ISDA Submission Requirements

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ISDA project screening and intake process will be conducted by its appointed Subcommittee, Kings Counsel & Trust (KCT).  Significant independent research on donor/investment expectations have been conducted to ensure that the views of the community are reflected in the Standards of Excellence. As such, ISDA and its members become primary recipients of a professional computer-based and customized processing system. Through the submission of one’s project in this process (and its assessment, packaging and presentation), he/she may then qualify for “consideration” for provision. This process should be initiated through ISDA’s self-serve Internet website and augmented by the applicant’s completion of various documents and data sheets. This is done in order to comply with ISDA’s accountability and transparency standards. When the applicant supplies the necessary electronic documents to substantiate project criteria information, then project provision can be expedited; this will likewise insure the placement of projects into the appropriate ISDA project categories, and their proper industry standard classifications. 

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Determination Process

Stage 2.  Principal Assessments and Project Disclosures (completed within 4 weeks)

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1. Principal to complete Phase 1 Project Submittals and send to ISDA team (submit to ISDA team within 3 weeks to allow time for review by ISDA team)

2. Principal to complete the ISDA Application & Registration Form (where you will upload/attach your completed Phase 1 submittals).

3. ISDA team to conduct background check and verify there aren’t any conflicts of interest or affiliation with prohibited project/organization types (as indicated in the ISDA Professional Alliance Policy)

4. Complete any other applicable initial disclosures, including a non-solicitation and referral acknowledgement

5. Follow-up interview between the Lead Principal and ISDA team via conference call (during week 4), after submission of Principal’s Application & Registration Form and applicable Project Submittals are received…

• Gain additional information on the organizational social impact objectives, program, organization and growth plans through principal’s project assessments.

• Clarify and make sure that ISDA’s procedures are understood and project expectations are firmly understood (process, business model, fiduciary services, etc.)

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Principals/Organizations not suitable candidates for ISDA:

• Those with insufficient data/ lack of preparation

• Those who do not provide sufficient social impact

• Those who are not financially sustainable (business plan and model).

• Those who are not sufficiently committed to growth

• Those who are not committed to adhere to ethical principles and integrity.

• Those who lacks humility, patience, and/or self-control

• Those unwilling to conform to servant leadership traits

• Those who seek to establish a publicly regulated company or project whose principal intends to pursue a public disposition exit strategy.

 

If it is clear that the Principal cannot satisfy minimum requirements or doesn’t complete prerequisites, project termination will occur at this point.

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If previous stage requirements have been met and the Principal/Project continue to be a good fit, the project will be “approved” and advance to Phase 2.

 

Highlights of the basic submission standards for Phase 1 are as follows (all documents are at the bottom of this page):

 

1. Letters of Reference: Personal (one @ 10+ years, non-family), Professional (one @ 5+ years) and Community (one that shows your involvement in community). 
 

2. Personal assessments: Myers-Briggs Assessment and Core Values Assessment. Please make sure you save a PDF copy of your results (you may have to "Print to PDF" to accomplish this).

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3. Submission of a one-page "Cover Letter" to introduce the project. Cover Letter Guidelines are found below.

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4. Executive Summary (2-page limit). Executive Summary template is below.

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5.  Executive Summary Social Impact Instructions: This document helps you complete the "Social Impact" section of the Project Impact Worksheet. 

 

6. Executive Summary Project Impact Worksheet: This worksheet aids in the completion of the "Prosperity Summary" section of the Executive Summary. 

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7. Executive Summary Assessment: This is to be completed when you have finished your draft of the Executive Summary. This assessment will help you ensure you have covered all of the elements needed for a robust and successful Executive Summary (minimum "score" of 80% required). Note: The use of this interactive spreadsheet against one’s completed document will help determine how well they have quantitatively and qualitatively answered the assessment questions. In our experience, projects do not attract the necessary resources for sustainable momentum until (and unless) their qualitative scores rise above 85%.  In order to raise one’s score on this test, one should (after implementing the task) provide the answer in the affirmative (yes), and then be prepared to substantiate all claims with proper documentation when the ISDA team asks for it.

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ISDA has specific intake guidelines due to the personal and confidential due diligence information we must obtain. Please familiarize yourself with the following before completing the intake fields in the form.

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• ISDA Application & Registration Policy

• ISDA "Love Your Neighbor" Policy

• ISDA Privacy Policy

• ISDA Overview - Strategic Philanthropy

• ISDA Professional Alliance Policy

 

Click the icons below to begin the Phase 1 Submittals:

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