Scholarship Giving

The following guide is for interested donors who are considering sponsoring a scholarship for students at De Anza College.

1. The donor may choose their desired level of involvement in establishing the criteria to advertise the scholarship and the composition of the selection committee. The Financial Aid Office is happy to guide donors through their choices.
2. The donor is encouraged to write a short description of the scholarship and the purpose of the scholarship to be kept in a permanent file.
3. The criteria should be developed to describe the applicant pool which best identifies the intended student recipient(s). Samples of criteria to be addressed are:
   

   • Minimum G.P.A. requirement
   • Minimum course completion requirement
   • Letters of Recommendation
   • Minimum enrollment status/number of units
   • Verifying documentation; i.e. student body card, program acceptance
   • Major course of study declared
   • Financial need
   • Essay or sample of work
   • Involvement in specific or general activities (on or off campus)

   NOTE: De Anza College has a strong commitment to open access for all students.
   For this reason, selection criteria related to race, ethnicity, gender, citizenship or national origin are not acceptable, as they do not provide for the most inclusive initial applicant pool. We strongly suggest the donor look for criteria from the above list to best describe the student they wish to help the most.

4. The standing scholarship selection committee may be used to make preliminary or final selections. The standing committee is composed of members of the faculty, classified staff, students and administrative staff. The standing committee could also be augmented by a donor representative or the donor could make the selection(s). It is also possible for the standing committee to select a final selection pool and for the donor to make the final selection from that pool. Every effort will be made to accommodate the donor's wishes.
5. The standard scholarship application may be used or the donor may wish to develop their own application.
6. Funds must be available and on deposit with the College before advertising.
7. Advertising begins in October. The application period ends mid-February. Applications are prepared and reviewed for minimum compliance by early March. Selections will be made and announced by the end of April. Student scholarship recipients and donors will be honored in May or June.
8. Administration of scholarships including advertising, providing guidance to applicants individually or in workshops, collecting applications, reviewing and preparing applications for selection, selection (optional), notification of applicants, disbursing funds, correspondence with donors and account reporting are all provided free of charge to the donor.
9. Donations to assist students without setting up a new scholarship can be accommodated. Possibilities include donations to existing scholarships, student contingency funds, book loans and endowed giving where needed most.

College staff are available for additional information or for help in setting up a scholarship Contact Cindy Castillo or Sarah Ratner in the De Anza Financial Aid Office (408) 864-8226 or Robin Latta-Lyssenko in the Foundation Office (650) 949-6233.

We appreciate your interest in the students of De Anza College! 

Establishing A Scholarship

Impact Student Success for Decades to Come!

Thank you for your interest in establishing a scholarship to benefit students at Foothill and/or De Anza Colleges. There are two types of scholarships; endowed and flow-through.

Endowed Scholarships

Endowed scholarships exist in perpetuity, providing student support now and for future generations. When an individual or organization establishes an endowed scholarship, the gift is invested as principal and the income distributed annually for scholarship awards. Endowments may be established with a $25,000 minimum gift: gifts should be made in consideration of the annual payout and the needs of the scholarship recipients.

Endowed scholarships provide a lasting tribute in honor/memory of loved ones and other exemplary individuals, and ensure students with the support necessary to achieve educational success.

Flow-Through Scholarships

Flow-through scholarships are established as short-term or one-time gifts. When an individual or organization establishes a flow-through scholarship, the established dollar amount is awarded to students until the gift is expended. In order for an award to provide for students' real needs, we suggest a minimum annual scholarship of $1,000.

Donors often ask that part of their annual gift be distributed to students as a scholarship and a portion be set aside to build an endowment. For example, the donor may pledge to donate $5,000 yearly for the next ten years and request distribution of the entire gift each year OR distribution of $2,500 yearly and investment of the remaining $2,500 into an endowment account.

Establishing Criteria

Scholarship committees on each campus select student recipients based on criteria established by the donor in consultation with the Financial Aid Office. Criteria can include: academic interest, residency, financial need and/or merit, and grade point average. You may wish to require a written statement or essay responding to a specific question or questions. It is best to consult with Foundation staff when establishing your criteria to be sure to avoid violating federal laws and/or district anti-discrimination policies.

Financial Management

The Foothill-De Anza Foundation Board of Directors supervises the management of all Foundation funds. The Foundation's financials are audited annually and a copy of the latest audited financial statement is available upon request. A copy of the Foundation's Endowment Policy is also available upon request. The Commonfund, a large, not-for-profit investment manager serving educational and other not-for-profit institutions, manages most of the Foundation's assets. Visit www.commonfund.org for more information about our investment manager.

What to Do Next

Scholarships can be funded with gifts of cash, appreciated securities, real estate or other property. You can create a wonderful legacy through a bequest or trust to establish scholarships that meet your specific wishes. Please call Marie Fox Ellison at the Foundation office at 650-949-6149 or foxmarie@fhda.edu to discuss how we may help you to meet your philanthropic objectives.

THANK YOU!

"This honor continues to feed the fire that burns inside me for an education. What the scholarship taught me is that I have the faith and belief inside myself and someone else has it too! This honor makes me realize that once I establish myself in the business arena, I too must make provisions so the next generation will have much needed financial help."

K. R. F.