Dealing with charitable foundations and corporate social programmes: from selection to reporting
Solidaroba.ge is not a foundation: we do not fund treatment, we do not accept donations, and we charge a fee for preparing applications to foundations. We help a family find the charities and corporate programmes that fund its diagnosis and apply to them in exactly the way each one requires. The foundation normally pays the money directly to the clinic, and no money ever passes through us.
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Foundations matched to the diagnosisOnly those whose rules cover your case
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A separate letter to each foundationNot a mass mailing, but written in the language of its priorities
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Data shared with consentThe diagnosis goes only to a foundation you have approved
In short: how applying to a foundation works
- A foundation is the last link. Most ask for written replies from state programmes and insurance and consider only the remaining gap.
- Each foundation has its own profile. Some help only children, some a specific diagnosis, some only treatment carried out in Georgia.
- An application is a closed process. Unlike a public campaign, only the foundation's committee sees the diagnosis.
- The money goes to the clinic. Foundations usually pay an invoice issued in the clinic's name and do not transfer money to the family's account.
- A report is submitted after treatment. The foundation asks for proof of payment and brief information on the outcome.
How do we find out which foundation funds which diagnosis?
There is no single list of foundations setting out their priorities and limits together. So we read each organisation's charter, its grant or assistance rules, its annual reports and its decisions of recent years, and compare them with your case. Below are the types we work with most often; we do not name any specific organisation as a partner and have no exclusive agreement with any of them.
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Diagnosis-specific foundations
Organisations that work in a single field only, such as children's oncology, rare diseases or hearing restoration. Their committees know the diagnosis well and are strict about the quality of the medical justification.
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General charities
Foundations working towards a range of aims that set aside part of their annual budget for health. With them, timing is everything: the budget has often run out by the end of the year.
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Diaspora and international organisations
Georgian communities abroad and international foundations, which sometimes also cover treatment abroad. Documents for them must be translated into their language, and some require a certified translation.
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Corporate social responsibility programmes
Banks, telecoms operators and other large companies with a charity budget. Some help only their own employees and their families, others also accept open applications, often with a contract and an invoice.
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Religious and community organisations
Charitable bodies linked to the church or a local community that help with small sums, medicines and care. Formal requirements are fewer, but documentary evidence is advisable with them too.
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How we sum it up
You receive a short list: which organisations are worth approaching, with what limit, within what timeframe and what else they ask for. The list leaves out any organisation whose rules clearly do not cover your case.
What does a foundation usually ask for?
The list varies by organisation, but the core is almost the same everywhere. The table shows why the foundation needs each document and where you obtain it.
| Document | Why the foundation needs it | Who issues it |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal letter | What you are asking for, how much and why from this foundation in particular | The family, prepared by us |
| Form 100 | Confirms the diagnosis and the need for treatment | The treating doctor |
| Cost estimate or invoice | The exact itemised amount and the clinic's payment details | The clinic |
| Replies from other sources | Proof that the state routes have been tried and what gap remains | Programmes, City Hall, insurer |
| Social status extract | Many foundations give priority to socially vulnerable families | Social Service Agency |
| Income documents | Assessment of the family's ability to pay | Employer, bank |
| Consent to data processing | Permission for the foundation to review the diagnosis | The patient or their legal representative |
For a foreign foundation, Form 100 and the cost estimate are translated into its language, and if the foundation also checks the family's income, the salary certificate, bank statement or tax return go through financial document translation, where amounts and currencies are checked against the original. Which state sources you should try before a foundation is explained on the funding and legal consultation page.
How to write an appeal letter the committee reads to the end
A foundation's committee receives dozens of letters a week. Emotional text rarely changes the decision; what changes it is how quickly a member finds the answers to three questions: what is needed, how much is missing and why this foundation.
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Who is asking and for whom
The patient's name, age, home town and the applicant's relationship to the patient. The personal ID number and address are not written in the letter; they appear only in the attachments.
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Diagnosis and treatment plan
Worded as in Form 100, with the clinic's name and the treatment start date. If a date is scheduled, it appears at the very top of the letter so that the committee can set priorities correctly.
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Calculating the amount
The full cost, the share covered by state sources and insurance, the family's own contribution and the gap requested. Every figure matches the attachments to the last lari.
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Why this foundation
One or two sentences on how the case fits the foundation's purpose. That is why we never send one letter to ten foundations: each text is written around that foundation's priorities.
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Payment route and contact
The clinic's payment details, a contact person who answers the phone and a numbered list of attachments. As a rule, the letter does not exceed one page.
Who does the foundation pay, and what report is submitted after treatment?
A reputable foundation almost always pays the money directly to the clinic, against the clinic's invoice. This protects the family too: the money is spent for its stated purpose and no questions arise later.
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An invoice in the right name
We ask the clinic for an invoice in exactly the form the foundation requires: payer's name, patient, service, amount and currency. Corporate programmes sometimes also need a three-party contract, which a lawyer reads before signing.
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Proof of payment
Once the money has been received, we obtain a letter or receipt from the clinic and send it to the foundation. If the treatment has changed or the money has not been spent in full, we inform the foundation in advance and follow its rules.
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A short report on the outcome
An extract from the discharge summary or a short doctor's note, with the patient's consent and only to the extent the foundation requires. A photo or a thank-you letter for public use only with the family's separate consent.
