SIA Relief Package Funding
Click here to view this page in another language:
Background
During a special meeting on April 7, 2020, the SIA Board of Directors approved the use of Disaster Funds to help defray members’ federation dues, SI per capita payments, and where applicable, club general liability per capita fees for clubs whose members have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
It is critical we support our clubs in moving our mission forward. According to the United Nations, women will experience the effects of this crisis disproportionately because:
- women play a disproportionate role in disease response, and therefore are at an increased risk of infection.
- women will be hit harder by an economic fallout because they work disproportionately in insecure labor and being quarantined can prevent them from meeting their families’ basic needs.
- during crises, gender-based violence increases when households are placed under strain.
- when health services are overstretched, services for women and girls suffer.
For these reasons, our mission is needed now more than ever, and it’s imperative that our clubs are able to continue serving the women and girls who need them.
Our SIA Relief Package will allocate funds to clubs with:
- Fewer than the Board recommendation of 12 members as of February 29, 2020; to mitigate these clubs from disbanding.
- More than 12 members who are active (defined as members paid for the current club year), regular members renewing for the 2020/2021 club year.
Eligibility
While available, funds will be for existing members who will be renewing their membership for 2020-2021.
The first requirement is that the applicant must already be an active Soroptimist member (defined as members paid for the current 2019-2020 club year).
In addition, the member must meet one of the following eligibility criteria to receive SIA Relief Package funding:
- Lost employment and experienced a loss in wages.
- Business owner whose business income has significantly decreased or was forced to close.
- Is providing financial support for their significant other or dependents who experienced a loss in wages, or whose business suffered as a result of COVID-19.
- They, their significant other or dependents incurred health care expenses as a result of COVID-19.
Process
If you meet the criteria shown above and would like to apply for SIA Relief Package funding, you can download the individual member application form at the following link.
Please send this application form to your club treasurer by May 28, 2020.
Your club treasurer (or the treasurer’s designate) will file your club’s request for SIA Relief Package funding between May 29, 2020 - June 19, 2020.
Applications will be reviewed and funding allocated between May 29, 2020 and June 23, 2020.
SIA headquarters will communicate with club treasurers whether the request has been funded on June 25, 2020.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact membership@soroptimist.org