Instructions for applying to the Seafarers Emergency Fund

The Fund has been established by the TK Foundation and is generously supported by the ITF Seafarers Trust to provide rapid assistance to seafarers and their families in unforeseen situations of crisis. The application process has been carefully designed to be simple and straightforward. The application instructions which appear on this page have been supplied by the Seafarers Emergency Fund. Please read them carefully paying attention especially to the criteria.

ICMA’s Chairman Mr Douglas B. Stevenson is one of the advisors to whom completed applications may be submitted.

A printer-friendly version of the following instructions can be downloaded here (PDF 326KB)

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The Seafarers Emergency Fund (SEF) at the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF)

Purpose

“The Seafarers Emergency Fund is to provide immediate, essential aid to seafarers and families of seafarers, who are directly involved in sudden and unforeseen crises”.

This fund is available to seafarer welfare organizations and other welfare organizations, hereinafter known as “Applying Agency” to provide the means to purchase goods and/or services for seafarers and/or the spouse or children of seafarers to relieve the need(s) brought on in relation with a sudden and unforeseen crisis.

SEF may, for example be used to cover costs of psychological counseling, medical expenses or in some cases, repatriation.  The fund is not intended to be used for long term maintenance, to fund a private enterprise, as a social security replacement nor for situations for which other sources of relief are available.  Each application will be considered on its own merits, on a personalized and timely basis and with confidentiality.

Criteria
1)    Minimum grant of 250 USD – maximum  grant of 5000 USD.
2)    All other options for local funding must first have been explored before applying to SEF.
3)    In cases where it is the legal responsibility of shipowners, employment agencies, flag states or other responsible parties to provide the service to the seafarers and/or the families, the Applying Agency must first have exhausted reasonable means to compel the responsible party to fulfill its obligation to the seafarers or seafarers’ immediate families.
4)    It is the responsibility of the Applying Agency to provide/purchase the service that will benefit seafarers or seafarers’ family. No monies from SEF may ever be given directly to a seafarer or family member.

How to apply

Applications may be submitted electronically in English, Russian, French or Spanish.  The application may not be more than three pages long.  The application may not include personal information about the affected seafarer(s), ships or shipowner. This information will be required at a later date in the grant report.  The following information must be included in an application:

1)    An introduction to the Applying Agency. Please include:

a.    The purpose of the organization
b.    The organization’s mission statement
c.    A general description of its activities
d.    A description of its target population.
e.     Tax Status andNon-profit registration information

2)    A short narrative prepared by the Applying Agency explaining the situation/need and how and when the situation came about. Be sure to focus here only on the circumstances and the nature of the need. It is accepted that the persons in need are all seafarers and seafarers’ immediate families. Therefore details of the seafarers need not be added here.

3)    A short narrative explaining how the need can be met (i.e. by counseling, medical procedure, or the purchase of transportation).  Please be specific about what services would be afforded if the grant was given.

4)    The full monetary cost of meeting that need, and the full amount requested from SEF.

5)    A short narrative about what actions have been undertaken to secure local funding and what funding has already been secured.

6)    A short narrative what the Applying Agency and other parties have already done to compel the responsible party to fulfill his/her obligations to the parties in need.

The Applying Agency is required to verify that the parties in need are seafarers or are seafarer’s immediate family members before applying. Note that personal information of the party is not required by the SEF at this stage. Do collect this information from the outset, but retain it for the report. The report is expected only after the grant has been awarded.

Applications for funding may be submitted to one of the following people:

1)    To the Executive Director of the International Seafarers Assistance Network (ISAN). The current ED is Mike Campling Mike@seafarerhelp.org
2)    To the Executive Director of the International Committee for Seafarer’s Welfare (ICSW). The current ED is Roger Harris Roger.Harris@icsw.org.uk
3)    To the General Secretary of International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA). The current GS is  Hendrik La Grange icma.secgen@btconnect.com
4)    To the Director of the Center for Seafarer’s Rights (CSR). The current director is Douglas Stevenson dstevenson@seamenschurch.org
5)    ITF Maritime Operations Department,  John Canias canias_john@itf.org.uk OR
6)    Fabrizio Barcellona barcellona_fabrizio@itf.org.uk

The Executive Director of the International Seafarers Assistance Network (ISAN) is available to translate applications in languages other than English.

Reporting
The Applying Agency will be required to submit an electronic AND hard-copy report to OCCF no later than three months after the grant is made. The report must include the following:

1.    A narrative explaining the actions undertaken to aid the seafarers/parties in need. The narrative should be accompanied by:
a.     Seafarers’ names and home addresses
b.    Seafarers’ credential number and issuing entity.
c.    Name and address of the seafarers’ present or last employers.
d.    Seafarers’ date of birth.
e.    Seafarers’ nationality or country of permanent residence.

2.    A financial statement that is to compare, in a table format, the proposed and actual dollars received and expended under the grant.

3.    Original receipts for all goods and services provided to the seafarers and or the seafarers’ families.

4.    The hard-copy report is to be sent to:

Todd Hanson, VP of Donor Relations (thanson@oc-cf.org)
Orange County Community Foundation
30 Corporate Park, Suite 410
Irvine, California 92606

5.    The electronic version is to be sent to thanson@oc-cf.org

Duplicate Funding

In cases where funding from other sources has duplicated SEF’s efforts the funds shall be returned to SEF to help other seafarers and seafarers families in need