As such, the Club divides its charitable focuses into four primary groups and allocates its giving and support accordingly. Those four areas include:
1) The Freedom Essay Scholarship program – a contest for area high school seniors that picks a topic related to a constitutional or legal issue that is currently facing our country. Students are encouraged to write a one-page essay on that topic. At least three area people (non-club members) judge the essays on a standardized criteria. The winner gets a $3500 scholarship to the college or university of his/her choice. Three runner’s up are also chose and receive $2,000 scholarships to the institution of higher learning of their respective choices as well.
2) Causes that focus on speech or hearing issues – area charities that serve individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or who have a speech disorder. A portion of our funds reserved for charitable giving by the Club are allocated each year specifically for nonprofit organizations or groups with this focus.
3) Events specifically sponsored by the Club to benefit our target focus or to raise money for charitable purposes – Examples of these include our annual Fantasy Baseball Camp for deaf and hard of hearing youth.
4) Other not-for-profit organizations or causes that provide specific services in which the Club has a special interest. – Examples include Big Brothers, the YMCA summer camp for youth, a tornado relief fund provided for area residents who lost their homes.
Policy: Gallatin Sertoma Club was established as a community service organization with charitable and civic purposes. Its main area of charitable interest is on communicative disorders including, but not limited to, speech and hearing-related issues. However, it also recognizes the need to periodically support with its time, effort or monies other charitable organizations or activities in the community that its members deem worthy of consideration.
Process: Requests for support donor-initiated project support shall be submitted to the Club president and/or the Club Board chairman in writing. An exception to this may be considered if the request is related to an emergency situation and/or where there is a very short timeline requiring a decision.
1. Written applications must contain the following information:
a) Who will be the recipient (individual or organization)?
b) How will the funds be used?
c) What is the intended outcome or benefit?
d) Why is this request important?
e) When is this needed?
f) Amount requested?
g) How will the Sertoma Club of Nashville be recognized?
h) Contact information for recipient and for request sponsor.
2. Charitable funds provided by the Club may not typically be used for any of the following:
a) General operating expenses
b) Salaries of staff
c) Attendance at conferences or conventions (Sertoma International already has a special scholarship program for this type of request)
d) Investments, endowments, or additions to any reserve funds of the requesting entity
e) Purchase of goods, equipment or other items to be used for non-charitable purposes or for the personal benefit of staff or individuals associated with the requesting party (an exception to this might be to purchase a hearing aid for a specific individual who cannot afford one)
f) Any gambling or raffle-related activity
Awards
Following final approval, responsibility for disbursing the funds that were approved shall lie with the Club Treasurer and the Club Executive Director. A representative of the recipient shall be invited to a general membership meeting to receive the check.
Hands-on Support
The Club also has a history of having its members roll up their sleeves and provide time, skills, and some of their own resources to address area needs. Examples of this include building ramps for wheelchair-access to buildings and homes, ring the Christmas bells for the Salvation Army, providing additional manpower for the Fantasy Baseball Camp in conjunction with the Nashville Sounds baseball team, etc.