Page initiated Sept. 5, 2016

Dec. 13, 2016 update: A grants process was set up in the summer of 2016 to invite applicants to apply for grants from the MJ Entrepreneurial Action Fund. There were four applicants by the Oct. 31 deadline. A committee was named Nov. 1.

At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Grants Committee held off making grants under the grants process. The committee directed that the accumulated funds be given to needy families known to the Belmont Center, where the Forum has been meeting in 2016. With nine families identified as in particular need, the Forum gave five $100 gift cards for distribution, and an anonymous donor at the Forum’s Dec. 13 Christmas Party pledged another $400 so that all families would receive assistance.

Grants Process

(Includes all changes through Aug. 30, 2016)

 

• Grants from the Action Fund shall be made annually in December. Grants shall total no more than the Fund’s balance as of Oct. 31.
• Grants shall be announced and, if possible, delivered to recipients at the last meeting of the calendar year of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum. Grants may take the form of cash, check, gift card or other format in the sole discretion of the grants committee defined below.
• The number, size and recipients of grants shall be in the sole discretion of the grants committee. Action Fund monies not used for one year’s grants shall remain in the Action Fund for the next year’s grants process.
• All persons, not-for-profit entities and for-profit entities shall be eligible to receive Action Fund grants, except the following: grants committee members; family of grants committee members; Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum leaders; and not-for-profit or for-profit entities in which any of the above persons have leadership roles or ownership positions.
• During October of each year, any Forum announcements posted to the Forum’s website or e-mailed to Forum participants shall invite nominations of persons, projects or entities for consideration by the grants committee. Such nominations will not be published, but will be provided privately to the grants committee on or before it begins the selection process.
• The grants committee shall meet on the first Tuesday after Oct. 31 at the conclusion of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum, or at such other time as committee members select.
• Grants committee meetings may be held in person or by electronic means or any combination thereof, in the committee’s sole discretion.
• At its first meeting beginning each year’s grant process, the committee shall receive any nominations already received. At any time during its deliberations, the grants committee may add nominations at its own discretion.
• The grant committee’s selection standards and methods of operation shall be established in the sole discretion of grants committee members. The committee’s deliberations may be public or private in the committee’ discretion.
• The grants committee, if it is seeking guidance on how to make its selections, shall look to the words “entrepreneurial” and “action” embedded in the name of the Fund.
• Members of the committee shall include: Fund namesake Laura McClettie or her designee;  Fund namesake Maurice Jones or his designee; Three members chosen by lot from a list of people who have volunteered to serve.
• In 2016, Forum announcements during October will issue a call for volunteers. Three names will be drawn at the first Forum after Oct. 31 to serve in 2016. In succeeding years, a similar process will be used to fill any vacancies among the three volunteer slots.
• The five persons serving on the grants committee will continue to serve from year to year until they resign or are no longer active in the Forum.
• In the event of the death or inactivity of one of the Fund namesakes, a successor will be named by the person with primary responsibility for Forum leadership. The death or inactivity of one of the Fund namesakes will not require a change in the name of the Fund.