EXPLANATION ON HOW TO PAY THE BASQUE LANGUAGE TEACHERS  10/01/17

The Basque Governement through HABE (Organization to educate adults in the Basque language) provides a grant every year to N.A.B.O. in order to help cover the Basque language classes expenses and the teacher's salary. Most euskal etxeas opt to have the students pay as well. This decision and the amount to charge the students is made by the euskal etxea in agreement with the teacher. I suggest that the euskal etxeak ask students to pay a little amount every semester so they take the class with more responsability, and allow a student who can not afford to pay to attend the class regardless. Since learning Basque should not be a luxury and should be open to any person willing to learn it HABE does not request that the students are of Basque blood, or that they belong to an euskal etxea. It is the same for the teacher. The idea is to open doors to keep the language alive in North America.

These 2 ways to collect the money ( grant and students fees) should cover the Basque class expenses (photocopies, books, gas, rent of the venue...) and the teachers' salaries. The HABE grant will be sent to the euskal etxeak by check at the end of the calendar year by the NABO Treasurer or Izaskun Kortazar (Basque language coordinator). In order to receive the frunds from the grant the teacher needs to demonstrate that he/she has been teaching the class during that year.

The amount to be paid to the teacher will be decided between the euskal etxeak and the teacher, taking into account the entire amount collected from the grant and from the students and the expenses created for the class. If the euskal etxea or the teacher lets the Basque language coordinator know about a lack of agreement, then there will not be a check sent until that agreement is reached. The grant funds go to the euskal etxea, and it is up to them to determine the percentage that go to the teacher.  My suggestion is that the students fees are used for expenses (photocopies, gas...) and the HABE grant goes to the teacher. If the students fees are bigger than the expenses, that amount can go to the teacher or can be used to purchase materials...

If you have any concerns about this topic, do not hesitate to call the Basque language coordinator (Izaskun Kortazar) at 1-208-891-2679 ( cell ) or by email at izaskunkortazar@gmail.com

INFORMATION WE NEED FROM YOU:

> Name of NABO club with Euskara classes
> Name of instructor
> Number of students in the class
> Number of projected hours each month student spends on Euskara
> Number of hours each month your group meets together in person
> Where are you meeting

GRANT ASSISTANCE. Through the department of HABE of the Basque Government, our NABO Basque clubs that are maintaining a viable Euskara program are eligible to apply for financial assistance.  Collectively, we have decided that all upcoming requests will be coordinated through NABO; i.e., all grant requests and payments will be made directly to NABO by HABE, and then redistributed to eligible clubs.

We believe that the single greatest element in this Euskara endeavor is the instructor; if they remain committed then we have an Euskara program at your club whereas if they quit nothing happens.  Thus the payments are intended to go primarily to this person(s).  Each club can decide how to best distribute its share of the grant (e.g., how much goes to the instructor, rental of a facility, classroom materials, etc.)

ELIGIBILITY:

• Your club must have a BOGA program underway with an instructor and regular conversation classes that meet at least twice a month.

• Payments are intended to primarily go to the instructor(s) 

STANDARDS:

• Collected applications will be sent to HABE when they call for them usually in October or November.

• The grant cycle is from October 1 to September 30

• To confirm that the money is being used for the stated purpose, two submissions a year of receipts/verifications are to be submitted with the dates corresponding to the following. 

• First submission is February 15 (which includes expenses from Oct. 1-Dec. 31).  Prior to this you club will be contacted for some details that NABO will submit.

• Second submission is October 15 (with expenses from Jan. 1-Sept. 30).  Included here should be a list of the classroom hours of Euskara and a progress report of your club's program.