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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Monsanto Fund?
In existence since the mid-1960's, the Monsanto Fund is
the charitable arm of the Monsanto Company.
2. What is the Fund's focus?
* Nutritional Improvement through Agriculture:
Working to
implement sustainable agricultural improvements through education
and research. Focus areas include field techniques, education in
the areas of nutrition and vitamin deficiency and reducing the impact
of pest and virus' on subsistence crops.
* Science Education:
Teacher training, science fairs, museum exhibitions
* Our Communities:
Particularly directed at the places where employees
live and work, these are programs that are generally agreed
upon between the community and Monsanto site management.
3. In what geographic areas does the Fund give grants?
Priority is given to communities where we have employees,
facilities or strategic business interests.
4. Does the Fund give grants to individuals?
As
a nonprofit designee of the Internal Revenue Service, the Fund is
not allowed to provide support for scholarships, special trips,
illness or personal disaster to individuals or families.
5. What other program areas are precluded from receiving funding?
Fraternal, labor, or veteran's organizations; deficit underwriting; benefits
and dinners; advertisements; sporting events; religious, politically
partisan or similar events; activities which directly support
marketing programs; projects in which Monsanto Company has a
financial interest or could derive a direct cash benefit
or rights to intellectual property.
6. What are the other qualifications?
US organizations must be tax exempt public charities with proof of
501(c) 3 tax status, as described by the Internal Revenue Code.
Schools, libraries and municipalities do not require this
status.
The project must fit within the Fund's focus areas, as well as
geographical focus. The nonprofit must be experienced, established,
and have an annual audit. Start-ups are not considered eligible.
Outside the US, the project must be submitted to our World Area
contacts. Inquiries sent directly to St. Louis will be
redirected to our contacts in the applicable country. See the
Procedures - Cash Grant Requests (Outside the US) page of this site for further details.
7. If we are based in the US and believe that we qualify, what is the
next step?
You must complete a Preliminary Funding Request
(PFR).
8. When are Preliminary Funding Requests due?
The Fund has two giving cycles for organizations in St. Louis and communities that do not have a Production, Technology, or Manufacturing Site. PFR's are due January 1 and July
1 of each year.
Those organizations whose PFR's are seen as having promise will be invited
to submit a full grant application. Anyone submitting a PFR will be
notified of the status of their request within six weeks.
Grants are usually awarded in June and December of
each calendar year.
9. Who makes the final decisions?
The
Fund is governed by a Board of Directors which meets twice a year to
determine final approvals.
10. Does the Fund make multi-year grants?
Occasionally, However spreading a grant over two years is generally the
maximum.
11. What is the average size of the grants made?
The average grant size is $22,000, but can range from $250 to
$1,200,000.
12. Do you provide items for auction or promotional goods?
The Fund CANNOT
provide promotional items for your auctions and/or charities.
13. What about in-kind donations, such as lab equipment?
The Fund has an In-kind Donation Program at our St. Louis Location
only.
We provide office furniture and lab equipment to
qualified organizations as they become available throughout the year.
We do not donate printers, computers, copiers or scanners.
For more information, please review the
In-kind donations page.
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