1.

Welcome to Dollars for Scholars

Scholarship America’s Dollars for Scholars affiliate is a time-tested way to manage and grow a new or an
existing scholarship program. For more than 50 years, Scholarship America, the nation’s largest provider
of private scholarships, has helped community groups and organizations nationwide establish and
operate Dollars for Scholars scholarship programs.

Since Dr. Irving Fradkin raised the first dollar for student scholarships in Fall River, Massachusetts in
1958, and coined his effort “Dollars for Scholars," this unique grassroots program has provided more
than 527 million dollars to 676,000 students across the country . More than just the impact of financial
aid, Dollars for Scholars has united communities in a common effort, mobilized citizens to support
higher education and provided inspiration and encouragement to students from all walks of life. You can
check out our Chapter Search to see where our current affiliates are located across the nation.

Scholarship America provides a ready-made model for your community or organization to join this
nationally-recognized movement and make a lasting impact on students in your area. Are you ready to
join the movement?

2. An Overview of the Program

For the first time in decades, American students are achieving college degrees at lower rates than other
industrialized countries. Currently, only about half of students who start a post-secondary degree
program complete their education. With tuition and fees rising at rates well above the rate of inflation,
students are also saddled with increasing amounts of student loan debt. The average student loan debt
is more than $26,000 and the rate of defaulting on those loans is going up.

Scholarship America Dollars for Scholars, the largest, grassroots national scholarship program, can
change these statistics by harnessing the power of its community – hundreds of local organizations, and
thousands of volunteers and donors supporting local students with financial aid and other supports.

Private scholarships from Dollars for Scholars affiliates can help promising students with financial need
complete their education by filling the gaps in funding from other sources, reducing the level of debt
and hours needed to work while attending school, allowing students to attend the post-secondary
institution of their choice, and providing the incentive and encouragement to achieve their academic
goals.

The Role of Scholarship America

Scholarship America is committed to supporting the development and sustainability of its Dollars for
Scholars affiliates through personalized, expert support; accessible training and resources; web-based
program and scholarship management tools, a local and nationally-branded website template and
hosting; networking opportunities; funding opportunities, and visibility and public awareness through a
respected national brand identity. Dollars for Scholars affiliates are supported through a long list of
specific affiliation benefits that continues to grow as programs identify and request new benefits.

Here's what you can expect from Scholarship America. We will:

• Be responsive and relationship-driven

• Maintain clear and consistent expectations
• Maintain clear and consistent communications
• Provide usable tools including concrete examples and resources with how-to guides and
templates
• Provide accessible, relevant and timely training/expertise on a wide range of topics
• Broker resources for Dollars for Scholars affiliates:
• National, area and/or local partners
• National, area and/or local sponsors
• "Evangelizers" and advocates
• Matching grants or other funding opportunities
• Develop and maintain a strong, visible, national brand and organizational awareness
• Develop and maintain credible and useful national spokespeople
• Expand the Collegiate Partners program and increase the value of the program for programs,
students and colleges/universities
• Develop and maintain a strong national community or movement of Dollars for Scholars affiliates
• Develop and maintain opportunities for chapters to participate in and support the Dollars for
Scholars program at all levels (local, area and national)
• Be passionate and united about the mission and cause
• Value our services and benefits
• Be accountable, service-oriented and act with integrity
3. The Impact of Dollars for Scholars

Successful Dollars for Scholars affiliates have two essential things in common:

1. They raise money annually to award impactful, performance-based renewable scholarships to

students with financial need who have also demonstrated motivation and perseverance. Research
shows that performance-based, renewable scholarships (i.e., awards given to students each year of their
education, as long as they fulfill requirements) can boost graduation rates by 5 to 10 percent.

2. They maintain an ongoing connection with scholarship recipients and track student outcomes.
Scholarships are most effective at increasing college completion rates when combined with some type
of social engagement—adult or peer mentoring, clubs/activities, summer internships and online
discussion or social networking programs. Whatever engagement activity a program chooses, the
purpose should be to provide personal and/or professional support for scholarship recipients in order to
help them succeed in college and in life.

