San Antonio Junior Forum - Grants-Scholarships

Scholarships

History of Scholarship Giving

The first annual San Antonio Junior Forum Scholarship fund was established in 1972. Each year, graduating seniors from Bexar County High Schools, are given the opportunity to apply for SAJF scholarships through the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation’s Bexar County Scholarship Clearing House. San Antonio Junior Forum has awarded more than $200,000.00 to students who we feel are outstanding examples of intelligent, motivated and caring individuals.

Scholarships Offered

San Antonio Junior Forum offers a minimum of three scholarships annually (A – C listed below). Other scholarships may be offered to graduating seniors if funds are available. SAJF will offer the following scholarships for seniors graduating during their 2011-2012 school year. The scholarship will fund the recipients’ 2012-2013 school year.

A. One (1) San Antonio Junior Forum Margaret Hudson Scholarship of $8000 is awarded every four years, apportioned at $2000 per year, to a graduating senior planning on attending an accredited college/university in Texas

B. One (1) San Antonio Junior Forum Memorial Scholarship of $2000 is awarded each year to a graduating senior planning on attending an accredited college/university in the USA

C. One (1) San Antonio Junior Forum Presidential Scholarship of $2000 is awarded each year to a graduating senior planning on attending an accredited college/university in Texas

D. One (1) San Antonio Junior Forum Presidential Scholarship for Special Needs Students of $2000 may be awarded each year to a graduating senior planning on pursuing post secondary education after graduation in the USA

E. One (1) San Antonio Junior Forum Dr. Bruce Mather Scholarship of $2,000 may be awarded each year to a graduating senior planning on studying math, science, or engineering at an accredited college/university in the USA

Applicant Requirements for Scholarships other than Presidential Scholarship for Special Needs

• Completion of the Bexar County Scholarship Clearing House Scholarship Application (One counselor nomination per school accepted)

• Graduating Senior attending a Bexar County High School

• Rank in the top 25% of their class

• Planning on attending a four-year college/university program in the fall.

• Students applying for the Presidential Scholarship for Special Needs must be pursuing post secondary education at an accredited college/university.

• Committee evaluation of financial need, leadership, scholarship and character

• Committee Interview

Applicant Requirements for Presidential Scholarship for Special Needs Students

• Completion of the Bexar County Scholarship Clearing House Scholarship Application. One counselor nomination per school accepted

• Graduating Senior attending a Bexar County High School

• Individualized Education Plan

• Planning on pursuing post secondary education in the fall

• Personal narrative of 200 words or less addressing how the student has been affected by his/her disability. Narrative may be typed by the applicant or by someone who will record the applicant’s own words

• Committee evaluation of financial need, leadership, scholarship and character

• Committee Interview

Scholarship Recipient Requirements

• Official verification of acceptance from the 4 year college/university to be attended

• Official verification of enrolment as a full time student at a 4 year accredited college/university (12+ semester credit hours) from the registrar's office

• Official transcripts of grades showing that the student has maintained a good academic standing each semester (absence of any contingency that would result in the student being on academic probation or academic dismissal)

• Notification in writing of any changes in personal information and/or changes in the college/university attended

Failure to provide to the Scholarship Committee Chairperson any of the above information in a timely manner will result in the loss of qualification for scholarship.

Questions regarding any of the SAJF scholarships may be emailed to scholarships@sajf.org.

Grants

Funding Priorities / Eligible Projects:

Applications are accepted from tax-exempt 501(c)(3) San Antonio regional organizations seeking funding of $2,500 or less for specific projects that will benefit economically, emotionally and/or physically disadvantaged individuals
San Antonio Junior Forum awards grants to organizations that support the mission of our organization – “to strengthen civic, educational, and philanthropic awareness among women as they strive to serve those in need through service to non-profit charitable organizations, provision of financial assistance to students seeking higher education, and provision of philanthropic grants to non-profit organizations in the San Antonio area”
Organizations must submit verification in the form of receipts specifying that funds granted were utilized for the purposes for which they were granted within 12 months of the grant being issued

Grant Request Guidelines

Grants are not provided to fund:

Requests exceeding $2,500.00
Individuals, churches, schools (public or private), or national organizations that do not have local financially independent chapters
Organizations with provisional 501(c)(3) status

Grants should not be requested for:

Research
Salaries or wage compensation
Administrative expenses
Training and Consulting
Travel expenses
Political campaigns
Capital campaigns
Religious campaigns
Fundraising expenses (purchase of tables, tickets or advertisements)
General operating expenses
Endowments
Debt reduction
Acquisitions or construction of buildings
Routine equipment or facility maintenance
Purchase of vehicles

