double rainbow

“The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand:...”
—Deuteronomy 28:12

“When a hungry heart petitions the divine
Father-Mother God for bread, it is not given a
stone, — but more grace, obedience, and love.”
—Mary Baker Eddy

— How we work —

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Requester Q&As

  1. How do I apply for a grant?

    Contact the national office. See How We Process Grants for an overview of the process.

  2. Is there an application?

    No, but in order to evaluate your case we must talk to you by phone and ask questions specific to your situation and your practice of Christian Science.

  3. How quickly can a grant be processed?

    Most grants are processed within 24-48 hours. When necessary we have processed grants and wired payment within a single business day.

  4. Do you have grant limits?

    Yes, but we do not publish them.

  5. I would prefer that my case not go to a Local Committee. Is that okay?

    Please tell us about your concerns when you call.

  6. If my case goes to a Local Committee is everyone going to know about my situation?

    Confidentiality is of primary importance to us. Only the Local Committee Administrator will have your name and the case details that you provide. Using a case number, the Administrator will pass on to the Committee only the details required for good decision-making. If a grant is approved, the Committee Treasurer may be given your name in order to process a check.

  7. How much information do you need from me?

    A brief description of the background for this particular need is helpful, but lengthy rehearsals of the problem tend to cloud rather than clarify. (See Church Manual 47:18.) We love hearing as much as you would like to share about how you're approaching the challenge metaphysically! It is helpful to have specific cost information; for example, if a car repair is needed, what are the estimates?

  8. If I provide references, what are you going to ask them?

    When we call a reference, we identify ourselves by our role with The Principle Foundation and then typically ask one or two direct questions such as, "Can you verify that ___ is a member of your branch church? Can you describe his attendance and/or participation?" Often practitioners are given as references, but we do not need to know and will not ask about the practitioner-patient relationship. Our typical question of a practitioner (and most other references) is, "Do you know this individual to be a practicing Christian Scientist?"

  9. Why do you only fund Christian Scientists?

    We are primarily interested in supporting the demonstration of Christian Science, not in just giving out humanitarian aid. See our Financial Assistance page for a more detailed explanation.

  10. Why are you called The Principle Foundation?

    Christian Scientists value the idea of Principle as divine quality.

  11. "God. The great I AM; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence."

    Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures p. 587

  12. If I receive a grant, how is payment made?

    We pay most grants by check. If the need is more urgent and you have a checking or savings account, we can do a direct deposit directly to your bank. Funds will typically show up in your bank account in 2-3 days. We often make payments directly to a practitioner, auto repair shop, utility company, etc. We can NOT send funds by Western Union. We can NOT send funds out of the country.

  13. What information do you need for direct deposit?

    1) Type of account—checking or savings. 2) 9-digit bank routing number. 3) Your account number.

  14. Is there an appeal process if my request is not granted?

    No.

  15. Do you make loans? Why do you offer grants?

    Assistance from The Principle Foundation is an expression of unconditional love. It is meant to alleviate a burden, not increase it. We consider grants to be an investment in the demonstration of Christian Science. The "pay back" is healing that blesses all mankind.

  16. Will you pay monthly or ongoing expenses?

    No. The Foundation gives short-term, one-time grants with the expectation of complete healing. We do not give grants that will extend an otherwise unsustainable arrangement.

  17. Is it possible to get more than one grant? What if it's been a long time since my last grant?

    When there is evidence of spiritual growth, a subsequent grant may be considered.

  18. Do I have to work with a Christian Science practitioner to receive a grant?

    No, but if the demonstration is not complete, including supply, why wouldn't you seek the best help available?

  19. Do I have to be a member of The Mother Church or a branch church to apply?

    No, but we consider church membership and activity to be indicators of an individual's sincerity. We also find that active church membership promotes spiritual growth.

  20. If I am receiving medical treatment am I eligible for a grant?

    No. The Principle Foundation does not provide financial assistance to individuals who, by choice, rely on medical care in whole or in part.

  21. What are the United States residency requirements?

    We do not send grants outside of the United States. We do not fund any travel outside of the U.S. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen, but you must be legally residing in the United States to be eligible for a grant from us.

  22. May I make a grant request on someone else's behalf?

    This is possible under certain circumstances when the individual has given us permission to work with his or her personal representative.

Contributor Q&As

  1. How much of my donation goes to benevolence and how much to administrative overhead?

    The IRS Form 990 is a public statement of The Principle Foundation's annual income and outflow. In 2015, we reported that 84.2% of the funds we received were directly related to program costs, in 2016, the figure was 78.4%. For 2017, we expect that figure to be above 85%.

  2. What forms of payment do you accept?

    Check, cash, credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), and PayPal.

  3. How do I stop or change an automatic monthly donation?

    Please contact us at info@principlefoundation.org or by phone at 800-826-7756, and the Accounting Manager will make the change immediately.

  4. May I donate to a specific person or for a specific purpose?

    No, The Principle Foundation does not accept pass-through contributions and accepts donations only to established Funds.

  5. Are there specific Funds that I can support financially?

    Yes, please click here for a list and descriptions.

  6. How do I make a gift in honor (recognition) or memory (remembrance) of someone?

    If paying by check, please include the person's name on the memo line. If paying online, there is a box you can check, and then you will be asked to provide the person's name.

  7. Will you notify the family if I make a donation in memory (remembrance) of someone?

    Yes. If the family has requested that gifts be made to The Principle Foundation, we will typically have their contact information, and if we don't have it, we'll get it. If you're concerned that we may not have the family's contact information, we would be delighted to have you send it to us!

  8. Will you notify the individual if I make a donation in honor (recognition) of someone?

    Yes. Please provide us with his or her contact information--either email or mailing address.

  9. If I am an attorney, trustee, executor, or personal representative, who should I contact regarding a trust or estate?

    Please contact us at info@principlefoundation.org or by phone at 800-826-7756, and the Executive Director or Manager of Finance will be happy to work with you.

  10. Do you accept gifts such as stock and real estate?

    Yes. Please contact us at info@principlefoundation.org or by phone at 800-826-7756, and the Executive Director or Manager of Finance will be happy to work with you.

  11. What is an appropriate amount to give?

    The "appropriate" amount is whatever your Father tells you when you pray to Him in secret.

  12. If a Local Committee disbands, what happens to the funds donated to that committee?

    Local Committee funds revert to the Foundation's General Fund.

  13. Can churches donate to The Principle Foundation?

    Yes. Many churches and societies contribute to the General Fund, Disaster Relief Fund, or to one of our Local Committees that serve specific regions of the country. Some churches have set up automatic recurring donations.

  14. Can non-Christian Scientists donate?

    Yes.

Volunteer Q&As

  1. How can I volunteer?

    Twenty-two volunteer Local Committees of The Principle Foundation currently serve 24 states. We invite you to consider joining or starting a Local Committee in your area.

  2. What do Local Committees do?

    The primary activity of our Local Committees is to process benevolence requests that come to the Foundation from that area. Local Committees also help spread the word about The Principle Foundation.

  3. How do I know if there's a Local Committee in my area?

    Click here for a map showing the locations of The Principle Foundation's Local Committees.

  4. How do I join or start a Local Committee?

    Call or email the national office and we'll put you in touch with the Local Committee in your area or work with you on starting a new one?

  5. What are the requirements for starting a new Local Committee?

    Local Committees are composed of a minimum of three dedicated students of Christian Science who agree to operate in accord with the Policies & Procedures of The Principle Foundation’s Board of Directors and National Office. Committee members must be members of The Mother Church and should be active members of their branch churches or societies.