Grant Providing
The Mainstay Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to foster and facilitate growth and progress in the Muslim community in the United States by coordinating the human and financial resources.
Although we have limited resources, we continue to expand the scope of services we provide for Islamic centers and organizations. Through the generous support of donors, especially The Mainstay Foundation – United Kingdom, and within the past five years, we were able to grant over $182,000 to over 24 centers and organizations throughout the United States. We aim to continue our commitment in supporting and empowering Islamic centers and organizations who share our goals and objectives and are committed to servicing their local communities.
If you are an American Shia Ithna Ashari center or organization that is interested in applying for grants through our foundation, please fill out the Organization Verification Form below. This is a one-time form every prospective grantee needs to fill out to determine preliminary eligibility for grants through the foundation.
Once you fill out the Organization Verification Form, we will process the form. If your center or organization is found eligible to apply for grants through the foundation, we will email you a link with applications for our open grants.
If you have any questions regarding our foundation’s Grant Providing Program, please email us at Grants@mainstay.us.
Grant Providing FAQs
The Grant Providing is a program supported by our generous donors, especially the Mainstay Foundation – United Kingdom. We are able to provide this service to assist Islamic Centers and Organizations who share our goals and objectives and are committed to servicing their local communities.
The Mainstay Foundation has a grant department that reviews and evaluates all applications, following all procedures set up by the Board of Trustees and Executive Team. The Foundation’s staff supports the work of the committee but has no direct input on grant making decisions.
- Centers/Organizations must apply for and receive a Mainstay Verification Number.
- Centers/organization must be organizing a Muharram or Ramadan Program that includes a speaker and or reciter within an audience setting.
- The program should be available to the community and expected to serve their needs by providing an educational, enlightening and spiritual outlet during this holy month.
- The scholars you are hosting do not oppose mainstream Shia Ithna Ashari schools of thought within the seminary institutions of Najaf and Qom, and or similar establishments.
- The scholars you are hosting should not promote controversial/extremist associated topics that may promote disunity and disharmony within our and other communities, domestically and abroad.
- Upon receipt of this grant, the recipient is expected to use the funding to cover exclusively the costs of the venue, speaker’s travels, and speaker’s honorarium (if applicable).
- Centers/organizations must attend The Mainstay Foundation’s Annual Engage Conference.
- Centers/organizations must participate in The Mainstay Foundation’s Survey Project.
- Recipient must complete a progress report within two months after receiving the grant.
An official officer of the organization. Be advised that the person who fills out the application will be asked to complete all aspects of the process.
In any official grant providing program, there are strict criteria and requirements to be eligible for the grant. Some of these requirements are for legal and compliance purposes. Others are established by the foundation in order to determine who is qualified based on the goals and objectives of the grant.
First, your center or organization must be registered with the state as a non-Profit corporation. Second, your center or organization must be exempt as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, or can qualify as a “church” (i.e. mosque) per the IRS regulations.
The amount varies depending on the fund the Mainstay Foundation is able to grant as well as the amount of centers/organizations that qualify.
No, all information pertaining to the grants including deadlines is found on theHUB. In order to be eligible to apply for a grant, your center or organization must have a Mainstay verification ID number which is a prerequisite for grant eligibility. You can obtain this number by filling out a form found on theHUB under the grant providing section on theHUB.
In any grant providing program, there are strict criteria and requirements to be eligible for the grant. Some of these requirements are for legal and compliance purposes. Others are established by the foundation in order to determine who is qualified based on the goals and objectives of the grant. For example, there may not have been enough funding to distribute grants to all applicants, or the center/organization didn’t adhere to the conditions listed on application.
For now, the grants are aimed at covering expenses related to the content providing of your program. This usually includes the cost associated with having a speaker.
For practical considerations, we designed the application such that a professional grant writer is not necessary.
Only centers and organizations that apply through theHUB are eligible for the grant. The Foundation does not identify specific centers or organization in need and ask them if they would like a grant.
For now, our grants apply to center/organizations in the United States of America, without limitation to city or state.