Foundation
2025 AMERICAN SOKOL FOUNDATION AWARDS for UNITS
Awarded at the March Executive Board Meeting; Agreement due May 1; Status Report/Report due July 1; Final Report with pictures and receipts due December 1, 2025. Extensions must be applied for by November 1 (which extend the reporting to June 1 of the next year).
2025 ASO Foundation Grant Application
(Due March 1, 2025)
Sister Carol Crosson Application
(Due May 1, 2025)
Please fill out the Sister Carol Crosson Application once. Then please fill out a Child Application for each child applying for the Grant.
The American Sokol Foundation is an Executive Board Committee which has been active since the 1980’s usually during Slet/Convention but became alive when included in the Bylaws Article 16 and several Standard Operating Procedures voted by the Executive Board and listed below. Since the celebration of the 150th anniversary (2015), all funds raised are under the umbrella of the Endowment Foundation accounts (which is a separate operating fund from the ASO Operations). The first award program for physical repairs, etc. of the unit was called “Gateway to the Future”. As various restricted funds have been given, different Unit awards have been created such as the “Unit Growth” for membership promotion and most recently the “Unit Corporate Sustainment” for non-profit unit management costs. The budget process usually coincides with that of the of “Future Sokol Leaders” doing an estimate of the principal which can be spent from the Endowment Foundation account.
In 2022, the oldest grant program (1960) “Future Sokol Leaders” was moved to the Foundation to help manage through the elected administrator (who sits on the Foundation Committee Board). It is a program designed to assist primarily the Board of Instructors and Education Executive Board Committees with seeding money to start Instructor’s School for instance or investing the money needed for scholarships each year. The timing of action on these awards is thru a budget process which occurs by October 1 of each year and approved by the Executive Board at its October meeting.
During 2022 the Board of Governors turned over the COVID Sustainment Awards to the Foundation to maintain and finish out in 2023. It has been exciting to work with the new Gift S.O.P. Late in 2023, a new grant was created “Sister Carol Crosson Endowment Foundation” to assist American Sokol youth members with transportation to Instructor’s School, Slets, etc. and as it grows to assist with housing and entrance fees. It is administered through the unit as well with sign-offs from the Unit Physical Director(s).
The American Sokol Foundation is the conduit to Federal, International, State, and Local organizations offering grant monies. The Foundation has a proud history of registering in the SAM Federal program and has consistently received funds for grants from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic since 2010 and some independent firms.
Foundation Director, Sister Meribeth Tooke, Sokol Spirit, Illinois (2nd term to end 2026) with the following district representation: Central: Sister Doris Marks, Sokol United, Illinois; Eastern: Sister Dagmar Merkova, Sokol Washington D.C.; Northeastern: Sister Cheryl Singley, Sokol Detroit; Pacific: Sister Cherl Riddle, Sokol Los Angeles; Southern: Brother Mike Liska, Sokol KHB, Ennis, Texas; Western: Sister Marit Lee Kucera, Sokol Minnesota; Future Sokol Leaders Administrator: Sister Maryann Fiordelis, Sokol Detroit/District President/Administrator FSL; At-large Members: Brother Allen Cushing, Sokol Spirit, Illinois (Previous Foundation Director); and currently two openings. Foundation advisors (with no vote): Non-Profit Sector: Brother Adam Wilt, ASO President, Sokol Spirit, Illinois; Legal: Sister Lauren Wilt, Sokol Spirit, Illinois; Financial: Open; Grant Writer: Open
PLEASE REMEMBER FOR TAX PURPOSES THAT THE AMERICAN SOKOL ORGANIZATION IS A NON-PROFIT.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
governing the American Sokol Foundation. ASO started these procedures in 2013 during the presidency of Brother Tom Pager who also had the Executive Board go through a Strategic Plan to better visualize and organize. Today there are more than 50 of these “papers” giving directions, forms, to the description of the work in the bylaws and constitution.
Approved 2/28/2015 American Sokol Organization Donations and Contributions (II.B.5.g.)
Approved 9/22/2015 Endowment Foundation Fund Financials (II. B. 5.e.)
Approved 1/26/2016 Future Sokol Leaders Fund Administration (III. C. 1.)
Approved 3/21/2016 The Grant Process (II. F. 1.)
Approved 8/28/2018 Foundation Director and Committee Conduct and Meetings (III. E.1.)
Approved 1/24/2023 American Sokol Organization Gift Policy (II. B. 5.n.)
Updated copies of these forms are available and are kept in the American Sokol Business Goggle Software, however, if you wish a copy please write foundation@americansokol.org.