Grant Recipient FAQs
So I Received a Grant...Now What?

1. I have received notification informing me that my program/project has received an award. What happens next?
2. What is a grant agreement?
3. Will I get the grant award funds disbursed immediately?
4. What are some of the typical grant agreement conditions?
5. Are the grant award conditions negotiable?
6. What do I do if I cannot accept the grant award?
7. What happens if the program/project for which the award was given cannot be completed as originally anticipated?
   • If funds have not been disbursed
   • If funds have been disbursed

Answers

1. I have received notification informing me that my program/project has received an award.  What happens next?

   You will receive another email containing log-on information and a link to the the Foundation's newest on-line process, "My Grant". Once logged into your "My Grant" page, you will have access to a welcoming letter, a list of actions that are required on your part to finalize the award, the grant agreement, and a grantee contact sheet.
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2. What is a grant agreement?

   The grant agreement is the legally binding document between the Foundation and the grantee (aka Legal Applicant) that sets forth the grant award amount, any special stipulations, and all the conditions of the grant that must be satisfied prior to any disbursement of the grant award.
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3. Will I get the grant award funds disbursed immediately?

   No, as mentioned in the response to Question #2, the grantee must meet all grant conditions contained in the grant agreement before any disbursement can take place. Remember, in all probability, your grant award is not cash, but service and/or equipment credit.
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4. What are some of the typical grant agreement conditions?
   • Leverage – All grantees must show proof of leverage, i.e., that they have been able to raise additional funds in support of their program/project as a result of the Foundation’s grant award.  In most cases, Program grantees can expect to show proof of leverage in an amount equal to their grant award, e.g., if the grant award is $5,000, the leverage amount would be $5,000.  Generally, Field grantees can expect to show proof of leverage in an amount equal to 150% of their grant award, e.g., if the grant award is $5,000, the leverage amount would be $7,500.
   • Updated Grantee Contact Sheet – All grantees must submit updated contact sheets.
   • Affiliation – All grantees must provide the Foundation with documentation verifying the grantee’s affiliation (or request for affiliation) with the United States Soccer Federation or one of its member and affiliation organizations.  (Municipalities and non-soccer organizations are exempt from this condition.)
   • Field Use & Upkeep – This condition sets forth various criteria regarding field usage and upkeep such as ensuring that soccer activities are given first priority on the field or fields associated with the grant project; that the Foundation will have use of the field for a minimum of three (3) days for events; and that the field(s) will be maintained in a manner acceptable to the Foundation in its sole and absolute discretion.
   • Additional Documentation – For Field grants and Synthetic Surface Field grants, grantees must provide the Foundation with detailed documentation regarding the operating rules, authority over the field(s) associated with the grant award, timeline for the project, etc.
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5. Are the grant award conditions negotiable?

   Generally, grant award conditions and stipulations are not negotiable.
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6. What do I do if I cannot accept the grant award?

   If, upon receiving notification of the grant award and all associated documentation, the grantee makes a determination that the award cannot be accepted, a letter of declination must be transmitted immediately to the Foundation indicating that the grant award has been declined.
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7. What happens if the program/project for which the award was given cannot be completed as originally anticipated?
   • If funds have not been disbursed:
     If grant funds have not been disbursed, a letter of declination must be transmitted as soon as possible to the Foundation indicating the inability of the grantee to proceed with the grant project.
   • If funds have been disbursed:
     If grant funds have been disbursed, a notification letter must be transmitted to the Foundation as soon as possible indicating the grantee's inability to proceed with the grant project.  Where possible, the Foundation will work with the grantee to determine if the project can be completed successfully.  If the final determination is made that the grant must be rescinded, the grantee will probably be required to return grant funds already disbursed.
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