Squadron Level Scholarships

[ubergeek]

Good Day All,

I am looking to create a scholarship program at my squadron. We have been debating the myriad issues around this and would like to know if other units have done this. We are well familiar with the National Scholarship opportunities. What we are contemplating would be monetary assistance to those members who are in need of financial assistance.

What we are looking to fund are cadet and senior member participation events based off of need.  For example:

Encampment - $160
Flight Academy - $1200
Encampment Prep School - $60
Ground Team Academy - $45
National Activity - $200 - $1200 (name one, there are many)
Wing Conference - $35-$300
etc...  (We have found that CAP means Come And Pay)

Things we are debating:

1) At what level should we fund an activity? (Group, Wing, Region, National)
2) What should be the lifetime limit per individual?
3) What should the minimum qualification criteria be?
4) What application process would be most fair, and least burdensome?
5) What demands should we place on the individual to "repay" the scholarship? (Not monetary, more like: Volunteer at the next 2 fundraisers, organize a cleaning party, take out the trash, etc.)

If you or your squadron has implemented a scholarship program, I would love to see it and glean some of your lessons learned.

Thank you for your time.

Donald Raleigh
Capt, CAP
NCR-MN-021, Commander

[Eclipse]

Your most successful scholarships will be those which are partial-pay and still put onus on the cadet to come up with some of the fees.
A lot of the ones I've seen are 50% situations.

Putting extra service requirements on recipients is problematic if yo expect to be paid back for non-compliance.

Unless you have a significant benefactor, you should probably stay away from senior scholarships, likewise any
other member benefits that where the source is dues.   I have no issues helping with the light bill, but I'm not inclined to
be paying for some other member to go to NESA or encampment, etc.

[arajca]

My squadron provides a 50% reimbursement scholarship to cadets who attend encampment and special activities. They are required to give a 5-10 minute presentation on the encampment or activity to receive the scholarship. The scholarship is figured on total cost - travel, activity cost, billeting if not included. We plan to continue as long as we have the funds. All cadets in the squadron are eligible regardless of need.

We do pay for fuel for activities for POV's when the van is either full or not available.