1. Overview
These Grant Application Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your application for grant-funded strategic defense services provided by Gotham & Oz. All services are funded exclusively through grants managed by the Embassy Row Project and funded 100% by technologist and philanthropist James Scott.
By submitting a grant application through our website, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Acceptable Use Policy.
2. Grant-Based Service Model
2.1 No Client Fees
All Gotham & Oz services are provided at $0 cost to approved grant recipients. There are no application fees, service fees, retainer fees, hourly rates, or any other charges. Services are 100% funded through Embassy Row Project grants.
2.2 Grant Administration
All grant decisions are made independently by Embassy Row Project leadership to ensure complete operational independence and zero conflicts of interest. Gotham & Oz does not make grant approval decisions.
2.3 No Guarantee of Grant Approval
Submitting a grant application does not guarantee approval or service delivery. Grant decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Embassy Row Project based on eligibility criteria, available funding, strategic impact assessment, and organizational priorities.
3. Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for grant-funded services, applicants must demonstrate alignment with the following criteria:
3.1 Mission Alignment
Applicants must be organizations or individuals advancing one or more of the following:
- Social Justice: Work advancing equality, civil rights, and protection of marginalized communities
- Human Rights: Defense of fundamental human rights, including freedom of speech, press freedom, and protection from persecution
- Environmental Protection: Advocacy for environmental sustainability, climate action, and protection of natural resources
- Accountability of Powerful Interests: Exposing corruption, abuse of power, or misconduct by governments, corporations, or other powerful entities
- Nonprofit Leadership: Senior executives or board members of nonprofit organizations facing defamation related to the organization's mission
3.2 Defamation Severity
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Coordinated Attacks: Evidence of coordinated defamation campaigns, not isolated criticism or disagreement
- False or Misleading Statements: Demonstrable false claims or materially misleading statements causing reputational or operational harm
- Reputational or Operational Damage: Measurable impact on the applicant's ability to advance their mission (e.g., funding loss, partnership terminations, donor withdrawals, staff departures, public trust erosion)
- Information Warfare Tactics: Evidence of strategic defamation designed to neutralize the applicant's effectiveness (e.g., timing coordinated with major initiatives, reliance on anonymous sources, strategic ambiguity)
3.3 Strategic Impact
Grant priority is given to cases where:
- Precedent Potential: The case has potential to establish legal precedent in advertiser liability, brand safety obligations, or defamation law
- Systemic Deterrent Effect: Successful defense would create deterrent effects across the media industry, reducing future defamation of activists and nonprofits
- High-Impact Target: The defamatory publication is widely distributed, influential, or serves as a model for other outlets
- Advertiser Liability Framework Applicability: The case is well-suited for Gotham & Oz's advertiser ecosystem warfare framework (coordinated defamation monetized through programmatic advertising with Fortune 500 brand involvement)
3.4 Resource Constraints
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Inability to Afford Traditional Legal Representation: Traditional defamation litigation costs $500-1,500/hour for attorneys with total costs ranging from $100,000 to several million dollars over 3-5 years
- Crisis PR Budget Constraints: Traditional crisis PR firms charge $50,000-250,000/month for services comparable to Gotham & Oz's crisis response capabilities
- Forensic Analysis Budget Constraints: Commercial forensic analysis and strategic intelligence services cost $10,000-50,000+ per engagement
4. Application Process
4.1 Application Submission
Applications are submitted through the grant application form on our Contact page. All fields marked as required must be completed. Applications must include:
- Grant application type (Active Crisis, Urgent Situation, Strategic Defense, or General Inquiry)
- Name or organization name
- Email address
- Detailed description of the situation and how our services would support your work
- Explanation of how you qualify under eligibility criteria
- Acknowledgment of confidentiality terms
4.2 Application Review Timeline
The Embassy Row Project commits to the following response timelines:
- Active Crisis: Initial response and situation assessment within 2 hours
- Urgent Consultation: Confidential consultation and preliminary analysis within 8-12 hours
- Strategic Planning: Comprehensive assessment and strategic recommendations within 24-48 hours
- General Inquiry: Response within 48 business hours
4.3 Evaluation Process
Applications are evaluated based on:
- Alignment with eligibility criteria (Section 3)
- Severity and urgency of the situation
- Strategic impact potential
- Availability of resources and staff capacity
- Applicability of Gotham & Oz methodologies to the specific case
4.4 Grant Decision
Grant decisions are communicated via email to the address provided in your application. If approved, you will receive:
- Grant approval confirmation
- Scope of services to be provided
- Engagement terms and expectations
- Next steps and onboarding instructions
If your application is not approved, you will receive notification with general guidance (where appropriate) on alternative resources that may be available.
5. Grant Conditions and Obligations
5.1 Accurate Information
You represent and warrant that all information provided in your grant application is accurate, complete, and not misleading. Provision of false or materially misleading information is grounds for immediate denial or termination of grant services.
5.2 Cooperation and Communication
If your grant is approved, you agree to:
- Respond promptly to requests for information, documentation, or clarification
- Provide access to relevant records, communications, and evidence needed for forensic analysis
- Participate in confidential consultations and strategic planning sessions
- Inform Gotham & Oz of any material changes to your situation or the defamation campaign
5.3 Confidentiality Obligations
You agree to maintain strict confidentiality regarding:
- Gotham & Oz methodologies, frameworks, and analytical techniques
- Strategic recommendations and litigation support materials
- Internal communications and work-product
- Identities of other grant recipients or applicants
See our Confidentiality Agreement for full terms.
