Frequently Asked Questions

About the Organization

Question: How many employees does OSAAT have?
Answer: OSAAT is not a facility-based organization, and as such does not have any employees. It is run entirely by a core committee of volunteers who meet, plan and execute all functions necessary. Other volunteers support the organization during events and various phases of a project, be it a site-visit to check the progress of a project or a meeting with the chosen school.

Question: How many volunteers do you have in India and what do they do?
Answer: We have many dedicated volunteers in India and the number keeps increasing. They play an active role in being our eyes and ears before, during and after a school is chosen. They meet with the school’s board and/or staff, check the physical and financial conditions of the school, verify that the information provided by the school to us in the Request for Proposal (RFP) is accurate, and also monitor the progress of the reconstruction from start to finish.

Question: Does OSAAT collaborate with other organizations (educational or cultural) and NGOs (eg: Rotary Club)?
Answer: Most certainly. We believe that all individuals and organizations with a passion to make a difference are great partners. Their skills and strengths compliment ours and help in our mission. As an example, from to time we leverage the volunteer base of other organizations, and vice versa. Networking with NGOs like Rotary Club allows us to execute our projects much more efficiently without interference from local city or state governments.

Question: Why OSAAT? Aren’t there other non-profits doing the same thing?
Answer: It is very simple. India is the largest democracy on earth with over 1 billion people. A significant percentage of this population is rural, spread across many states, many languages and many socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The needs of schools serving this population are varied and no single organization is large enough or diverse enough to serve them all. Their needs can only be served with many helping hands and by employing many creative solutions. OSAAT is one such helping hand and one such creative solution. While OSAAT’s mission and goals may be common with other organizations doing similar work, OSAAT’s organization structure and method of operation are quite distinct.

Question: Does OSAAT only help schools in Karnataka?
Answer: OSAAT is a young organization and was started in 2003 by a few like-minded philanthropists originally from Karnataka, living in the San Francisco Bay area. What started as a private effort on their part to help some of the needy schools in rural Karnataka resulted in many more people getting interested, and ultimately in the formation of OSAAT. There are no restrictions as to the physical location of schools.

Question: How do I know that my donation will go towards a deserving school?
Answer: OSAAT has designed a very extensive Request for Proposals (RFP) process. Anyone can nominate a school and any school can submit an RFP. Depending upon the information provided to us in the RFP, we will initiate a fact-finding mission and verify all the facts. There are a number of other factors we investigate as well, such as how many kids are being served by the school, what, if any, is the impact if the school cannot be helped, how motivated the school staff is, what kind of support is available from different sources to sustain the school, etc. You can rest assured that the school we choose is very well deserving of your support. We post the financial details of every project on our website so that our patrons and supporters can see exactly where their donations are going. One key factor that is worth your attention is that there is absolutely no OSAAT administrative cost. Our fundraising and marketing expenses are absolute minimum, thanks to dedicated, talented volunteers.

Donations

Question: How do I donate money to OSAAT?
Answer: You can donate by sending a check payable to the address listed in donation page. Fundraising is a constant, continuous effort to help needy schools. You can donate to OSAAT anytime, any amount.

Question: Can I get tax exemption for my donation?
Answer: Yes. OSAAT is a registered non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation, tax Id: 20 2043649. You can claim tax exemption in accordance with the applicable IRS guidelines. Donors contributing $500 or more will receive an official thank you letter from us.

Question: Can I donate money in installments through my bank account or credit card?
Answer: At the moment, we do not support such automatic withdrawals from bank accounts or credit cards. We will have that capability in the near future, and will incorporate it on our website.

Question: Do you accept any other in-kind contributions such as cars, books or furniture?
Answer: At the moment, we accept monetary contributions only, in the form of cash or check payable to OSAAT.

Question: Can I donate in-kind gifts directly to a school you have chosen?
Answer: With Bajegoli primary school, our maiden project, we witnessed a generous outpouring of support from the local community. Donations such as lumber and other building materials were very welcome and put to good use. Depending upon the needs of schools, other practical donations such as benches, tables, chalkboards, pots and pans, water storage tanks, etc., would also be welcome. Since there is no physical facility in the USA or India for us to collect and process in-kind donations, they may be accepted at the actual project site as needed and as deemed necessary and practical. Please contact us if you would like to make such donations.

Question: Do you have any tips for taxpayers making charitable contributions for OSAAT?
Answer: Taxpayers who donate to charities may be entitled to take a charitable deduction on their individual income tax return. Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable donations.

Getting Involved

Question: I do not live in the San Francisco Bay area but would like to get involved. How can I help?
Answer: All you need to get involved is interest, enthusiasm and willingness. You can help us in any of the following ways:

• Raise awareness of OSAAT among your friends, family, donors and sponsors in your area so that they can donate to OSAAT.
• Raise awareness of OSAAT in your workplace. Several employers match contributions their employees make to registered 501 (c) (3) organizations like OSAAT. Your contribution, when matched, is twice as effective!
• Work with local businesses and get sponsorships and donations when we do our fundraiser events
• Work with your local Indian magazines and publications to get free promotion for OSAAT in the form of articles or advertisements. We will work with you to pull together all the necessary information.

Question: Can kids help in any way?
Answer: Kids, particularly teens, can help us in many ways! They can help at our events as ushers and perform any suitable tasks assigned to them. Anyone volunteering 10 hours or more will receive a certificate for community service. Many school boards require teens to perform a certain number of hours of community service. Helping OSAAT is a great way to fulfill this requirement.

Question: I am a graphic designer and can help you from time to time. Is there a need for my services?
Answer: Yes! When it comes to skills, whether it is graphic design or public relations, people of all skill levels and from all walks of life can help us. Just let us know a bit about yourself by sending an email to info@osaat.org and we would love to work with you.