western union foundation guidelines

Through the donations of The Western Union Company, its employees and Agents, the Western Union Foundation helps to fund programs that create economic opportunity around the world.

Embracing the global nature of its corporate sponsor, the Western Union Foundation has granted more than $55 million to over 1,800 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 100 countries.

The Western Union Foundation is part of Western Union's Our World, Our Family^® initiative, a $50 million, five-year commitment to facilitate global economic empowerment and to help migrants and their families stay connected, overcome barriers and realize their dreams.

Western Union's Our World, Our Family has four program elements that engage:

• Local Migrant Communities through Our World Gives: Provide funds for economic opportunity programs through innovative joint philanthropy efforts.
• NGO and influencers through Our World Learns: Connect new migrant families with vital local resources, boosting language skills, job readiness and civic engagement, putting them on the path to financial success.
• Customers, employees and Agents through Our World Strives: Helps more established migrants and families in the communities they leave behind build assets through entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise support.
• Influencers and Global Thought Leaders through Our World Speaks: Western Union serves as a global champion for migrants, rallying global influencers around issue advocacy efforts.

For more information, visit http://foundation.westernunion.com

western union foundation guidelines and application process

The Foundation receives hundreds of funding requests each year. Only eligible organizations with proposals that most closely align with the following program areas and criteria will be considered for funding.

eligible organizations

• Nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) whose primary mission is to serve migrant and immigrant populations (preference will be given to migrant and immigrant led organizations).
• NGOs operating in the developing world that alleviate poverty and provide economic development programs.

geographic and program priorities

The Western Union Foundation will consider proposals from nonprofit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) providing education and economic development programs in the following countries:

• Brazil
• China
• India
• Mexico
• Philippines

Proposals from the above countries that address poverty alleviation through education and economic development programs such as job training, life skills development, small business development, computer education, financial literacy and assistance to migrants will be most competitive.

The Western Union Foundation will also consider proposals from nonprofit organizations in the United States serving migrants and immigrants in the following metropolitan areas:

• Los Angeles, California
• San Francisco, California
• Denver, Colorado
• Chicago, Illinois
• New York, New York
• Washington, DC
• Miami, Florida

Programs in the United States that help individuals integrate into their new communities by providing language acquisition and civic engagement programs and assist with the transition into a new community will be the most competitive.

criteria

Organizations that meet the following criteria will be the most competitive:

• Programs that are in alignment with the Foundation’s primary geographic and program areas.
• Organizations that conduct relevant projects that have been in operation for more than one year.
• Organizations that target primarily members of lower income migrant or immigrant populations.
• Not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations that are based outside the United States and provide official documentation establishing the legal and tax status of the applicant organization, including a copy of the legislative act or statute, or the sections thereof, granting exemption to this type of organization.
• Not-for profit, non-governmental organizations that are based in the US and recognized as tax exempt from federal income tax under IRC Section 501 (c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Service Code and are eligible to receive charitable contributions under IRC Section 170 (c)(2). A copy of the tax determination is required.
• Organizations that meet all requirements and standards for transparency, governance, and reporting and have sound fiscal and legal standing.
• Organizations that have a demonstrated track record of meeting stated program goals with measurable results.
• Organizations that can provide audited budget and financial statements demonstrating that administrative costs as a percentage of budget fall within an acceptable range that are consistent with industry standards.
• Organizations that serve the community without discrimination on the basis of age, color, citizenship, disability, disabled veteran status, gender, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or military service.
• Organizations that observe the highest standards of business conduct in their relationships with the public.

ineligible requests

Generally, the Foundation does not fund general operating support, individuals, endowments, special events, capital projects, other post-secondary scholarship programs, early childhood education programs, deficits or retirement of debt, re-granting agencies, awards.

The following program areas will not be considered for funding:

• Health & Disability
• Disease research
• Environmental causes
• Sports and athletics
• Arts, media and humanities
• Religious organizations
• Political organizations

process

Foundation staff will review all LOIs utilizing the criteria detailed above. Organizations that most closely align with the Foundation’s funding priorities will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Full proposals will be reviewed by the staff and recommendations will be made to the Foundation President and then to the Foundation board of directors for final approval.

2009 application timeline

Organizations may only apply once per year.

• August 28 - Letter of Inquiry (LOI) due to the Foundation through the online process. (LOIs will only be accepted online).
• September 30 - Notification of acceptance or declination of LOI
• October 23 - Deadline for full proposal
• December 31 - Notification of grant award or declination

If you have questions about the application process, you may send an email to the Western Union Foundation or call us at 720-332-6606.