Monsanto Fund - World Areas - Basic Qualifications

Applicants for grants in the U.S. must be tax-exempt public charities. In the U.S., this means that any interested organization must have current proof of tax-exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service. This document is known as a "501(c) 3" to U.S. public charities.

There is no such document outside the U.S., and some form of equivalency is necessary to meet the Monsanto Fund requirements to provide grants. The next section describes the areas that meet the Fund's requirements.

It is strongly recommended that the question of equivalency be resolved in the earliest stages of conversation between the Monsanto location and the Non-governmental organization, or NGO, so the NGO can determine its ability to qualify.
The Monsanto Fund can invest in four areas:

Public Charities (NGOs) Incorporated in the U.S. and Working in Foreign Countries
Many large, U.S.-based NGOs are incorporated in the U.S. but provide services to communities outside the U.S. Examples are CARE, USA and The Nature Conservancy. In these cases the organization should provide a copy of the U.S. 501 (c)3 certification.
Public Charities (NGOs)
Local public charities should fill out the Public Charity Questionnaire to determine if they would be considered tax-exempt in the U.S.
Government Units
Entitities such as public hospitals, public schools, villages or municipalities can receive grants from Monsanto Fund without having to provide proof of charitable status, as long as those grants are consistent with the Fund's purposes.
Private Schools, Private Hospitals, Medical Research Organizations
These institutions will need to fill out the corresponding document to prove their tax-exempt status before a grant can be made. The term "hospital" includes rehabilitation institutions and outpatient clinics, if such an organization's principal purpose is providing medical care.

The proposed project must fit within one of the Funds Priority Areas of Giving (Improving Nutritional Well Being through Agriculture, the Environment, Science Education and Our Communities).

Grants submitted for consideration by Monsanto Fund must be for at least U.S. $25,000. This means one check written for at least US$25,000, not several smaller checks that add up to US$25,000.

NGOs must be experienced, established and reputable. The Fund does not work with start-up organizations.

NGOs must be financially sound. That is, they must be operating "in the black," have a diverse funding base and be audited annually.

Individual aid or personal support.
Underwriting deficits.
Fraternal, labor or veterans organizations, unless the project benefits the general public.
Benefits, dinners, advertisements.
Religious, politically partisan, or similar groups.
Endowments.
Activities that directly support marketing programs.
Projects in which the Monsanto Company has a financial interest or could derive a financial benefit through cash or rights to intellectual property
Organizations that discriminate based on race, creed, ethnicity, religion, sex, age or national origin.