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How to apply to The Rothschild Foundation (Europe)

Any organisation or institution planning to run activities in Europe (including Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus) whose activities qualify as charitable under UK charity law is eligible to apply to the Foundation for funding. To be considered for a grant, please complete the appropriate application form and supply the requested supporting documents. However, it is important to understand that qualifying for consideration does not automatically mean that a grant will be awarded. There are considerable demands on the Foundation’s funds and it is simply not possible to meet all our requests, however worthy the project.

Please note:

• The Foundation will only accept electronic applications.
• If you download application forms, these should be returned by email.
• Hand-written applications will not be accepted. Please ensure that you keep to the format (for downloaded application forms) or apply using the online forms.
• Only one application per organisation is permitted.
• Applicants are asked to provide all budget information in £ sterling (GBP) as this is the currency in which all grants will be awarded and fixed. If you ask to receive your grant in any other currency, subsequent changes in exchange rates may affect the amount you receive.
• Previously unsuccessful applicants may resubmit applications in later grant cycles only if the applications have been substantially revised. Only one resubmission will be allowed.
• Applications must be submitted in English.

Application process

1. Fill in an application form

Please read the information for applicants on this page as well as individual programme guidelines before completing an application form. Please contact us if your organisation has any further questions regarding the application process. We are not able to process applications that arrive without the supporting documents, and these will not be considered for funding. Please ensure that the application form reaches the Foundation by the submission deadline.

The legal status of your institution
Any organisation or institution planning to run activities in Europe (including Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus), whose activities qualify as charitable under UK charity law is eligible to apply to the Foundation for funding. All applications must be accompanied by proof of the applying organisation’s charitable/non-profit status and will not be processed if the relevant documentation cannot be provided.

Proof of charitable status
This is an official document provided by the relevant authority in the applicant’s country confirming that the organization has a charitable or non-profit status. This status is awarded for legal and taxation purposes. Please note that an organisation’s statutes or mission statement cannot be considered as proof of charitable/non-profit status.

Bank account
Payments of grants are issued by means of an electronic bank transfer only in GBP, USD and EURO. If awarded a grant, your organisation will need to hold a bank account which can receive funds in one of these three currencies (GBP, USD, EURO). No payments can be made in local currencies other than the three specified above.

Organisations which do not hold, or are unable to open a bank account for the required foreign currencies will not be able to receive funds directly.

The organisation to which funds should be made payable
In certain cases, an applying organisation which does not hold charitable/non-profit status or a foreign currency bank account can request that if it is awarded a grant, funds are made payable to an alternative charitable/non-profit organisation. However, The Rothschild Foundation (Europe) will require proof of charitable status from this organisation and it is the responsibility of the applying organisation to ensure that documents are sent prior to the deadline for the submission of applications. The required documents are:

• A letter from the applying organisation explaining the reason it is not able to receive funds directly and providing background information about the alternative organisation.
• A letter confirming that the alternative organisation agrees to receive and transfer the funds on the applying organisation’s behalf.
• Proof of the alternative organisation’s charitable/non-profit status.
• The most recent audited accounts of the alternative organisation.

Without the supporting documents listed above applications will not be considered for funding. Audited accounts

If applying organisations are not required by state legislation to submit annual accounts which have been verified by external auditors, the applicant should submit:

• Most recent financial documents that were submitted by the organisation to the tax or other financial authorities in its home country.
• List of sources of funding for the past year.

2. Referees

If you are downloading the application form, please send your complete application along with the reference form (which can be found at the end of the application form) to TWO referees and ensure that they return their assessments directly to the Rothschild Foundation (Europe) by the date stated on the form. Applicants should also name these two external referees in the space provided on the application form. Please note, if you are applying for a grant up to £10,000 you only need to provide the details of ONE referee.

If you are applying online, you must supply an email address for your referees in the appropriate space in the application form. Once you submit the online application form, an email will automatically be sent to the referees on your behalf, asking them to fill in the reference form and return it to the Rothschild Foundation (Europe).

Please note: it is your responsibility to ensure that your referees return their reference form to the Foundation by the date stated on the form. Failure to receive referee forms may impact on the assessment of your grant application. The Foundation may contact your referees for further information.

3. Processing and assessment

After the deadline, we will process applications in-house. The period between the deadline and the decision of the Trustees is up to five months. During this time, after we have acknowledged receipt of your application, you may not hear from us unless we require additional information.

Applications to the Academic Jewish Studies in Europe will be assessed by an expert committee. Final funding decisions are taken by the Foundation’s Trustees.

4. Outcome of applications

Applicants in the March 2010 round will be notified about the outcome of their application in August 2010. We will send written notification by post and email about the outcome of your application. Regretfully, we are unable to provide this information over the phone. The Foundation will either accept or reject applications, or in some cases offer organisations the possibility to resubmit a proposal after it has been significantly revised. If an application is successful, a grant letter and agreement will be sent to your organisation. These should be signed by an authorised person and returned to us along with the organisation’s full bank details including the IBAN and swift codes as well as the intermediary bank details, if necessary. Please note that we will not be able to activate a grant or issue payments until we have received the signed grant documents.

5. Reporting to the Foundation

If your grant application was successful, in addition to your grant letter, you will receive a baseline report which should be filled in to help us understand exactly how the funds you have been awarded will be spent. Applicants who receive a one-year grant will be expected to fill in a final report within 60 days of the completion of their project. Multi-year grants will be expected to fill in an annual progress report. Further details will be supplied to successful applicants.

6. Submission Check List

Please ensure that any application is accompanied by the following documents as it will not be considered for funding if you fail to include them. This applies to all organisations, including those that have received funding from the Foundation in the past.

1. The most recent available audited accounts or financial statement stamped by the financial authority in your country
2. The operating budget of your organisation for the current fiscal year
3. A budget for the proposed project
4. Official proof of your organisation’s charitable/non-profit status
5. Certification from the tax authorities (if appropriate)
6. CVs of key staff members working on the project
7. If you are applying for a multi-year project, please include a strategic plan of the organisation for the duration of the project

The names and addresses of two expert referees/or one referee for the Small Grants Programme. (Please remember: if you download the form, you must send the referee forms to your referees). Reference forms must be returned to grants@rothschildfoundation.eu by 2 April 2010.

Additional application guidelines for Academic Jewish Studies in Europe Grant Programme

This grant programme offers individual and institutional funding in 15 categories, grouped into four areas:

• Grants to Individuals
• Post-Doctoral and Visiting Fellowships
• Infrastructural Grants
• Research, Events and Publications

Applications are judged according to academic excellence and their usefulness to the promotion of Jewish studies in Europe.

Eligibility criteria for individual applicants
Individuals intending to study, teach or undertake research in European institutions are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to those who will contribute to the future of academic Jewish studies in Europe.

Review of Applications
All grant recommendations accepted by the Trustees in July of any one year can be for the next academic year, i.e. July 2010 recommendations will be for projects commencing in the 2010-11 academic year. However, consideration will be given to applications for teaching posts and teaching fellowships due to start in the academic year commencing in the calendar year subsequent to the one in which the Trustees’ meeting takes place. In other words, a teaching post grant agreed in July 2010 may be for a post starting in the academic year 2011-12.

Only events (e.g. conferences, workshops, research trips and language courses) taking place after 1 July 2010 (and respective years) will be considered for funding. Grants cannot be awarded retrospectively.

» Details of grant programmes