Official Grant Rules

These Official Grant Rules are specific to the Members Choice Credit Union Educational Impact Grant Program. By applying for this grant, each educator agrees to be bound by the Official Grant Rules.

Applicants further agree to be bound by the decisions made by the Educational Impact Grant Committee (the Committee), which are final and binding in all respects. The Committee reserves the right to disqualify applicants and/or applications that do not comply with the Official Grant Rules.

Applicant Eligibility

Each applicant must:

Be a Members Choice CU Member

Be a Members Choice Credit Union member in good standing with their Members Choice account opening date no less than 6 months prior to the time of application. Or the applicant must be employed as a teacher at a school corporation that has a written or oral agreement (Very Important Partner) with Members Choice Credit Union.

Employment

Be employed by a school system within the markets served by Members Choice Credit Union (list of counties and townships served available). Applications from counties outside of Members Choice Credit Union’s field of membership are not eligible for consideration.

Written Endorsement

Have a written endorsement from their school principal for the requested project.

United States Citizen

Be a U.S. citizen.

Relatives of Members Choice Credit Union officers (anyone holding the position of management, and Chief Officers), board of directors, and supervisory committee members are not eligible to apply for educator grants.

Grants Awarded

  • Each applicant request cannot exceed $200.

  • The Committee will fund a maximum of $12,000 in grants per year, not to exceed $200 per individual grant request.

  • Grants will be awarded a minimum of one time per semester per request approved

Dollar amounts available for grants may change on an annual basis, based on the financial commitment available from Members Choice Credit Union.

Applying for the Grant

1 Complete the online grant application form, including submitting the requested supporting documents

2 Documents required for submission include the signed consent form from your school principal

3 Members Choice Credit Union will not be responsible for any lost, delayed, misdirected, illegible, incomplete, damaged, or undeliverable application entries, or any delay or failure to transmit, process, receive or consider entries

4 Grant recipients will be awarded based on a combination of factors, including the impact and reach of the proposed initiative or need

Preference will be given to allocating grants equally among Members Choice Credit Union’s areas of service. Based on applications received, this distribution model may be adjusted.

The grant applications will be reviewed quarterly by the Members Choice Credit Union Board of Directors. The decisions of the Committee will be final.

Announcing the Winners

The grant winners will be contacted directly by telephone and/or email and will then be posted on the Members Choice Credit Union website. Potential recipients who cannot be contacted within ten business days following the selection process, despite best efforts, may be disqualified and another recipient may be selected. Grants will be publicly announced and awarded monthly, and funds must be used within six months of the award.

Disbursement of Grants

  • Teacher grants will be made payable directly to the school in care of the applicant

  • When applying for the grant, teachers agree to provide progress reports on the initiative being implemented. If a teacher does not submit a progress report and it is determined that the initiative was not implemented, the school will be responsible for returning the awarded grant

  • The funds may be used for any direct classroom expense, including, but not limited to supplies needed to fund a project for the classroom, basic supplies the classroom may be lacking, supplemental items to enhance classroom learning, or an experience to enhance classroom learning

Conduct

Members Choice Credit Union reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any applicant found to be violating the Official Grant Rules.

Disclaimers, Liability, and Indemnification

By applying for this grant, you release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Members Choice Credit Union and their employees, directors, officers, affiliates, agents, and advertising and promotional agencies from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of actions, or losses of any kind resulting from your grant application or receipt or use of any grant.

Privacy / Use of Personal Information

By applying for this grant, each applicant (a) grants to Members Choice Credit Union the right to use his/her name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address (“Personal Information”) for the purpose of contacting and announcing the grant recipients; (b) grants to Members Choice Credit Union the right to use his/her Personal Information for publicity and promotional purposes relating to the awarding of the grant, in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, without compensation unless prohibited by law. Members Choice Credit Union will use the recipient’s Personal Information only for identified purposes.

All electronic services and transactions are subject to the terms and conditions of Members Choice Credit Union Funds Availability Policy and Electronic Funds Transfer Agreement and fee schedule as provided to you when you opened your account.