Program Overview
The Knights of Columbus works together as an organization to purchase ultrasound machines for qualifying pregnancy centers. Discounted prices for select machines are offered through preferred pricing agreements arranged by the Supreme Council. The list of preferred machines is provided to sponsoring councils after the pregnancy center is approved for funding by the local diocese and the Supreme Council. After the state and/or local council raises 50% of the cost, the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council will provide the other 50% to complete funding for purchase of an ultrasound. Or, if the council raises 100% of the cost of a vehicle outfitted to serve as a mobile medical unit for a pregnancy center, the Supreme Council will provide 100% of the funds for an ultrasound machine to be used in that vehicle.
In the 2023 NC Appropriations Act, the Department of Health and Human Services has provided funding for medical equipment (including training) to be distributed through LifeLink Carolina for NC Pregnancy Centers. This budget amount of $1,000,000 a year for two years should cover most, if not all, of the NC centers’ needs for Ultrasound machines for the next two years. (Note that this amount had been $750,000 a year for the last two years.) Our NC KofC Ultrasound program will unlikely, therefore, be needed to purchase machines in the next couple of years. Please thank your NC State Legislators for this state funding.
Program Requirements
It is recommended that a Council interested in funding an Ultrasound for a pregnancy center first indicate to the center that there is NC State money available that they should explore first through Lifelink Carolina at https://lifelinkcarolina.org/. A Diocesan Evaluation (#10715) must be submitted to the Raleigh or Charlotte Diocesan Culture of Life Office to determine if the Pregnancy Center meets the practical, moral and religious criteria for inclusion in the ultrasound Program. There is a set of questions to have answered with the pregnancy center director’s input, which is available at Questions for Ultrasound funding qualification. This diocesan form and the questions/answers must be submitted to the NC KofC Chairman, Ultrasound at the same time. The Pregnancy Center needs to be evaluated that it will be able to staff and operate the ultrasound machine and/or ultrasound-equipped mobile unit. An Ultrasound Application (#10716) needs to be completed and sent to the State Deputy for signature and then to Supreme with the Diocesan Evaluation. The Ultrasound Application also must be sent to the NC KofC Chairman, Ultrasound. (https://www.kofc.org/en/resources/faith-in-action-programs/life/ultrasound/10716-ultrasound-application.pdf
Only after Diocesan/ State Deputy/Supreme approval, should fundraising begin. While the Pregnancy Center may assist in fundraising, if the Pregnancy Center raises the funds predominately on its own, without ongoing and significant involvement of the state and/or local council, the Pregnancy Center will not be eligible for matching funds from the Supreme Council office. The council must be actively involved in the fund raising. Once the funds for the purchase price of the ultrasound machine and/or converted vehicle are raised, the Ultrasound Initiative Application (#10716) for Supreme Council funds should be completed, signed by the state deputy, and submitted to the Supreme Council office. along with the application, other required documents (e.g. price quotes, etc.) should be submitted. Upon approval from the Supreme Council, a council raises 50% of the cost of the ultrasound machine. The council must then follow the published guidelines for obtaining the remaining 50% from the Supreme Council. Qualification for this program will be determined from the information provided on both the Diocesan Evaluation (#10715) and the Ultrasound Application (#10716).
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