USA Funds-Sponsored Events Raise Millions of Dollars for Scholarships

As part of its mission to increase access to postsecondary education, USA Funds^® recently sponsored several fund-raising events.

Events for the American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund raised millions of dollars toward scholarships.

American Indian College Fund
The American Indian College Fund hosted its 12th-annual Flame of Hope Gala in New York City on Nov. 8. The event raised a record-breaking $400,000 for American-Indian student scholarships.

“USA Funds has worked closely with the American Indian College Fund over the last year to help raise awareness of the tribal colleges by growing our annual gala. Due to the support from USA Funds and the tireless efforts of Pat Roe, USA Funds special assistant to the president, the 2007 Flame of Hope Gala was a great success, and we exceeded our goals,” says Rick Williams, president, American Indian College Fund. “USA Funds’ Carl Dalstrom and Pat Roe are our greatest champions, helping to increase access to education in American-Indian communities."

Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund hosted its annual Alumni Hall of Fame Gala on Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C. Supporters gathered to celebrate HSF and its mission to advance higher education for Hispanic Americans, and to honor Hispanic leaders inducted into the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame.

The event raised $364,950 toward scholarships.

Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
More than 360 guests attended the second-annual Today’s Minds, Tomorrow’s Future gala to benefit the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund in New York City on Sept. 20. The evening’s program focused on APIASF scholars, who spoke and performed during the event. The organization raised $550,000 in scholarship funding.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s Awards Dinner Gala held on Nov. 5 in New York City recognized individuals who embody the legacy of Thurgood Marshall through their commitment to the Fund and its mission. As part of TMCF's Leadership Institute, the gala raised $3.8 million toward the organization's scholarships and programs.

“USA Funds is pleased to be a part of these fund-raising events to help raise scholarship dollars for minority students,” says Roe. “We are hopeful that our support will motivate other organizations to increase their funding for need-based scholarships for deserving students.”

As part of its nonprofit mission, USA Funds supports a variety of scholarship and outreach programs designed to help students and families prepare for, pay for and succeed in higher education. For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2007, USA Funds awarded more than 200 grants and provided a total of $16.3 million to programs that help fulfill that mission.

Support of scholarship organizations’ fund-raising activities is in addition to USA Funds’ awards directly to the scholarship funds of national organizations. Last month USA Funds announced the award of $400,000 to the scholarship funds of the American Indian College Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund.

Additionally, USA Funds was a sponsor of a regional UNCF fund-raising event in Indianapolis last week. USA Funds Education Access Report will provide details about that event in an upcoming issue.