For each organisation, one account holder may be registered in the Mondriaan Fund’s online application system. The account holder manages the account on behalf of the organisation and signs applications and final reports that are submitted.
Before an account is issued to an organisation, 2 things are verified:
- that the organisation is a legal entity;
- that the intended account holder is formally authorised to represent the organisation as well as sign and submit applications and final reports on behalf of the organisation.
For organisations in the Netherlands, we can verify both of these requirements on the basis of an extract from the Chamber of Commerce. In the Netherlands, every organisation is required to register with the Chamber of Commerce, usually listing the authorised director(s) or member(s) of the board of directors. However, many countries do not require such registration. In that case, we require other official documents to prove both the legal status of the organisation and the account holder’s representative authority.
Re 1: Proof that the organisation is a legal entity
We require a scan or photo of an official document proving that the organisation is a legal entity. This could be an extract from the Chamber of Commerce, for example, or from another national, provincial or municipal register, e.g. a register of non-profit organisations. Correspondence from the tax authorities on the organisation’s tax status, for example, may also be used to prove that the organisation is a legal entity.
Re 2: Proof that the intended account holder may represent the organisation
The account holder signs applications in our application system before they are submitted. Therefore, we need to be sure that the organisation has authorised the account holder to sign them. If the intended account holder is already listed as a representative, authorised person or director in the document proving the legal status of the organisation – for example, as an authorised director in an extract from the Chamber of Commerce or another official register – then no additional documents are required.
If you are not listed as an authorised representative in the document demonstrating the organisation’s legal status, we will require additional documentation demonstrating that you are authorised to represent the organisation. For example, if the account holder is listed as a director on the organisation’s website, you can provide a screenshot of this.
Authorisation form
If you do not formally have this authority, but a director or your board of directors wants you to become an account holder, then that director or the board of directors can confirm this by signing a brief certification. This certification, signed by the director (or board of directors), demonstrates your authority to act as the account holder on behalf of your organisation and sign and submit applications.
To simplify the process surrounding authorisation and signing authority, the Mondriaan Fund has created a standard form that can be used to grant authorisation. See the authorisation form here.
You can upload the signed declaration in the account application form.