Friends of Mongolia does not maintain permanent offices in the traditional sense, and instead it maintains permanent mailing addresses and representatives in Washington, DC and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Friends of Mongolia is a US registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation and holds a non-governmental, non-profit license to operate in Mongolia. The majority of its work is conducted without face-to-face interaction by its individual board members and officers through a combination of information technologies, including e-mail, instant messaging, and VOIP telephony from home offices and work spaces literally located across the globe in Cairo, Ulaanbaatar, London, San Antonio, Baltimore, Washington, DC, and places in between where its volunteers live. This distinctive organizational quality makes Friends of Mongolia, for all intents and purposes, a virtual organization, with all the futuristic and sophisticated qualities the term “virtual” carries with it. 

 

No. FOM is entirely volunteer operated. FOM has on occasion paid for contract workers for special, one-time services, but to date no officer or appointed executive has received a regular salary from FOM. Moreover, the board of directors are prohibited by state and federal law to receive any remuneration from the organization except to cover direct materials costs.

 

FOM was incorporated as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization in 1999 in the state of New York. It was founded by a group of volunteers from the 7th training group of Peace Corps Mongolia, also known as the “M-7s.”

 

Yes. Donations and other contributions made to FOM are tax deductible in the United States.

 

Yes. FOM is licensed to operate in Mongolia.

 

No. FOM is a private non-profit organization unaffiliated with the US government agency Peace Corps. However, many of FOM’s members and official representatives are former Peace Corps volunteers, and FOM is also an affiliated organization of the National Peace Corps Association, the premier private non-profit organization dedicated to former Peace Corps volunteers.

 

FOM receives funding through a combination of donations from individuals, businesses, and other non-profit organizations, as well as from annual membership dues. FOM is an entirely volunteer run organization, so historically FOM has used more than 95% of all cash contributions to cover direct program costs as opposed to administrative overhead. This along with the fact that individuals and organizations can claim tax deductions with contributions to FOM ensures that the organization has a steady stream of revenue. In 2007, FOM raised over $15,000 from a combination of membership dues and cash donations.

 

FOM has on occasion received funds and in-kind contributions from the US Embassy in Mongolia, but in general the vast majority of funds have come from private individuals and organizations. FOM is eligible to apply for federal funding, but to date the organization has not pursued public funding opportunities.

 

FOM focuses on three program areas. It has a scholarship program, a community development grant program, and various outreach programs to encourage cultural exchange and education between the United States and Mongolia.

 

It’s matter of you finding a need and filling that need, as well as finding the courage to try something new. Contact admin@friendsofmongolia.org about volunteering your time either in an official or unofficial, regular or periodic capacity. Everyone working for FOM is a volunteer, and many of us have not met in person because of the dispersed nature of the organization. Volunteering is a great way to acquire new skills and to experience the fascinating world of a 21st century grassroots organization which for all intents and purposes is “virtual.”

 

It is a program that supports rural males to attend college in Mongolia.

 

The emphasis is on males stems from the unusual fact that the majority of university students and graduates in Mongolia are women. This is due to a combination of social and economic factors. In the future, however, FOM intends to expand its scholarship program to include women as well.

 

No. The scholarships are for study in Mongolia at Mongolian universities, colleges, and vocational schools.

 

For secondary and post-secondary education, there are several well known programs. The following list comes from the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website. Keep in mind that the application process for international students is highly rigorous and competitive. An applicant to any one of these programs should prepare well in advance of the application deadline, should have very strong English skills (both written and spoken), and have nothing on his/her record that may prohibit him/her from receiving a US non-immigrant visa. 

For Graduate Students

• Fulbright Foreign Student Programs
• Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowships Program
• Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program

For Undergraduate (University) Students

• Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program
• Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Program
• Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Studies (PLUS) Program
• Study of the United States Institutes for Student Leaders

For Youth & Secondary School Students

• American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL)
• American Serbia Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange (A-SMYLE)
• Armenia School Connectivity Program (ASCP)
• Building Respect through Internet Dialogue and Global Education (BRIDGE)
• Congress – Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX)
• Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX)
• German American Partnership Program (GAPP)
• Global Connections and Exchange
• Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES)
• Youth Leadership Programs

 

No. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in Mongolia and a desire to contribute to cultural and educational exchange between the United States and Mongolia.

 

It’s easy. Either join online, or send a check or money order along with a membership form to PO Box 53314, Washington, DC 20009. Membership dues, especially special membership dues, may be tax deductible in the United States.

 

Membership in a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization such as FOM, first and foremost, is a euphemism for “donation.” It is another way for a non-profit to ensure a stream of revenue untied to specific program areas. When you become a member, therefore, the first thing you get is the satisfaction of donating to a cause you believe in. The second benefit is being counted among a community of people who share your interests and have a similar social consciousness. The third is rights to contribute to the governance of the organization by nominating and electing members of the board of directors and officers, as well as proposing amendments to the bylaws and voting on those amendments. The fourth is additional perks such as newsletters, discounted rates on services, and recognition in official publications. Friends of Mongolia strives to offer its members all four benefits of being a member, and it continuously is on the look out for other benefits that encourage people to contribute to the organization’s mission.

 

It’s easy. Either donate online, or send a check or money order to PO Box 53314, Washington, DC 20009. Be sure to specify which program you want the money committed to, otherwise it will be committed to the general fund, and whether you require an official receipt. Donations to FOM are tax deductible in the United States.