American Friends of Arts et Metiers (“AFAM”) will receive donations from US-based alumni and other friends of the school based in the US. It will use a portion of these donations to make grants, both in the US and also in France, both to individuals (e.g. students and alumni) and institutions (e.g. Arts et Metiers ParisTech school, the “SOCE”, and the “Fondation Arts et Metiers”). This policy governs how grant decisions are made and administered.

Donors

AFAM receives donations primarily from US-based alumni, but may also receive donations from US-based institutions such as industrial partners, academic partners, trusts and foundations. A modest portion of these donations will be retained by AFAM to fund its operations and programs. The large majority of these donations will be distributed as grants.

Grantees

AFAM grantees will typically include Arts et Metiers students and alumni residing in the US (or contemplating residency in the US as a part of a professional or academic experience), as well as French institutions such as the Arts et Metiers ParisTech school (a.k.a. ENSAM), the “SOCE” (the French-based alumni association) and the Fondation Arts et Metiers.

Grant Selection Criteria

Generally speaking, grants made by AFAM must all be justified in relation to the AFAM mission as described in its By-Laws:

(i) to increase scientific and educational cooperation between ENSAM and American universities and research institutions;
(ii) to cultivate ties between ENSAM and its US alumni network;
(iii) to increase the visibility of ENSAM in the US;
(iv) to establish links between ENSAM and US businesses;
(v) to promote the ParisTech whenever ENSAM is fully involved in its activities;
(vi) to make grants to ENSAM or other similar organizations, in furtherance of AFAM’s exempt purposes; and
(vii) to fundraise for any of the foregoing activities.

Grant Approval

The AFAM CFO will receive grant requests and determine whether they qualify according to AFAM’s Grant Selection Criteria, and whether they are affordable based upon the AFAM annual budget approved by the AFAM board. The AFAM will then submit these grant requests to the AFAM Board for approval. AFAM donors may inform the AFAM CFO and AFAM Board about the allocation of their donation. However, the AFAM CFO, and ultimately the AFAM Board, solely and independently approves all grant requests. Such approval shall take place no less frequently than once per year.

Grant Administration and Reporting

The AFAM CFO will be responsible for maintaining a record of all grants, and communicating with the grantees to ensure that all grant funds have been deployed towards their approved purpose. The Annual Grant Report will be part of the AFAM Annual Report prepared by the CFO and approved by the AFAM Board.

Policy approved by the Board of Directors on September 20th, 2012.