Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust

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Grantmaking and Scholarship Guidelines
 


 
Grant Application Guidelines
 

The Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust envisions a fully integrated community where all children and families are valued and have what they need to be healthy and successful.  Our mission is to invest in programs in the Roaring Fork community that strengthen children’s health and welfare and promote cultural integration.

 

Grants made by the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust typically range from $500 to $5,000.  Priority is given to organizations that can demonstrate significant outcomes that are aligned with our mission.


Letter of Inquiry
 

The Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited full proposals, however Letters of Inquiry are welcome from organizations whose work is aligned with the foundation’s mission and giving priorities.  Non-profit organizations desiring to apply for funds should submit a 1 to 2 page Letter of Inquiry that includes: 

 
  1. Description of the organization, including the mission statement
  2. The project or program funds are requested for, including the project purpose, targeted population(s) and planned outcomes
  3. Income and Expense budget for the agency or program
  4. The budget for the project including the amount being requested

Letters of Inquiry are accepted year-round, and will be considered by the foundation’s Board of Trustees at their regular meetings.  If the Trustees determine that the project is within the current scope of giving, the organization will be invited to submit a full proposal using the Common Grant Application. 

 

One copy of the Letter should be sent to Carolyn Hardin via email (carolyn@schuss.org), and the original letter, signed by the Executive Director and the Board Chair, should be sent by mail to Carolyn at Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust, P.O. Box 1396, Carbondale, CO  81623.

 

Organizations funded in the previous year may be invited to apply for another grant, provided they have complied with the terms of their grant award. Reapplications should include the items listed above, as well as the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust Applicant Financial Information form.


Full Grant Proposals
 

If the Board of Trustees is interested in funding an organization after reading their Letter of Inquiry, they will invite them to submit a full proposal.  Full proposals include the Colorado Common Grant Application along with the required attachments, and the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust Applicant Financial Information Form. Both forms may be found on the Applications page of our website, www.schuss.org.

 

One copy of the full application should be sent to Carolyn Hardin via email (carolyn@schuss.org), and the original application, signed by the Executive Director and the Board Chair, should be sent by mail to Carolyn at the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust, P.O. Box 1396, Carbondale, CO  81623.  Applicants are encouraged to create one PDF of all of the documents for the electronic submission, and to make the hard copy for submission by mail double-sided.

Applicants may be asked to make a presentation to our Board regarding the organization and  proposal.

 

Agencies applying for funds from the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust are strongly discouraged from lobbying individual board members regarding their application(s).

 

Organizations who receive funding from the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust will be required to report on the expenditure of the grant funds using the Common Grant Report, which is also available on our website.  In addition, we may invite you to come to a meeting of the Board of Trustees to tell us about the outcomes your agency was able to achieve with our funding.

 

Questions about these guidelines, the process, or the application should be directed to Carolyn Hardin at the address above.

 

Thank you for your interest in partnering with the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust.

 

  Revised 3/1/11

 
Scholarship Guidelines

The Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust provides up to $3,000 per year for a maximum of two years to students who have graduated from high school to pursue college studies or specialized training. The Trust prefers to award scholarships to students who have overcome hardships; students who have a good high school record, but may not rank among the top students in their class; students who have been involved in their school and community; and/or students who have a goal of achieving a degree in an area of significant community need (e.g. bilingual nurse or mental health professional).

 Scholarships are paid to the institution, for expenses related to tuition, required books and supplies, and if applicable, room and board.  Successful applicants will demonstrate that they have sufficient funding available from all sources to achieve their stated goals.
  
Eligibility 
Students who have graduated from high school in the Roaring Fork School District, or who have graduated or achieved GED certification or home school certification and who live in the Roaring Fork School District.
 
Criteria
  • Pursuit of a college degree—Bachelors or Associate
  • Pursuit of an advanced degree in a field of significant community need
  • Vocational or technical training goal at an accredited institution leading to a certification
  • U.S. citizen or legal resident eligible for in-state tuition
  • Demonstrated family financial need
  • Full-time, or part-time if student works or has unusual family responsibilities
  • Student’s family is expected to provide a substantial part of the educational expenses, relative to its ability to provide that support
 Application Procedure
  • Student consults with counselor or advisor to determine eligibility (if in high school)
  • Student completes a Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust 2011 Scholarship Application, including the Estimate of Financial Needs for College, and attaches two letters of recommendation, high school transcript, SAT and ACT scores, and copy of FAFSA or two years tax returns for student and family
  • Student submits 2 copies of Application and required attachments to counselor, or if not in high school, by mail to Carolyn Hardin, Executive Director of the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust at P.O. Box 1396, Carbondale, CO 81623. Application finalists may be personally interviewed by the Schuss Charitable Trust Scholarship committee.

  Deadline
  • Applications must be in to the school counselor or mailed by April 1, 2011 for high school applicants and to Carolyn Hardin as directed for other applicants.
 Notice of Award
  • Scholarship recipients will be notified by mail
  • Students not chosen to be finalists will not be contacted
 Scholarship Requirements
 
  1. Students awarded a scholarship must provide the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust with proof of enrollment (e.g. letter or schedule of classes provided by the college), the contact information for the financial aid office (mailing and email addresses, phone number), and their student identification number before the funds will be released.
  2. Awardees are expected to demonstrate satisfactory progress toward their educational goals, including maintaining at least a “C” average. 
  3. Awardees must provide the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust with a copy of their transcript at the close of each semester.  Funds for the second semester will not be released until this is received by the Trust.  Recipients are also required to write a letter to the Trust with their impressions of their school experience and detailing any changes in educational plans.
  4.  Recipients must provide the Betty Jane Schuss Charitable Trust with their current contact information, including home and school mailing address, email address, cell phone number, and parent’s home phone number and address. The Trust must be notified of any changes in this information during the year. 
  5. Recipients who meet the above requirements may be invited by the Trust to apply for a second year of scholarship funding. 
          Revised 3/1/11

Promoting healthy children, families and communities