ChildFund sponsors can choose to sponsor a boy or girl from any of the 31 countries where the organization works. The $28 per month sponsorship contribution provides the sponsored child with what he or she needs in the way of educational and nutritional assistance, clean water, medical care and opportunities to develop and learn. ChildFund retains 20% of the monthly sponsorship for administrative handling.
Monthly contributions are combined with those of other sponsors whose children are enrolled in the same area. This enables ChildFund to serve all enrolled girls and boys, even if a sponsor has not been found for all of the children.
ChildFund states that sponsorship funds provide assistance to the child, and services often benefit siblings and community members as well. In addition to the monthly sponsorship donation, ChildFund alerts donors to their sponsored child's birthday. ChildFund explains that special monetary gift disbursements are distributed on a monthly basis and birthday and/or holiday gifts are sent to the sponsored children two months prior to the occasion. Also, gifts for children are distributed according to the donor's wishes and for the purpose designated by the donor.
According to ChildFund, when a child is enrolled for sponsorship, the project (local office) fills out an enrollment form and a family card, kept at the project level, containing basic and statistical information such as: age, health status, literacy, access to safe water, and services rendered. The enrollment form itself details the particular child's likes, hobbies, habits and personality.
ChildFund reports that the family cards are updated at least once a year to determine the community's status, identify needs, determine if goals are being met, and monitor progress from year to year. This data is collected by project staff, community workers, and parent beneficiaries, with the support of ChildFund headquarters staff.
ChildFund reports that the enrollment materials are updated every 18 months for children under the age of five and every 24 months for older children. This update includes a new photo and an updated narrative about the child. On an annual basis, a Child Progress Report is sent to each sponsor, which includes a photo of the child along with information about the child as well as his or her family and community. All sponsors also receive a donor magazine, Childworld, and can sign up for an electronic newsletter, both of which contain information about various ChildFund affiliated program work.
Sponsors can correspond with their sponsored child through letters, and receive annual updates about the child. ChildFund staff can also arrange visits to meet with sponsored children, conducted primarily through their study tour program.
ChildFund uses monitoring and evaluation tools such as The Annual Impact Monitoring and Evaluation System (AIMES) to measure the impact of the donor’s assistance of each child, his or her family and the community as a whole.