Grant Application Guidelines

All grant applications must be:

Submitted on the San Antonio Junior Forum Grant Application form

http://www.sanantoniojuniorforum.org/community_assistance/grant_application_form.PDF

Complete, accurate and legible
Postmarked by September 1st
Inclusive of 1 typed original application and 2 copies
Inclusive of all supporting documentation for each copy of the application
Mailed (not couriered; not requiring signature) to the following address:

San Antonio Junior Forum
15600 San Pedro
Suite 105
San Antonio, Texas
78232
Attention: 4th VP Grants

Supporting Documentation

The following supporting documentation must be attached to each copy of the application:

Abstract of project proposal (4-5 lines describing need/problem to be addressed, project objectives, methods, items to fund, and expected results)
IRS letter ruling 501(c) (3) status
Certificate of General Liability Insurance
Most recent IRS Form 990 filing including Section A or financial audit for past fiscal year or financial statements for past two fiscal years
Organization’s General Operating Budget
Organization’s Officers and Board of Directors
Project Budget (itemized by cost - $2500 or less)
Project Timeline
Any additional supporting documentation

Evaluation

All grant applications are reviewed and selected by the San Antonio Junior Forum Grants/Scholarships Committee and approved by the SAJF Board and SAJF general membership. If the proposal is within the guidelines and interests as stated above, the following additional factors are taken into consideration:

Project’s ability to serve an adequate number of individuals
Project’s potential for success both immediately and ultimately
Project’s originality and low level of duplication
Project’s broadness of scope, intent, impact and outreach
Ratio of cost per person served to dollars requested

We are regretfully unable to support all worthwhile causes. San Antonio Junior Forum gives preference to those organizations that best fit our grant criteria as stated above and which are responsive to critical community needs.

Tax Year and Anticipated Grant Funding

The San Antonio Junior Forum’s fiscal year is June 1st- May 31st. The number of organizations funded will depend on the quantity and quality of grant applications received and reviewed. Final grant total is contingent on the San Antonio Junior Forum’s fundraising efforts.

The selected applicants will be notified by December 15th.

Questions

Please forward all questions or requests to: grants@sajf.org

Grant Application

WORDS FROM SAJF GRANT RECIPIENTS

“Thank you for the Grant in the amount of $500.00 toward the Down Syndrome Association’s Adult Matters Spring Formal Dance. We also look forward to working with the volunteers that are able to help at the dance. It is considerate organizations like yours that make a difference in the lives of these special children!”

- Terri Mauldin, Executive Director, Down Syndrome Association of San Antonio

“Opera4Kids is the only professional fully stages opera education program available to students in San Antonio and we are proud to offer this education program free to Bexar County Middle Schools. San Antonio Opera thanks you for your $2500 contribution to our opera education program: your generosity will help to ensure children in Bexar County have access to the performing arts.”

- Mark Richter, Founder and Artistic Director, San Antonio Opera

“Thank you so much for the magnificent donation of $2500 in support of the San Antonio Food Bank’s BackPack Program. The San Antonio Food Bank’s BackPack Program serves as a food safety net for thousands of families with children that for reasons beyond their control depend on the program to meet their nutritional needs. With your help thousands of children will not go hungry.”

- Eric Cooper, President and CEO, San Antonio Food Bank
- Romulo Spiller, Grants Manager, San Antonio Food Bank

“On behalf of the board and staff of Christian Senior Services, I would like to thank you and the San Antonio Junior Forum for your grant of $2400 to purchase new tables for our Grace Place Alzheimer’s Activity Center. Thank you on behalf of the family caregivers who work every day to keep their parents, their spouses, their siblings and their friends who suffer from Alzheimer’s at home for as long as possible. With your help, we are able to give them the support they need to continue their caregiving responsibilities. Thank you so much for your generous support and for caring about frail elders in our community who are in need of our assistance.”

- Sharon Baughman, Executive Director, Christian Senior Services

“Please accept our appreciation for your support of our “Breaking the Cycle of Abuse” project. The very generous gift of $1750 will help our therapists have effective tools to help our children come to terms with what has happened in their lives. We believe that without the help of our community, quality services to children would be much more difficult, and we appreciate all that you do to help the many deserving charities in San Antonio. Thank you again, and we enjoyed the opportunity to show you our MeadowLand Campus. We know that after seeing how happy, healthy, and safe our children feel, you will understand why your support is so important to us.”

- Gloria Berumen Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives
- Kathy Glascock, Senior Director of Development, Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives