The Living Design Foundation, Inc. will use its best efforts to establish for each funded request a written agreement with prescribed standards of measure and benchmark(s) as a basis for progress and effectiveness.
Rather than lump sum funding up front, whenever possible, Foundation funds are anticipated to be structured and distributed to the recipients and/or their sub-contractors as pre-described milestones are achieved.
Similarly, the Foundation will use its best efforts to establish for each funded request an agreed upon written schedule for follow-up to either observe, hear, or receive in writing a report of the progress and current status of a funded project. Foundation funds are intended to be structured and distributed as progress and status reports warrant.
With non-publicly funded governmental entities, the Foundation will attempt to enter into binding contracts containing standards and benchmarks, milestones and reporting requirements in order to control the flow of approved funds and to demand repayment of unused or misappropriated funds.
All of these planned activities, operating and selection criteria are standard operating procedure for the Foundation. Monitoring these contracts and agreements is generally expected to be the work of the Foundation.
Establishing and maintaining records of program efficacy and long-term success are critical to our mission. In cases where donors attach conditions to an offer to contribute, the Foundation will allow this practice if the purpose, program design, execution, and efficacy tracking are within the purpose and mission of the Foundation.
What are the Foundation’s primary activities?
The Foundation’s primary activities are intended to be focused on providing funding for courts, schools, trades, and community-based entities for the purpose of providing self-sufficiency life-skill educational programs. Generally, funding related to the establishment, tuition, ongoing costs and operations of these programs will be the greater portion of the Foundation’s funding capacity.
Are scholarships and applications for funding available?
Scholarships and applications for funding for student tuition, books, transportation, and living expenses are infrequently offered. If funding allows, students within those existing self-sufficiency life-skill educational programs which the Foundation has or is providing funding may be notified by their faculty that the Foundation is offering educational funding for their current program or for extended learning opportunities stemming from or related to the existing program. Applicants for funding or scholarship will include the referring instructors’ or program director’s recommendation and will include an explanation describing how the student’s progress for self-sufficiency life-skill education is enhanced by the requested learning opportunity. These requests may be for a variety of opportunities from higher education with specific job qualification emphasis, trade or job training or certification, or job-related apprenticeship.
Individual scholarships and applications for funding are not the primary charge of the Foundation and will only be offered if and as the Foundation funding allows. Applications will include a statement of financial need confirmed by the applicant and by the student’s reference.
What happens after receiving funding or scholarship support?
Every granted funding or scholarship request is given a case number with full contact information as well as those of the referring party and tracked for accounting purposes and efficacy. Where there is a longer-term funding commitment, the Foundation will establish incremental payments with attendance and performance benchmarks to be met by the student prior to continuing further funding. Failure to meet these minimums will terminate future funding. Payments for tuition and larger expenses will most generally be made by the Foundation directly to the institution or entity providing the education or services.