What's Expected From All New Dollars for Scholars Affiliates

As you organize, you'll need to:

• Successfully complete all steps to affiliation
• Think, plan and act for long-term sustainability
• Think, plan and act for greatest student impact and be results-driven
• Use a business model to guide planning/operations (start with a three year business
plan/budget)
• Understand that the program is a licensed affiliate of Scholarship America
• Develop and maintain active, annual plans for fundraising and marketing
• Follow governance best practices

Your scholarship program needs to:

• Serve a community of students located within a defined geographic area as specified in the
affiliation agreement
• Serve a community not currently served by another Dollars for Scholars program, unless there is
a collaboration agreement with the existing chapter
• Serve a community that includes low income students, as defined by federal income guidelines
• Provide, impactful performance-based, renewable scholarships to support students with
economic need throughout their college career
• Renewable scholarships should be a minimum, per student scholarship award of $1,000 per year
for each year of the academic degree or certificate program, e.g. $1,000 x 2 years for students
attending community college.
• Distribute the first scholarship award within the first two years of affiliation
• Maintain a relationship with student recipients throughout their college career
• Track student outcomes
• Build in opportunities for student involvement in program activities
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with K-12 schools, colleges/universities, community
groups, business community, etc.
• Develop and maintain a strong visibility in the community and build a "college culture"
And your program will need to commit to the following best business practices:
• Complete adoption/full implementation of ChapterNet
• Full compliance with all brand standards
• Full compliance with all program policies and requirements
• Responsive and active communication/engagement with Scholarship America
• Stay current with Scholarship America communications, resources
• Attend Dollars for Scholars training on an annual basis
• Engage with other Dollars for Scholars programs and be an active member of the national
community
• Conduct an annual financial audit or review (as per state requirements)
• Bonded
4. Three Chapter Models to Fit Your Community

All Dollars for Scholars affiliates govern and manage all aspects of their operations, but maintain their
affiliation status with Scholarship America by following the parameters and standards set forth in an
affiliation agreement.

1. Community Chapter: A locally-operated organization that incorporates and affiliates as a Dollars for
Scholars affiliate under Scholarship America’s 501(c)(3) charitable, federal tax-exempt status (part of
Scholarship America’s group IRS ruling).

2. Corporate Chapter: A locally-operated organization sponsored by a private company or corporation,

led by employee volunteers, and operating as a Dollars for Scholars affiliate under Scholarship America’s
501(c)(3) charitable, federal tax-exempt status (part of Scholarship America’s group IRS ruling).

3. Affiliate Provider: An existing non-profit organization incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable, federal

tax-exempt status that is licensed to use the Dollars for Scholars program to provide post-secondary
scholarships.

Each type of Dollars for Scholars affiliate is unique in terms of how it operates and the community and
students it serves, but all programs are alike in their commitment to helping students access and
succeed in their education beyond high school.

Additional Requirements for a Community Chapter

• Maintain a minimum of 10 Board of Directors to include President, Vice President, Treasurer,
Secretary and committee chairs
• Maintain a minimum additional working (non-voting) volunteer base of 15
• Incorporate as a legal entity in the state where doing business

Additional Requirements for an Affiliate Provider

• Organization has a compatible mission (education-related)
• Organization’s charitable status, financials and reputation in the community are in good standing
• Maintain a minimum of 10 members on the Dollars for Scholars program committee which
should include representatives from the community being served
• Conduct a minimum of 1 Dollars for Scholars branded, community-based fundraising event per
year

Additional Requirements for a Corporate Chapter

• Employee volunteers will provide the leadership and direction for the chapter, serving on the
governing Board of Directors and affiliate committees.
• Employee volunteer leaders of the chapter should have autonomy to make decisions and
determine direction for the affiliate.
• Corporate ownership/management should not dictate the decisions of the affiliate
• Employees’ performance or compensation should not be predicated by their engagement
as a corporate volunteer for the affiliate.
• Affiliate leadership and volunteers should also include representatives from the community
served (suggested 75/25 split).
• Maintain a minimum of 10 Board of Directors to include President, Vice President, Treasurer,
Secretary and committee chairs
 • Maintain a minimum additional working (non-voting) volunteer base of 15
• Scholarships may not be given to employees or children of employees.
• Scholarship program serves students in a community (city, neighborhood, school district or
individual school) that is located in or near (in the same metropolitan area) the corporate
headquarters or branch office.
• Affiliate can only serve students in one community that is located in or near the same city as the
corporate headquarters or branch office. If the corporation wants to serve more than one
community (headquarters and a branch office), then more than one chapter has to be
developed.
• The name of the affiliate must include the name of the corporation followed by the name Dollars
for Scholars (e.g. Cobalt Mortgage Dollars for Scholars) and Scholarship America brand standards
governing corporate chapters must be followed.
• The corporation provides the initial seed money for the first five years of the affiliate operations.
• After the first five years in operation, community fundraising (which can include donations
solicited from employees, vendors or other individuals engaged in the corporate community),
should be the primary vehicle for the affiliate’s revenue.

