iris

“My help cometh from
the Lord, which made
heaven and earth.”
—Psalm 121:2

“Goodness never fails
to receive its reward,
for goodness makes
life a blessing.”
—Mary Baker Eddy

— How we work —

HOW WE PROCESS GRANTS

Overview of the Process

1 Requester calls national office. [More Info] 2 National office staff member performs pre-screen to verify eligibility. [More Info]
 
3 Case is forwarded to the Local Committee.* [More Info]
4 Local Comittee Administrator calls requester to collect specific information relevant to the case. [More Info]
 
5 Administrator presents case to Committee for a decision. [More Info] 6 Administrator notifies requester of decision and, when applicable, confirms payment details. [More Info]
  *For areas of the country not served by a Local Committee, the full process is handled by the national office staff.

The Process in More Detail

1 A requester may initiate a grant request by calling the national office or submitting a request online. It is most efficient to have a two-way phone conversation directly with the requester.
2 A national office staff member performs a pre-screen to confirm the requester’s relationship with Christian Science and ensure that the request falls within our funding guidelines. We may request references.
3 Requests that pass the initial pre-screen are assigned a case number to aid confidentiality.
  • If the requester lives in an area of the country served by one of our Local Committees, the case is then forwarded to the Committee Administrator.
  • If we do not have a Local Committee in that area or if there are extraordinary circumstances, a national office staff member will conduct a more thorough interview in lieu of step #4.
4 By phone, or when necessary, by email, the Administrator will make every effort to contact the requester within 24 hours to conduct a more extensive interview.
5 Relevant details of the case are considered by a committee of 3-4 members—either the Local Committee or national office grant committee. The committee may have follow-up questions and/or request references. Then after prayerful consideration, the committee makes a funding decision, again, typically within 2-3 days.
6 The Local Committee Administrator or the national office staff notifies the requester of the funding decision. If a grant is approved, then payment is arranged:
  • If by check, we normally mail the check the same day.
  • If the need is more urgent and the requester has a checking or savings account, we can wire funds directly to the bank.
  • We often make payments directly to a practitioner, auto repair shop, utility company, etc.
  • Sometimes a more creative solution is called for!