DSA Charity Grant Guidelines 2025 Grant Guidelines and Focus Areas

 

• The Diplomatic Spouses’ Association (DSA) Prague seeks to raise funds for charities in the Czech Republic to help less fortunate people through strategic and e@ective grants.

• The DSA supports projects that provide important help to children and young people in need, people with disabilities, victims of crime or of domestic violence, and elderly people.

• There is no pre-determined number or value of grants each year. Examples of projects that can be financed by DSA grants include: rehabilitation equipment, school transport for children with disabilities, material support for home hospices, children’s institutions, therapy centers, musical instruments for children with disabilities, equipment for the visually impaired, training of guide dogs.

• Prospective grantees are invited to submit project and program proposals that relate to these targeted areas as well as other similar projects.

 

Eligibility and Restrictions

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• All projects are carefully chosen and the use of DSA donations is strictly monitored.

• Preference will be given to non-repetitive, short-term projects. • The DSA does not fund political campaigns or advocacy organizations.

• As a rule, the DSA grants shall not be used for funding regular salaries. Short-term specialists/experts that are involved in a project for a definite period might be considered and funded. The applicant must describe in detail the specific role of the specialist/expert and the time frame for which they will be needed.

• The DSA does not make loans, award scholarships, make tuition reimbursements, provide sponsorships, buy cars or purchase tickets or tables for special events.

• The application is to be submitted by the advertised deadline.

• Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

• Beneficiaries that fail to send reports and documentation as required by the DSA shall not receive any further funding, and future applications will not be considered.

• DSA considers organizations for funding on a year-to-year basis. Previous funding does not guarantee continued funding.

• A program or project may be funded for up to five consecutive years, followed by a period of at least one year of ineligibility for funding. During that break, organizations may submit an application for a different program or project. Following a break in eligibility, an organization may re-apply for a previously funded project subject to the guidelines listed above.

 

How to apply for funding from DSA:

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• To apply to the DSA for a grant, charity organizations should complete and submit the online application in English to the DSA Charity Coordinator by January 31, 2025.

• The application includes a cover letter, program details, budget, goals, and any additional supporting documents. All documents must be submitted electronically by email to this email address: info@dsaprague.org. • The budget for the project must be detailed and balanced. All grant applications must include a detailed budget estimate presented in Czech Korunas (see application form).

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Procedures

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• The decision to award a grant of financial assistance will be made by the DSA Committee.

• The DSA Charity Coordinator or Committee will respond to all applications within 14 working days from the date of the decision of the Committee.

• A Grant Agreement must be signed between each chosen beneficiary organization and the DSA.

 

Calculation of the grant

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• The DSA Committee will calculate the cost of the implementation of the project based on the budget and additional information provided by the applicants.

• The DSA Committee of DSA reserves the right and discretion to award a different amount than requested by a successful applicant.

 

Agreement governing the grant

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• Should the DSA Committee award a grant, a Grant Agreement setting out the conditions and maximum level of funding will be concluded with the beneficiary. The agreement will detail the specific obligations of the beneficiary, and will include the requirements set out in these Guidelines. The Grant Agreement will be signed by the beneficiary and the President of DSA.

• Applicants/ beneficiaries representatives will receive two original copies of the Grant Agreement for acceptance and signature and return to the DSA Committee. Both of these copies will be signed by the President of DSA. The Charity Coordinator or Committee will return one copy of the Grant Agreement to the beneficiary once it has been signed by both parties.

 

Payment procedures

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• Payments will be made directly to the beneficiary according to the amount and terms specified in the Grant Agreement.

• Payment shall be made to the beneficiary’s bank account denominated in Czech Korunas. The account indicated by the beneficiary must make it possible to identify the funds transferred by the DSA.

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Submission of reports and other documents

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• All reports and documentation regarding use of the grant and the final summary financial statement must be sent to the Charity Coordinator. Reports and statements should preferably be in English.

• The Beneficiary shall provide the DSA with an interim status report on the use of the funds not later than four months after signing the Grant Agreement.

• The Beneficiary must deliver a final report and a summary financial statement respecting use of the grant funds not later than 8 months after the date of the grant.

• The report and summary financial statement must be submitted on-line as well as in paper version.

• The Beneficiary must keep detailed records in support of the final summary financial statement for as long as required by Czech law following the 31st of December of the year in which the grant funds were received by the Beneficiary. As the request of the DSA, the Beneficiary will provide the DSA and its representatives access to such records and will provide copies to the DSA at the DSA’s request.

• If the Beneficiary fails to submit the final report and summary financial statement within the above deadline, the Charity Coordinator shall send a written reminder. If the beneficiary still fails to submit the report and statement within 30 days following receipt of the reminder, the DSA Committee reserves the right to terminate the Grant Agreement.

• Should the final report or statement be determined by the DSA Committee to be inadequate or incomplete, the DSA Committee reserves the right to request additional information.

• If adjustments to a project funded by the DSA become necessary, the DSA (Charity Coordinator) must immediately be informed in writing, prior to those changes. Funds used for any other purposes than stated in the Grant Agreement without DSA consent shall be refunded totally or partially to the DSA, at the DSA’s discretion.

• Organizations that fail to send reports and documentation after finalizing the project funded by the DSA may not be eligible to receive any future funding.

• If, at any time, the Beneficiary fails to comply with these terms and conditions, the DSA may, in its sole discretion, withhold distribution of funds to the Beneficiary or demand the return of all or any portion of any funds distributed to Beneficiary. Upon such demand, the Beneficiary will immediately return to the Granter the amount of funds specified in the demand.

 

Publicity

• All grant Beneficiaries are required to clearly mention the fact that they have received a grant from the Diplomatic Spouses’ Association in Prague in any publication, promotional materials, and during activities (conferences or seminars, etc.), for which the grant is used, using the following wording: "With financial support from the DSA in Prague" and the DSA logo. The logo of the DSA is given at the following address: https://www.dsaprague.org/

• The DSA is entitled to publish notice of and information respecting all Beneficiaries and grants awarded, including on the DSA’s website and social media sites.

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