Leaving a Legacy of Giving
The first scholarship fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation was established in 1999 through the estate of Lyle Lancaster of Aberdeen.
Lyle’s gift of his entire estate led to the creation of a scholarship program which other donors have since expanded upon. Mr. Lancaster’s original gift provided for two $1,000 scholarships in 2000. In 2016, the Foundation awarded 338 scholarships in the amount of $639,000.
Donor Choices
Given the success of our scholarship program in attracting applications from students throughout Grays Harbor County, donors interested in establishing new scholarships have two basic choices:
- First, donations can be used to further expand our existing scholarship program. Given the parameters of our current program, such scholarships must be ones for which students complete an application. Donors should also be comfortable with the basic eligibility requirements and guidelines for applying. Beyond these basics, however, each donor is free to narrow or expand the aims of their scholarships, as desired.
- Alternatively, donations can be used to establish new scholarships with unique requirements and guidelines. Such scholarships may be selected by a separate committee (for instance, the standing scholarship selection committee of a specific high school), or they may not require students to complete an application. The details are left up to each donor.
Simplifying the Process
The process of setting up a new scholarship fund is easy: most funds will use a basic fund agreement available through our foundation, and the basic guidelines for each scholarship may be spelled out in just a single page of notes attached to the agreement. Please contact us for examples of such an agreement.