As part of its Resilient Philanthropy series, Foundant recently hosted a conversation with three scholarship providers about what they learned during the pandemic and how they used that information to create greater impact for the students they serve. This blog post is the second in a three-part series that will highlight lessons learned and promising practices.
Triangle Community Foundation (TCF) has always made it a priority to listen to and learn from the students it serves, but this has never been more important than during the pandemic. TCF’s team used the information they gathered to make significant changes to scholarship administration, focusing on four key stakeholder groups: current recipients, new applicants, selection committees, and donors. While COVID-19 inspired these new practices, TCF anticipates continuing to use many of them for years to come.
Watch the webinar Foundant recently hosted with TCF and other scholarship providers to hear more about their experiences. Also read the following summary of practices TCF employed to increase student resilience and consider how these could be implemented within your own organization.
Current Recipients
TCF made numerous changes to further support current scholarship recipients. TCF began by allowing students whose GPAs unexpectedly dropped below eligibility requirements to maintain their awards. TCF launched the Student Assistance Fund—its version of an emergency fund—years ahead of schedule to help scholars cover unanticipated costs such as housing and food. TCF will also host virtual student gatherings this summer in response to student requests to connect with each other. To learn from current recipients, TCF began paying its Scholarship Recipient Advisory Committee members cash stipends to provide regular guidance to TCF staff. And they added a number of questions to post-award follow-up forms, including questions about how COVID-19 impacted students’ financial circumstances and learning experiences.
New Applicants
The TCF team also updated application requirements and procedures to provide increased flexibility to new scholarship applicants. Instead of requesting GPAs from the most recently completed academic term, TCF allowed students to provide their highest GPA from any of the three previous terms. TCF included several new questions about unanticipated impacts on income, wealth, and work hours; academic outcomes; and extra-curricular participation. And, to help reduce the burden on individuals who receive multiple recommendation letter requests, TCF allowed applicants to request letters via Third-Party functionality within SLM or to upload letters themselves.
Selection Committees and Donors
TCF altered the way it works with both volunteer selection committee members and donors. TCF extended committee evaluation periods by as much as four weeks. The TCF team also spent additional time educating decision makers about the many ways students were impacted by the pandemic, emphasizing an organizational commitment to trust students to honestly represent themselves and their needs. Staff also prepared themselves well in advance of meetings by writing and seeking approval on discussion agendas, creating new email templates in SLM, and building data sets and reports to ensure quick transmission to committee and organizational leadership.
Learn More
Read other articles in the blog series to learn more from fellow scholarship providers:
- Understanding Student Needs and Building Responsive, Resilient Support
- Students as Changemakers: One Scholarship Approach to Creating Resilient Programming
Also watch a recent educational webinar, Increasing Access for All Students through Data-Driven Practices, co-hosted by National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) and Foundant Technologies (click the link in the slide deck to access the video recording).
Learn how Foundant can streamline your scholarship management.
Jennifer Alleva
Jennifer Alleva is the Chief Executive Officer at Your Part-Time Controller, LLC (YPTC), a leading provider of nonprofit accounting services and #65 on Accounting Today’s list of Top 100 accounting firms.
Jennifer brings over three decades of expertise in accounting and leadership to her role as CEO of YPTC. A graduate of Boston College and a Certified Public Accountant, Jennifer joined YPTC in 2003 following a career in public accounting with Arthur Andersen and serving as Director of Finance and CFO for several companies. Jennifer was named YPTC Partner in 2007 and served as YPTC Managing Partner from 2018 to 2024.
As an advocate for excellence in nonprofit financial management, Jennifer has dedicated herself to educating Executive Directors and Board members on best practices in the field. Her commitment to advancing the accounting profession and nonprofit sector is reflected in her tenure as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute, her frequent speaking engagements on nonprofit financial management issues, and her role as the founder of the Women in Nonprofit Leadership Conference in Philadelphia.
When Jennifer joined YPTC in 2003, the firm consisted of just over 10 staff members. Since then, she has helped grow YPTC into one of the fastest growing accounting firms in the country. Throughout this growth, Jennifer has fostered countless opportunities for staff members to grow and expand their skills, contributing to YPTC’s consistent recognition as a Best Place to Work.
Jennifer’s passion for promoting the nonprofit’s mission-driven work extends beyond her professional endeavors. She has served as Treasurer of the Board for Catholic Partnership Schools in Camden, NJ, and has served on the Board of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Jennifer was a charter member of South Jersey Impact100, an organization dedicated to philanthropy and community impact. And, in 2021, Jennifer launched the Mission Business Podcast, which spotlights professionals and narratives from the nonprofit sector.
Jennifer Alleva’s leadership, expertise, and commitment to the nonprofit sector have not only contributed to Your Part-Time Controller, LLC’s significant growth, but have also advanced the field of nonprofit financial management. Through her professional achievements and community involvement, Jennifer continues to empower those dedicated to positivelyimpacting the world.
This blog is an original work of the attributed author. It is shared with permission via Foundant Technologies’ website for informative purposes only as part of our educational content in the social good sector. This text’s views, thoughts, and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect Foundant’s stance on this topic.