5.4 Legal Compliance
You agree to use Gotham & Oz services in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and our Acceptable Use Policy. Prohibited activities include:
- Using services for harassment, intimidation, or retaliation
- Misrepresenting evidence or fabricating claims
- Violating privacy rights, computer fraud laws (CFAA), or wiretap statutes
- Engaging in unlawful surveillance or unauthorized access to third-party systems
5.5 Attribution and Publicity
Unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing:
- You may not publicly disclose your grant recipient status without prior written consent from Gotham & Oz
- You may not use Gotham & Oz name, logo, or branding in press releases, fundraising materials, or public statements without approval
- Gotham & Oz reserves the right to reference your case anonymously in aggregate statistics or case studies (e.g., "we have served X activist organizations")
6. Services Provided
6.1 Scope of Services
Grant-funded services may include (depending on case needs and grant approval):
- Article & Media Forensics: Claims analysis, factual verification, source evaluation, editorial bias assessment
- Crisis Response & Narrative Defense: Rapid response protocols, crisis communications, narrative counter-strategies
- Investigative Intelligence: Journalist background analysis, publication network mapping, attack pattern identification
- Defamation Litigation Support: Evidence architecture, expert witness coordination, litigation strategy consultation
- Advertiser Liability Litigation: Advertiser identification, brand safety violation documentation, multi-defendant litigation frameworks
- Digital Psyops & Threat Intelligence: Coordination detection, attribution analysis, threat actor profiling
See our Services page for complete descriptions of our 67+ specialized services.
6.2 Not Legal Advice
Gotham & Oz services constitute strategic defense intelligence and litigation support, not legal advice or legal representation. See our Legal Services Disclaimer for important limitations.
6.3 Service Modifications
The scope of services may be modified based on:
- Evolving case circumstances
- Discovery of new information
- Changes in strategic objectives
- Resource availability
Material changes to service scope will be communicated and agreed upon in writing.
7. Intellectual Property
7.1 Gotham & Oz Intellectual Property
All proprietary methodologies, frameworks, analytical tools, and work-product developed by Gotham & Oz remain the intellectual property of Gotham & Oz, including but not limited to:
- Intelligence Quality Assessment Standard (IQAS)
- Evidence Credibility & Integrity Assessment (ECIA-7)
- Strategic Precedent & Impact Classification (SPIC-8)
- Advertiser ecosystem warfare frameworks
- Crisis response protocols
7.2 Grant Recipient Usage Rights
If your grant is approved, you receive a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use deliverables (reports, evidence documentation, strategic recommendations) solely for purposes of defending your organization and mission.
7.3 Your Content
You retain ownership of all materials you provide to Gotham & Oz (documents, communications, background information). You grant Gotham & Oz a license to use such materials solely for purposes of providing grant-funded services.
8. Limitation of Liability
8.1 No Guarantees of Outcomes
Gotham & Oz provides strategic defense intelligence and litigation support but does not guarantee specific outcomes, including:
- Success in litigation or settlement negotiations
- Retraction or correction of defamatory content
- Advertiser withdrawal or revenue impact on publishers
- Restoration of reputation or donor relationships
8.2 Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Gotham & Oz, the Embassy Row Project, James Scott, and their respective affiliates, officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising from or related to grant-funded services, including but not limited to:
- Loss of funding, donations, or revenue
- Reputational harm
- Loss of partnerships or relationships
- Litigation costs or adverse judgments
- Emotional distress or personal injury
In no event shall Gotham & Oz's total liability exceed $0 (zero dollars), reflecting the pro bono, grant-funded nature of services.
8.3 Third-Party Actions
Gotham & Oz is not responsible for the actions of third parties, including but not limited to publishers, journalists, advertisers, legal counsel, courts, or other parties involved in defamation disputes.
9. Termination
9.1 Termination by Grant Recipient
You may withdraw your grant application or terminate an approved grant engagement at any time by providing written notice to support@gothamandoz.com.
9.2 Termination by Gotham & Oz
Gotham & Oz or the Embassy Row Project may terminate grant services immediately if:
- You violate these Terms, our Acceptable Use Policy, or applicable laws
- You provide false or materially misleading information
- You fail to cooperate or respond to reasonable requests
- Your situation no longer aligns with eligibility criteria
- Continuing services would create legal, ethical, or operational conflicts
- Funding constraints require reallocation of resources
9.3 Effect of Termination
Upon termination:
- You retain access to deliverables provided before termination
- Confidentiality obligations survive termination indefinitely
- Gotham & Oz may retain records as required by law or litigation support obligations
- You have no right to refund or compensation (as services are provided at $0 cost)
10. Dispute Resolution
10.1 Informal Resolution
In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms or grant services, the parties agree to first attempt informal resolution through good-faith negotiation. Contact support@gothamandoz.com to initiate dispute resolution.
10.2 Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction where Gotham & Oz is organized, without regard to conflict of law principles.
10.3 Arbitration
If informal resolution is unsuccessful, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by a mutually agreed arbitration service, except where prohibited by law or where the dispute involves intellectual property rights, confidentiality breaches, or injunctive relief.
11. General Provisions
11.1 Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Acceptable Use Policy, Legal Services Disclaimer, and Confidentiality Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and Gotham & Oz regarding grant applications and services.
11.2 Amendments
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance.
11.3 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
11.4 No Waiver
Failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.
11.5 Assignment
You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.
12. Contact Information
For questions about these Grant Application Terms or your application status, contact:
13. Acknowledgment and Acceptance
By submitting a grant application through our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Grant Application Terms and Conditions.