the sick and the poor. The hands-on involvement of members in the delivery of these programs and services weighed significantly in the selection process as well. The more engaged members of the Order were in the management and delivery of a program, the higher the likelihood it was funded. Likewise, the financial impact of the grant on a program was taken into consideration; i.e. organization with sizeable endowments and/or very large income history were less likely candidates for our grants when the amount we could offer was insignificant in the scheme of their sources of income.

The board approved the slate of 18 applications recommended by the committee on October 17th. International grants totaling just under $100,000 were provided to programs conducting medical missions in Haiti, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Twelve domestic grants ranging in size from $17,500 to $25,000 were awarded to regions spanning geography from Dallas to Philadelphia.  And, two, $50,000, multi-year grants were awarded to Malta House of Care in Hartford and St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen in Memphis. These two organizations will be eligible for funding at this level again in 2015 and are part of a board initiative to encourage substantial programs in which the Order of Malta is the primary leadership and participation. Opportunities for multi-year funding of other programs will be available again in 2016.

The 2015 grant funding cycle is accepting applications at any time. The deadline for applications in this upcoming cycle is August 21, 2015. The Grants Committee and the Board of Directors want to assure you that your upcoming personal Annual Donation will be directed to assist members in every region as well as the Caribbean Basin, South and Central America to better serve those most in need. And, your generosity is deeply appreciated by so many.

The Grants Committee would like to extend its thanks to the sponsors who submitted the applications, the Hospitallers who organize these activities in the regions and the numerous volunteer Knights and Dames without whom the programs to serve the sick and the poor would not be possible. Your commitment is awe inspiring.