In addition to the gifts which come within the exceptions set forth in 5 CFR 2635.204, and subject to all provisions of 5 CFR 2635.201 through 2635.205, a DoD employee may accept gifts from outside sources otherwise prohibited by 5 CFR 2635.202(a) as follows:

1. (a) Events sponsored by States, local governments or civic organizations. A DoD employee may accept a sponsor's unsolicited gift of free attendance for himself and an accompanying spouse at an event sponsored by a State or local government or by a civic organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4) when:

   1. (1) The agency designee has determined that the community relations interests of the agency will be served by the DoD employee's attendance;
   2. (2) The cost of the DoD employee's and the spouse's attendance is provided by the sponsor in accordance with 5 CFR 2635.204(g)(5); and
   3. (3) The gift of free attendance meets the definition in 5 CFR 2635.204(g)(4).

2. (b) Scholarships and grants. A DoD employee, or the dependent of a DoD employee, may accept an educational scholarship or grant from an entity that does not have interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or non-performance of the involved DoD employee's official duties, or from an association or similar entity that does not have a majority of members with such interests, if the designated agency ethics official or designee determines that:

   1. (1) The scholarship or grant is made as part of an established program of grants or awards that is funded, wholly or in part, to ensure its continuation on a regular basis and under which recipients are selected pursuant to written standards; or
   2. (2) The scholarship or grant is established for the benefit of DoD employees, or the dependents of DoD employees, and recipients are selected pursuant to written standards approved by the Secretary of Defense or, where the scholarship or grant is available only to military members or their dependents, by the Secretary of the military department concerned.