5. Costs of Affiliation

Start-up Affiliation Fees

Community Chapter = $1,000
Affiliate Provider = $2,000
Corporate Chapter = $3,000

Annual Affiliation Fees

Corporate Chapters (based on chapter's total organizational assets):
Less than $50K = $400
$50K - $99K = $700 (fee includes tax preparation and filing)
$100K+ = $800 (fee includes tax preparation and filing)

Affiliate Providers (based on the organization’s annual operating budget):

Less than $500K = $800
$500K - $1.5M = $1,200
$1.5M+ = $1,500

Corporate Affiliate (based on the company’s annual revenues):

Less than $500K = $1,500
$500K – $1.5M = $2,000
$1.5M+ = $2,500
6. The Role of Dollars for Scholars Volunteers
Volunteers are the backbone of any Dollars for Scholars affiliate. While organizations may have or hire
staff, all community and corporate affiliates are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and all
affiliate providers are led by a volunteer program committee. Volunteers for both types of programs are
essential to carry out activities and events. A successful Dollars for Scholars affiliate has a robust,
committed group of results-driven volunteers who bring diverse talents, resources and perspectives,
and who are always recruiting new volunteers and building for the future.

Are you passionate about higher education in your community? Are you a connected, well-respected,
recognized leader? Do you have a vision for a more successful community—and the ability to partner
with other driven volunteers to make it happen? Then you're the right person to organize a new Dollars
for Scholars affiliate.

You'll also need a team of fellow volunteers who share your passion and drive. Like you, they should be
willing to commit to your community's educational future; they should also represent a diverse set of
skills, backgrounds, opinions and connections.

Qualities of a Dollars for Scholars Leader/Organizer

A leader and/or organizer should demonstrate the following characteristics:
• Results-driven
• Passionate about higher education/scholarships
• Highly connected and respected in the community
• Ability to influence others
• Visionary/big thinker
• Ability to sell the vision
• Ability to give and/or get significant resources
• Business-oriented and acumen
• Positive thinker
• Ability and willingness to delegate
• Active and recognized leader in the community
• Organized and an organizer
• Desire and ability to act locally and think globally

Qualities of a Dollars for Scholars Volunteer

A volunteer should demonstrate the following characteristics:
• Personally invested/passionate about mission
• Willing and able to make meaningful give/get contribution
• Willing to commit significant time to the organization including attending meetings and
participating in events
• Ability to give and/or get resources
• Ability to be an advocate/ambassador
• Creative
• Represents diverse skills, age, occupation, experience and community sector
• Combination of a leader and a doer
• Willingness to learn
• Desire and ability to act locally and think globally
7. Take The Next Step
Contact
Click here to contact your Area Director, who will get in touch and send you a Community Evaluation
and Volunteer Profile to fill out.

Consult
After you've sent those forms, your Area Director will schedule a one-on-one consultation where you
can learn more about Dollars for Scholars. You'll also receive a more in-depth Community Assessment,
SWOT Analysis and Business/Strategic Plan to fill out along with other volunteers.

Get Started
Once you've completed this step, you'll meet with your Area Director again to finalize provisional
affiliation; this will include submitting a program roster, by-laws and your affiliation fee.
Congratulations!

Welcome to Dollars for Scholars!

Within 90 days of your provisional affliation, you'll need to finish the following to receive your program
affliation certificate and final affiliation agreement -- welcome aboard!

Documents
 Articles of Incorporation (Chartered and Affiliate Provider only )
 Copy of bonding and insurance
 Copy of bank account signature card with EIN#
 Copies signed Dollars for Scholars Affiliation Agreement
Activities
 Program orientation training
 Setting up ChapterNet website
 Participate in a consultation meeting with Area Director
 Contact assigned mentor program