Requesting Grant Support

The Diplomatic Security Foundation is uniquely able to provide rapid response to requests for assistance during times of hardship or crisis. We encourage you to contact us if you think DSF may be of assistance. DSF is committed to expanding our outreach to those in need. 

Details of grant requests are submitted directly and exclusively to the DSF Board of Directors for consideration and require a majority vote. Complete confidentiality is maintained with the exception of information required by the Board to make a determination and when required by legal regulations governing the operation of a 501(3)c non-profit organization.

Guidelines on requesting a DSF Grant

The foundation’s goal is to provide timely financial assistance to those in the “DS Family” who have experienced tragedy or hardship, where a DSF monetary grant can assist.  We are not an insurance loss provider, though on occasion we may provide a grant that helps an individual or family recover from catastrophic loss of belongings, through natural or man-made events.  The types of requests we receive and consider vary widely, and it is not possible to categorize all of them.  However, a few guidelines for RSOs and others requesting grants can help expedite the process in many cases.

In most cases, please explain clearly for whom the grant is being requested, their nexus to the “DS Family”, the reason or event that occurred, and then the need for financial assistance and how our grant would assist. Additional information can assist the DSF President or Vice President put together a grant request for the DSF Board to consider.  
Grant requests should be sent to: info@dsfoundation.org

a. Requesting A DSF Grant for US Diplomatic Mission in-country LES (locally employed staff or family)

• Name of requestor:  Typically this is the RSO or and ARSO at post

• Name of Post: 

• Name and job category of proposed grant recipient: (local guard, local guard spouse or family after loss/death of the local guard, LES staff FSN/I, or surveillance detection unit member, local police)

• Age, and approximate years of service to the US Embassy or Mission:

• Brief description of the event or tragedy that occurred:

• Approximate annual salary of the LES employee:

• Employment status of the employee: i.e., Direct Hire FSN (DH), Contracted employee directly contracted by the US Mission (via a PSC or PSA contract), or employee of a contract guard company or the national security/police service;  We ask this for a very specific and useful purpose – DSF has found over many years that Direct Hire or PSC/PSA hired employees are often the recipients of very generous US government benefits for themselves or their families if they perish.  Often these benefits far exceed what DSF can provide as a small charity.  Employees and families of contract guard or security services providers often provide little or nothing in the way of benefits in terms of retirement, death benefits, or health benefits.

• What benefits and amounts of benefits is the employee or family expected to receive:
  This can often be answered after consultation with the HR section of the embassy/consulate, or with the guard company.  Ask specific questions after the death of an employee that includes what are the available burial and death benefits, is there any national or private insurance coverage benefit, are retirement benefits available for the spouse/family or if not has the employee paid into his/her own retirement fund and will those monies be paid out to the family?

• Has Post raised any funds and if so how much:

• Is there a specific dollar amount you are requesting:

• Any other relevant information that can help the DSF board consider a request:

Information of this kind in the initial request helps cut unnecessary back and forth communications and can help cut the processing time of the overall request, so employees and families receive assistance faster. 

b. Requesting a DSF Grant for an American DS Employee or Family member:

• Name of requestor:

• Name of proposed grant recipient: (employee and/or employee family member)

• Current assignment:

• Grade level and general position description: (FS, GS, retiree, PSC, contract employee, etc)

• Approximate salary:

• Brief description of event or tragedy that occurred, and how DSF assistance an help:

• Is there a specific dollar amount you are requesting:

• Any other relevant information that can help the DSF board consider a request:
   

Examples of Grants

Some examples of assistance provided by DSF are listed below. We are always interested in receiving requests for assistance in these situations and welcome requests for other circumstances not specifically indicated here.

• Assistance with extraordinary medical expenses

• Assist families with unexpected deaths

• Assist families suffering from natural disasters

• Assistance with funeral/memorial expenses

• Occassionally: travel expense assistance for family members to attend funeral/memorial services

A complete list of grants DSF has made in the past can be viewed on the GRANTS page.

If you have any questions or need additional information, or if you’d like to submit a written request, please contact us at info@dsfoundation.org.