Scholarship Fund
An Investment in the Future.
A Future of Possibilities.
Helping others pursue higher education is possible with a Scholarship Fund. You can invest in the future by helping deserving students benefit from financial assistance, as well as the recognition of receiving a scholarship.
Our staff will work with you to create the scholarship fund you envision. As a donor, you choose the eligibility and selection criteria, amount, and quantity of scholarship awards given each year. You can serve on your selection committee and recommend other participants, however your family members and donors to the fund cannot represent a majority of the selection committee. Our staff works with you to create guidelines based on the eligibility and selection criteria you choose. We also handle all administrative and financial management responsibilities associated with awarding the scholarship. This includes promoting the scholarship to eligible students, accepting online applications, conducting the scholarship selection committee meetings, and issuing scholarship correspondence and payments to the recipient’s educational institution.
What are the Benefits of a Scholarship Fund?
The Community Foundation of Central Georgia works directly with you to set up your ideal Scholarship Fund, tailored meet to the needs of the recipients you envision.
- Endowing a scholarship fund with at least $50,000 will ensure that a scholarship award is generated each year in perpetuity. A fund of this size correlates to the minimum annual administrative fee of $500 for scholarship funds.
- As the donor, you can choose the amount and quantity of scholarship awards given each year. We recommend a spending policy of four percent of the fund’s average balance over the previous 20 quarters. For example, a fund of $50,000 would generate $2,000 for awards the first year.
- By setting up your scholarship fund through the Community Foundation, you are able to support a variety of local students instead of only benefiting students who attend a specific university.
- You can actively participate in the awarding of your scholarship at the recipients’ school.
- You or a family member can serve on the selection committee. We recommend a committee of three to seven people, and due to IRS regulations, the donors and family members cannot make up its majority.
- Our staff handles all of the administration – from developing guidelines based on your input to accepting applications, organizing selection committee meetings, confirming student grades, and issuing checks to the student’s institution. We are here to fully serve your Scholarship Fund’s needs.
- All scholarship funds have an online application form that streamlines the application process for students and enables students to submit their application electronically.
Have a Question?
If you have questions or are ready to create a Scholarship Fund, contact Julia Wood at 478-750-9338 or jwood@cfcga.org.
Hear From Donors
The Class of 1959 chose to create a scholarship fund with the Community Foundation because of their reputation of sound financial management and stewardship, how they work with people to secure donations, and how they work with the donors. And when someone donates to our fund, they know their money is, and always will be, for the direct benefit of students at Central High School.
- Jonathan Lee, Miller Lanier Central Scholarship FundI will always be grateful for the William P. Simmons Art Scholarship because it allowed me to begin on a career path that I have enjoyed for decades now– bringing the joy of art to adults and children.
- Denise Massey, recipient of the William P. Simmons Art Scholarship FundFeatured Video
