Bamford and another VSO coordinator sit as advisers to the committee. The appraisal and the allocation of the maximum 20,000 baht per project grant usually take about two to three months to process. Unlike traditional charity organisations, the One Per Cent Fund does not aim to help individuals. Thus a request for scholarship or personal training is unlikely to win the committee's nod. The fundamental philosophy is that the root cause of social problems is structural, and the ultimate goal is to help villagers to stand on their own feet, economically and socially.
Sustainability is another major consideration in the appraisal process.
As an example, Bamford cited two recent proposals to set up local broom-making industries. One group proposed buying the raw materials, while the other detailed plans of how to grow grass to ensure constant supply of raw materials, and to help prevent soil erosion. The grant went to the latter. Gender sensitivity is also a point of concern. Many successful proposals have to demonstrate how the projects in question will boost women's income and social status and not add to their hardships.