— How we work —
HOW WE PROCESS GRANTS
Overview of the Process
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Requester calls national office. [More Info] |
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National office staff member performs pre-screen to verify eligibility. [More Info]
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Case is forwarded to the Local Committee.* [More Info] |
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Local Comittee Administrator calls requester to collect specific information relevant to the case. [More Info]
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Administrator presents case to Committee for a decision. [More Info] |
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Administrator notifies requester of decision and, when applicable, confirms payment details. [More Info] |
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*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
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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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.
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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. |
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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!
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