SEA-PAH Scholarship Fund

SEA-PAH Scholarship Fund

Purpose

The SEA-PAH scholarship fund is designed to ensure that members are not prevented from attending SEA-PAH events due to a financial hardship. This fund provides members with financial difficulties a method for paying attendance fees for SEA-PAH events that they would be otherwise unable to attend. Use of this fund is governed by a small, confidential group of Board Members that comprise the Application Fund Committee. 

 

What the fund covers:

• SEA-PAH event participation fees (a portion, percentage, or full coverage at the Committee’s discretion) 
  • Event fees (e.g. Camp K-9 or Puppy Bowling). 
  • Application/entrance fees (e.g. Best in Show or similar SEA-PAH events application fee). 
• SEA-PAH membership dues.

 

What the fund doesn’t cover: 

• Food that is not included in event attendance fees.
• Lodging that is not included in attendance fees. 
• Transportation to events – Members are encouraged to carpool with other attendees. The board is happy to help coordinate carpools whenever possible.
• Admission to non-SEA-PAH events (e.g. Rubbout, BLFC, IML, Kink Fest). 
• Application/entrance fees to non-SEA-PAH events (e.g. NW Puppy, Daddy’s Boy, WSMLO Contest).  
• Other things not listed here that are not explicitly event participation fees. 

 

Who is eligible to use the fund?

• All SEA-PAH members in good standing.

 

What is expected in return for use of the funds?

All members who receive benefit from the fund are expected to volunteer for the organization either during the event they are attending using the fund, or during events prior to it. The amount of volunteer work required is at the sole discretion of the Application Committee. Examples of prior events that may be used for this purpose are Coat Check or BBQs. In some instances volunteering at multiple events may be required, particularly if the events are small or the amount of provided assistance is significant. 

 

Application process of use of the fund 

The Application Committee will consist of two members: the President and the Vice President. Applicants will contact the Committee in writing with a request for assistance to attend a given event. This request will include the specific amount requested and details explaining the need for assistance. The Committee will make the final decision based solely on the circumstance and merit of the member’s need. If approved, the Committee will instruct the Treasurer to transfer the appropriate funds.

 

In the event the President or VP wish to apply to use Scholarship funds, alternative board members will be selected for the Application Committee to prevent a conflict of interest. Alternates should be chosen in the following order: Secretary, Public Relations, Barketing, Directors at Large, and Treasurer. If a conflict of interest would exist between an alternate committee member and an applicant (or between the two alternate committee members), move to the next Board Member on the list. The Treasurer is intentionally placed last in this order because they are required to transfer the funds. Removing them from the decision making process prevents them from having too much control over the process.

 

In general, no more than two events will be covered per member in a calendar year, however the Application Committee has final discretion on this matter. The Committee may, when it deems it appropriate, provide additional coverage; particularly for members who contribute significantly to the organization. 

 

The Application Committee is responsible for ensuring applicants perform the required volunteer work as agreed. 

 

Privacy statement 

The use of the fund will be held in the highest confidence at all times. The Application Committee will have sole discretion over awarding funds. The Committee will not reveal who has applied, who has been approved, or who received assistance through this fund. These details will be kept private from all members and never recorded in Board Meeting minutes. The Treasurer is responsible for providing fund use information during the Treasurer’s Report to the Board and the Annual Treasurer’s Report at the SEA-PAH Annual Meeting. The Treasurer will disclose the amount transferred into the fund and the amount spent from it but will provide no other details. Members applying for assistance are expected to provide the same level of confidentiality.  

 

Failure by a Board Member to maintain the fund’s confidentiality is considered grounds for removal from the board. 

 

Actions of the Treasurer

Upon being informed by the Application Committee of an approved application, the Treasurer will note the approved amount. This amount will not be transferred from the Scholarship Fund to the Working Fund until the end of the quarter in which the application was approved. This waiting period will assist in maintaining applicant confidentiality. If funds were immediately transferred, members could potentially guess the event the funds were applied to and, subsequently, the members using the fund. The Treasurer’s Report to the Board will show the Scholarship Fund transaction during the month after the quarter has closed and funds have been transferred.

 

For legal and record-keeping purposes, the Application Committee must inform the Treasurer of the event, amount, and name of the individual using the fund. The Treasurer is incapable of processing the transaction without this information.

 

How capital is added to the fund 

Capital for the fund must come from members. This can occur in the form of member-driven donations, events restricted to the membership, or as a portion of an event fee for SEA-PAH members. Whenever event proceeds are used to add capital to the fund, it must be clearly communicated to members prior to the event. If a percentage of an attendance fee will be added to the fund, that percentage must be disclosed to the membership as well.

 

Scholarships provided for events which add capital to the fund must not provide an accounting loop in which capital is transferred from the fund back into the fund (e.g. If $5 of every Camp K-9 ticket will be added to the fund, members receiving a scholarship would receive assistance equivalent to the event ticket cost less $5. $5 would not be transferred back to the fund from that specific ticket).

 

If you would like to speak to someone or apply for the scholarship fund, please email president@seapah.org

*Updated to include coverage for membership dues 01 JAN 2024