According to CI, once a child is assigned to a sponsor, a current photo and a family record is mailed to the sponsor. CI's field projects collect, verify and maintain information on sponsored children in Family Records. These records, updated annually, are submitted to the Kansas City Headquarters and contain vital statistics about the child being sponsored, the child's family members and the construction of the child's home. Additionally, CI Field Projects file quarterly reports that summarize benefits the children receive using documents such as health records, nutritional status reports and signed benefit registers.
CI reports that the funds collected are used to provide goods and services for sponsored children and their families. The need for these goods and services are jointly evaluated by the Kansas City headquarters staff and field staff. Every year each Field Project develops a work plan that outlines program activities and services and material benefits that will be provided to the children over the course of the year.
To ensure efficiency and accountability, regional program staff and program officers from CI conduct annual on-site evaluations to verify that work plans are followed and that benefit programs are administered and delivered effectively. These evaluations include interviews with sponsored families, community represenatives and field staff.
Sponsor's contributions help pay for the benefits that each child receives, and are used to support programs and provide benefits primarily in the areas of health and education. Benefits, which can vary from child to child, include: annual health exams, access to medical care when ill, nutrition education and counseling, school supplies and fees, clothing, and items for the home.
Each Field Project prepares an annual budget and regular financial reports are prepared quarterly and sent to CI's headquarters for analysis and follow-up. Independent CPA firms in-country perform semi-annual financial audits on each Field Project. CI internal auditors conduct financial audits annually in each field office to ensure that the office is following all accounting procedures as established in the CI Field Project Financial Manual.
In addition to the monthly sponsorship donation CI solicits for special gifts for sponsored children. Specifically, CI requests a voluntary donation for birthdays, Christmas, Easter and Special Hug Day. Policies regarding additional gifts and correspondence between sponsors and children are outlined in CI's "Sponsorship Guidebook."