Congressional District Programs
"Empowering People to Help People"

CDP Scholarship Program Guidelines

     There are certain guidelines that Congressional District Programs has set up in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code pertaining to gifts to individuals from a Foundation or Program at CDP. A payment to an individual can be justified for the services or products that he or she provides for the Program. However, if the Program wishes to assist a needy or deserving individuals through a scholarship, a grant, or an award program, the program MUST meet the following criteria:

1. Bona Fide Public: The individual must be a part of a bona fide public. This is a logical identifiable group that can be and is being added to. Who or what group proposed the individual to be selected?
   
   
2. Public Criteria: There must be public criteria that would differentiate one qualified applicant from another. The criteria must be disclosed to the public and the basis of the selection clearly defined.
   
   
3. Sufficient Publicity: There must be sufficient publicity so that a reasonable person might presume that the public listed above would know about the proposed award before it was made and have a chance to apply if qualified. This can be by newspaper articles, ads, radio, TV announcements, the Internet, bulletins, posted notices or flyers.
   
   
4. Actual Competition: There must be a bona fide attempt to have actual competition. We need to know and have before us the applications of all those who are being considered. We need to know those who were not selected as well as those who were selected.
   
   
5. Impartial Selectors: The impartial selectors should be people who are not related to the applicant by blood, marriage, adoption, employment, or business relationship (as to be determined by CDP). People of unquestioned competence, impartiality and integrity must have made the selection. We need the names and addresses of the people on this Selection Committee.

     Please complete the Scholarship Approval Form before the scholarship program is conducted or announced. This will allow the Board of Directors at Congressional District Programs enough time to examine and approve the proposed scholarship program.