Who is this for?
This content is designed for participants in Anti Entropy's SparkWell fiscal sponsorship program. While some context will be specific to SparkWell and may need more context, we've made these resources public because they may, nevertheless, be useful to others who may be founding or building an organization.
1. Purpose
This policy establishes guidelines for reimbursing Project Leads for legitimate project-related expenses incurred before their official SparkWell enrollment date.
2. Eligibility
Pre-enrollment expenses may be reimbursed if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Clearly project-related: Expense was incurred directly and specifically for the project's charitable mission. The connection between the expense and the project's work should be obvious and straightforward—not tangential or loosely connected.
- Timing: Expenses within 90 days prior to enrollment are generally eligible. Expenses older than 90 days will be evaluated case-by-case, with increasing scrutiny the older they are.
- Approvable: Expense would have been approved under normal SparkWell guidelines if incurred post-enrollment.
3. Documentation Requirements
Project Leads must submit:
- Invoice or receipt for each expense
- Proof of payment (bank or credit card statement showing the charge)
- Brief written explanation of how the expense relates to the project
4. Eligible Expense Examples
- Contractor payments for project-related work (e.g., branding, research, development)
- Legal fees related to project formation or contracts
- Software or tools purchased for project use
5. Approval and Discretion
Pre-enrollment reimbursement requests are reviewed and approved by the Project Liaison. Anti Entropy reserves the right to decline any pre-enrollment expense reimbursement request at its discretion. When uncertain, we will err on the side of caution.