How to spot a fake "foundation"?
Families facing a serious diagnosis are often targeted by people posing as a foundation. Before you send anyone your documents, check for these signs.
| Sign | Why it is dangerous | How we check |
|---|---|---|
| Asks for a "registration" or "review" fee | A genuine foundation does not ask applicants for money | We stop corresponding with such an organisation |
| Pays money into the family's or its own personal account | The purpose is not controlled; it is often a money laundering scheme | We ask for payment against the clinic's invoice |
| Promises approval in advance, with a guarantee | Nobody knows a committee's decision in advance | We ask for the foundation's written rules and the minutes of the decision |
| The legal entity cannot be found | The organisation does not exist or operates under another name | We check the Public Registry and its charitable status |
| Asks for the full medical history and a passport copy in a chat | The data may be used in another campaign or in fraud | We send only the necessary minimum, through a secure channel |
| Rushes you: "If you don't decide today, you'll lose your place" | Pressure takes away your time to check | We compare the deadlines with the foundation's official rules |
Patient consent and confidentiality of the diagnosis
Under personal data protection law, health information is a special category of data, and passing it to a third party requires a clear legal basis. That is why we organise communication with foundations according to three rules.
- Written consent for each foundation. An adult patient signs personally; for a child, the parent or legal representative signs. The consent shows which document goes to which organisation.
- Minimum scope. The foundation receives only what is listed in its rules; psychiatric, genetic and other sensitive details are blacked out in the document if they are not needed for the decision.
- A transmission log. We keep a record of what was sent to which foundation and when, so that the family always knows where its data is and can ask for it to be deleted if necessary.
If the documents need to be read by a foreign committee, we translate them through our medical translation service, under the same confidentiality rules.
Frequently asked questions about charitable foundations
Is Solidaroba.ge a charitable foundation? Can I come to you for help?
No. We are a private service portal: we do not pay out money, we do not accept donations and we have no connection with the Solidarity Fund of Georgia or any other state body, even though this domain used to belong to the fund. Our work is paid and covers selecting suitable organisations, preparing the package and the appeal letter, correspondence and reporting. The money is paid by the foundation, at its own discretion, usually directly to the clinic. If anyone asks you for money or makes promises in our name, it is not us, and please tell us about it.
How many foundations should I apply to at once?
As many as genuinely match your case, not as many as possible. Mass mailings rarely work: committees know each other and are wary of an identical letter arriving at ten organisations. Applying to several foundations at the same time is legitimate if each letter honestly states where else you are waiting for an answer. As soon as funding is approved, we inform the other foundations so that the same gap is not covered twice and the family's reputation is not harmed. In practice a short list of three to five organisations achieves more than dozens of unanswered letters.
How long does a foundation take to reply?
There is no fixed timeframe; it depends on the organisation's rules. Some foundations' committees meet once a month, some review an urgent case within a few days, and some accept applications only during a specific grant period. That is why, at the selection stage, we also note each organisation's expected timeframe, and if the treatment date is earlier, we say so openly in the letter, backed by a doctor's report. If waiting is impossible, we look at other routes in parallel, such as a bridging loan repaid once the foundation's money arrives. While waiting for a reply, we answer any additional questions from the foundation the same day, so that the review is not held up on our side.
Can I apply to a company I do not work for?
Yes, if the company's social responsibility programme accepts open applications. Some companies help only their own employees and their families, some choose an annual theme such as children's health, and some do not fund individual cases at all and work only with organisations. We check this against their official rules. If the company asks for a contract or an invoice in its name, we prepare the documents together with the clinic and a lawyer reads them before signing. For a company it is especially important that the money goes to the clinic for its stated purpose and that the reporting meets its internal rules.
What happens if a foundation says no?
Unlike a decision by a state body, a refusal from a charity usually cannot be appealed: a foundation is free to decide how to use its funds. We do, however, always ask for the reason, because it is often a formality, for example the budget has run out, a document is missing or the place of treatment does not fit the rules. In that case it may be possible to apply again in the next grant period or to choose another organisation. We keep the text of the refusal on file, because the next foundation may ask for it too. If the refusal is unclear, we politely ask the foundation for an explanation, which often gives a useful hint for the next application.
How much does it cost to prepare communication with foundations?
The price depends on the number of organisations and the need for translation, and we tell you in writing before you order. We take no percentage of the amount obtained and no commission from the foundation. If someone offers to obtain money from a foundation for you "on a results basis", in exchange for part of what is obtained, that is a conflict of interest, and reputable foundations do not want to deal with such intermediaries. The first assessment conversation is free, and if a foreign foundation requires translation and notarisation, we tell you the cost separately and in advance.
What happens before and alongside a foundation application
- Finding sources of funding Applications to state programmes, City Hall and insurers in the right order, whose replies the foundation will ask for.
- Medical loan mediation When treatment cannot wait for a foundation's decision and the gap has to be covered by a bridging loan.
- Form 100 translation The diagnosis certificate in the foreign foundation's language, with terminology its medical expert will recognise.
Fewer letters, a better match
Send us the diagnosis, the cost estimate and the replies from state sources. You will receive a short list of the organisations your case genuinely concerns, and the price of the work, before you order anything.