HSBC Financial Literacy Programme Grants Frequently Asked Questions
What is the application deadline?
Applications for 2008 grants will be available from October 10, 2007 with a closing date of December 18, 2007.
Special Note: all SIFE Teams applying for and receiving a Financial Literacy Grant MUST compete in a regional and/or national SIFE Competition.
When will grant monies be paid?
Grant recipients will be announced in mid-January 2008. Half of the financial award will be distributed in January 2008. In order to receive the second half, your team MUST compete in a regional and/or national SIFE Competition, complete your team's final report and submit it by July 15, 2008 via the web link provided, and only then will the second half be given in August 2008.
My school is not listed on the list of universities. Why?
Only university with active SIFE Teams are listed. If you meet this criteria, contact your SIFE Country Coordinator to ask her/him to authorize your Team.
My country is not on the list of countries eligible? Why not?
Only 23 countries have been identified as having both SIFE programs and HSBC operational offices.
They include:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Egypt
- France
- Germany
- India
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Lesotho
- Malta
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Thailand
- United Kingdom
- United States
Can my team apply for more than one HSBC Financial Literacy Grant?
No; each SIFE team may only apply for one grant. While teams may have lots of good ideas, we rely on each team to prioritize its needs and submit only one application. We recommend you select the project that is most clearly and strongly compatible with the purpose and requirements stated in the online application. We do realize that some teams may implement more than one project depending on budget management.
Can a current or on-going project be used for the application?
Yes; many projects need sustainability or growth, so using them for the application is fine.
What program criteria does this grant fit into?
Please focus on SIFE Criteria 4: How effectively did the SIFE team measure and demonstrate that it created economic opportunity by helping others to develop the personal financial management skills necessary to achieve financial independence?
What does "community" mean?
Your SIFE team defines "community." It does not necessarily mean a geographic area; it could be a constituency and will be defined in the "Targeted Audience" section of the application. It may also include virtual or international audiences.
Can this grant be used for an international project?
Yes; but you MUST complete the appropriate approval form(s) online at www.sife.org under the "Global Outreach Tool" button on the left-hand column.
When is my team's report due?
July 15, 2008 via an online web posting.