AMERICAN ROTTWEILER CLUB EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM
Approved by ARC Board of Directors: 3/18/03

Program Purpose
The ARC Education Grant Program is set up for the purpose of bestowing a sum of money to ARC members who are actively involved in public education in regard to Rottweilers and/or dogs in general. This sum of money must be used solely for the purpose of direct expenses for approved supplies (excluding transportation) for public education materials as outlined in this grant application.

Education Grant Committee Make-up
The Education Grant Committee will consist of 3 acting members and an Alternate. They are to be selected and appointed by the Board in accordance with the ARC Standing Rules on Committees. At the time of the appointment, the Board will designate 1 of the 3 acting members of the Committee to be Chairperson. Chairperson should be willing and able to assume the administrative responsibilities of the Committee.

When selecting a new Committee, it is recommended, but not required, that at least 1 member of the new Committee be a “hold-over” from the previous Committee in order to maintain continuity.

Operating Procedure
The general procedure for accepting applications for the ARC Education Grants, as well as the time frames in which these applications must be acted upon, are outlined below and should be adhered to precisely.

At the time the Committee is appointed, the Secretary should send each member a copy of this procedure. Each Committee member should read this procedure thoroughly in order to insure that they will be familiar with their responsibilities and be aware of the requirements of their position.

Soliciting of Applications
It will be the responsibility of the Committee Chairperson to send a grant application once a year to the ARK Editor for publication in the 2nd Quarter ARK. This grant application will give the pertinent information needed to apply for these grants.

Requirements for Applying
Any individual who is an ARC member is eligible to apply for an ARC Education Grant. All those applying must complete an ARC Education Grant application and submit a specific education plan.

Accepting and Processing Applications
All applications should be sent to the Committee Chairperson no later than July 1 of each year. Once the deadline date has been reached, the Chairperson should send copies of all applications to the other 2 Committee members as well as to the Committee Alternate. This should be done promptly since the procedure allows a maximum period for considering and processing these applications.

At the same time the Chairperson sends out the copies of the applications, he/she should set up a date for the Committee to meet, either in person or through a telephone conference call or via e-mail.

The Committee members should respond to the Chairperson within 10 days of receipt of the applications. Such responses should indicate whether the member will be available to consider these applications. They should also include requests that additional information is needed in order to consider the application(s), as well as what type of additional information is needed.

If additional information is needed, the Chairperson shall appoint a Committee member to collect the requested information either through a personal visit or via telephone or e-mail.

Committee Deliberation
It is the responsibility of each Committee member to be certain that he/she is able to deliberate each application fully and without personal prejudice. A Committee member should abstain from deliberating on a particular application(s) if impersonal evaluation is impossible or if other commitments would make him/her unavailable during the period of time in which the applications are under consideration.

Upon deciding to abstain from deliberating on a particular application or if he/she is to be unavailable, the Committee member should immediately inform the Committee Chairperson. The Chairperson will then call upon the Alternate to take the abstaining member’s place on the Committee either for that particular application only or for the entire meeting if the regular member is unavailable for deliberations.

The Alternate should receive copies of all materials, whether or not he/she is directly involved in the deliberations; however, the Alternate will have no vote and express no opinion unless a regular Committee member is unable to participate or becomes unable to participate during the course of deliberation.

In an effort to expedite matters, the Chairperson may choose to ask each Committee member to send, either via regular mail or e-mail, his/her views to the Chairperson with copies to the other member and the Alternate. This is an acceptable procedure, as long as the Chairperson is able to insure that all members are kept properly informed.

Should more than 1 Committee member be unable to deliberate, the Chairperson will ascertain the earliest possible date at which 3 members will be available. Should more than 1 Committee member be unable to deliberate on a specific application(s), the Chairperson will immediately notify the President. The President will temporarily appoint another alternate for the sole purpose of considering that application(s) only.

Grant Approval
The Committee shall consider all applications for Educational Grants thoroughly. It is the Committee’s sole responsibility to approve/disapprove the application(s) based on the merits of the application(s).

In deciding whether or not to approve or disapprove an application and if approved, the size of the grant, the Committee shall consider some of the following factors:

1. The description of the exact nature of the education program.

2. The amount of the actual or estimated funds needed and how these funds are to be allocated.

It is also the Committee’s sole responsibility to determine the amount of the grant(s). The grant money may be divided among the approved applications in any way the Committee sees fit; i.e., $1,000 to one individual, $200 to another, $100 to a third, etc.

The Committee shall make its final decision on approving of the Grants as well as the amounts, no later than August 15th.

As soon as the Grants are approved, the Chairperson shall send a report of the Committee to the Treasurer. Within two weeks of receipt of this report, the Treasurer shall send the checks payable to the individuals and for the amounts specified in the report to the Committee Chairperson for distribution to the grantees.

The Committee Chairperson shall immediately send the checks along with a cover letter to those individuals receiving the grants, reemphasizing that all funds received are to be used solely for the purpose of direct expenses for approved supplies (excluding transportation) for public education materials as outlined in the grant application. The letter will further request that any publicity (newspaper, magazine) generated by this education program be sent to the Education Grant Chairman. If the Chairman feels that this would be of interest to the general membership, copies will be forwarded to the ARK Editor for publication.

At this time, he/she shall also send a rejection letter to any individual(s) whose application(s) has not been approved.

A copy of the report shall be sent to the Secretary for the Board’s information; another copy shall also be sent to the ARK Newsletter Editor for publication.

Education Funds
The American Rottweiler Club will make $1,500 available each year in order to fund this program.

In addition, donations may be made to this program through membership renewals.

Committee expenses for mail and phone costs may be submitted to the Treasurer for reimbursement. Reimbursement will be made by the Treasurer using the funds from the Club’s general account. The Chairperson should confer with the President and Treasurer before incurring any unusually high costs.

Education Grant Application