The Burton/May Pride Award (scholarship) program administered by Safe Schools Desert Cities (SSDC) has moved the administrative tasks for the application process and the scholarship funds to the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF). This change was approved by the SSDC Board of Directors in May and the SSDC Fund at IECF was established.
The SSDC scholarship program began with two awards and $5000 in 2012. In recent years, the program has grown to over 30 recipients and $20,000 to $30,000 in annual awards.
SSDC will continue to determine the application requirements and application schedule and will select scholarship recipients. Moving administrative tasks to IECF will result in the following changes:
- Applications for the Burton/May Pride Award and supporting materials (personal statements and references) will be received and compiled by IECF for review by the SSDC Awards Committee. Applications for the 2023-24 scholarships will be available by October 1, 2022, through the application deadline of January 31, 2023.
- Funds for the program will be held in the Safe SSDC Fund at IECF.
- Donations for scholarships will be directed to the SSDC Fund at IECF.
- Payments from the SSDC Fund will be authorized by SSDC and payment will be made by IECF.
- IECF will assist with publicizing the scholarship program.
- IECF will assist with identifying potential donors and working with donors and sponsors of the program.
- We continue to have organizational sponsors for scholarships (Desert Business Association, Brothers of the Desert, and the Walt Whitman Foundation of IECF). We are also adding individual sponsors who make a three-year commitment of $1000 or more per year with a 4% administrative fee.
Direct access to the scholarship donation page is available here: https://www.iegives.org/funds/safe-schools-desert-cities/ For donations by check, please make the check payable to IECF with “Safe Schools Desert Cities” in the memo line. Mail the check to:
IECF
3700 Sixth Street, Suite 200
Riverside, CA 92501
