A/HRC/37/20 peer training, workshops, seminars and conferences or staff exchanges. They are to be conducted primarily for the benefit of the professional staff of the organization applying for support. Grant applications for projects involving investigation, research, studies, publications or other similar activities are not admissible. 6. Outside of the regular grants cycle and subject to availability of funds, the Fund also considers applications for emergency assistance under the emergency intersessional procedure, outlined in the guidelines for the Fund. Emergency grants may be awarded in exceptional circumstances, such as a sudden increase in the number of victims of torture to be assisted as a result of a humanitarian crisis, including armed conflict, war or natural disaster. Emergency grants may also be awarded to enable organizations to resume their activities when such crises result in grave situations (e.g., destruction of their premises or offices) that make it impossible for them to continue providing assistance. B. Monitoring and evaluation of grants 7. As a rule, pre-screening visits to the applicant organizations are undertaken before a grant is awarded for a new project proposal. Regular visits to monitor ongoing projects for which the renewed support of the Fund is being sought are also conducted to assess the implementation and impact of the projects funded. Internal guidelines on conducting visits to assess projects that have been or are to be funded were developed by the secretariat of the Fund to ensure a consistent evaluation process. Visits to undertake technical evaluations of 68 projects were carried out in 2017, including by the secretariat of the Fund, OHCHR field presences and members of the Board. III. Financial situation of the Fund 8. The Board, in close coordination with the secretariat of the Fund and the Donor and External Relations Section of OHCHR, seeks to secure a more satisfactory level of contributions from donors, which is needed to respond to the current realities of victims of torture and their family members worldwide. A minimum yearly income of $12 million would be necessary to respond adequately to the requests for assistance received by the Fund from rehabilitation centres and redress programmes worldwide. In the past three years, the Fund has managed to secure an average yearly income of $9 million. 9. The table below shows the contributions and pledges received in 2017 (as of 10 December). At the forty-sixth session of the Board, at which grants were recommended for projects to be implemented in 2018, the Fund had a net total of $8,360,690 available for its 2018 activities, including the award of grants. Contributions and pledges received from 1 January to 10 December 2017 Amount (United States dollars) Date of receipt Austria 16 797 12 June 2017 Canada 43 989 19 April 2017 5 000 15 March 2017 9 164 15 September 2017 Donor Contributions and pledges Chile Czechia Denmark France 428 877 24 February 2017 21 231 25 April 2017 Germany 447 928 28 June 2017 Germany 202 133 8 December 2017 India 25 000 26 January 2017 Ireland 91 299 11 April 2017 3