USA Funds Helps American-Indian Students Realize Higher-Education Dreams

For the fifth-consecutive year, USA Funds^® has awarded $100,000 to the American Indian College Fund, the nation's largest provider of private scholarships for American-Indian students. The grant provides scholarships for students who need assistance in attaining and completing their postsecondary education.

Carl Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO, awarded the grant during the AICF’s Annual Flame of Hope Gala Nov. 10 at the Lincoln Center in New York City. USA Funds was the primary sponsor for the gala, the AICF’s largest annual fund-raising event.

USA Funds was recognized as the AICF’s featured corporate honoree during the gala. As part of this recognition, Dalstrom participated in a traditional American-Indian blanket ceremony. Richard Williams, president of the AICF, bestowed the honor by placing a blanket around Dalstrom’s shoulders.

Dalstrom has taken a leadership role in fund raising for the AICF this year. He introduced Williams at a recent reception conducted to raise awareness of the AICF in the higher-education fund-raising community. The event was part of the ninth-annual conference for Grantmakers for Education in New York City.

GFE is a national network of nearly 200 foundations, corporate-giving programs and individual donors who help improve achievement and opportunities for all students.

“We are thrilled to provide scholarships for American-Indian students who need assistance in pursing their educational dreams,” says Dalstrom.

“We also recognize that we are in an access crisis and we all must intensify our efforts to help students,” Dalstrom says. “We are hopeful that our work to garner additional fund-raising support will motivate organizations to increase their funding for need-based scholarships.”