School Administrators and Scholarship Committees

The selection of applicants is the most rewarding and important aspect of the scholarship process, but it can also be the most intense as it requires a great deal of time, scrutiny, and attention to detail. 

The scholarship caretakers, responsible for facilitating and managing the selection process for the Community Foundation’s externally managed scholarship funds, are vital to the success of the scholarship program. Below are highlights of the caretaker and committee responsibilities. Additional information can be found in the Policies and Procedures Manual for Scholarship Selection Committees and Committee Members.

Scholarship Caretaker Roles and Responsibilities

In accordance with Internal Revenue Service regulations, the scholarship caretaker must assure the Community Foundation of a fair distribution of funds based on a process that allows for fair competition.

All scholarship programs are established for a broad charitable class and the selection process must be objective and non-discriminatory. Additionally, all scholarships should be publicized and shared freely.

In addition, no donor, member of the selection committee, or anyone related to the scholarship fund’s advisors, can receive any material benefit from any award distributed from the fund. Once scholarship decisions are made, the scholarship caretaker is responsible for notifying the Community Foundation.

Selection Committees

The selection committees for all scholarship funds at the Community Foundation are appointed and approved by the Foundation. In some cases, members may also be recommended by the donor. The committee that reviews applications and selects recipients must reflect the committee that is detailed in the scholarship summary.

Scholarship Summaries

Each scholarship has a dedicated web page that outlines the details specific to that scholarship including, but not limited to, eligibility criteria, application period, award amount, application and selection processes, and award announcement and payment information. Be advised that the information about the Community Foundation’s scholarships is updated each year and only considered accurate on our website. We are not responsible for misinformation on other websites.

Donors and Related Parties

Scholarship fund donors and parties related to the donor may serve on the selection committee, but they may not directly or indirectly control the committee or the committee’s decision, nor may the donor or donor’s family represent the majority of the committee or have a majority vote. Additionally, donors and related parties may not receive an award.

• Donors are defined as any individual, family, organization, group, or company that establishes or contributes to a scholarship fund.  
• Related parties are the immediate and extended family of the donor and their employees, advisors, attorneys, official delegates, etc.

Employer-Related Scholarships

Employer-Related Scholarships have specific rules and regulations and are permissible as long as specific requirements are met, including meeting the percentage test:

• The number of scholarships awarded does not exceed 25% of the number of eligible applicants considered by the selection committee.
• The number of scholarships does not exceed 10% of the number of individuals eligible for a scholarship in that year (regardless of whether or not they submitted an application).

Submitting Recipient Information

The online Recipient Notification Form can be accessed here. For a preview and to learn more about the process, please refer to the Scholarship Selection Instruction Packet. If you have any questions or concerns, please email them to Scholarships@racf.org.

IMPORTANT: We ask that the Recipient Notification Form be submitted by April so that we way inform students of their scholarships as they are making their college decisions. If a scholarship timeline does not allow for selecting recipients in March/April (e.g., Gillette, Locust Hill, Telesca, Urzetta, etc.), the online Recipient Notification Form should be provided in a timely manner and in accordance with the scholarship summary.

IMPORTANT: The online Recipient Notification Form must be submitted and reviewed by the Community Foundation prior to publicly announcing recipients or sharing recipient or scholarship award information.

Finally, award packets are no longer provided for distribution at award or graduation ceremonies; however, a scholarship certificate can be requested for that purpose. To do this, make your request and provide the required information in the online Recipient Notification Form. We must have advance notice of at least five business days before the date needed.

Award Notification

All students awarded a scholarship will receive an initial email directing them to an online award packet explaining everything they need to know about their scholarship and next steps. An online account is required to accept and release scholarships, and each student will need to create an account before they can accept and release their scholarship. Refer to the individual scholarship summary to learn more about the notification and payment release process.

Note: After a scholarship is awarded, any change in a student’s enrollment status, college/university, or major/program could result in the loss of all or part of the one-time or renewable award. Students should keep the Community Foundation informed of any changes to their contact information, address, and enrollment.

Scholarship Award Processing

All scholarships will be paid in the Fall semester unless they are specifically designated for the Spring semester or an alternative agreement between you and the Community Foundation has been made. Scholarships not claimed within the following timelines may be considered abandoned and forfeited:

• Fall Semester: Awards specifically for the Fall or that are split between the Fall and Spring semesters must be released between July 1 and August 15.
• Spring Semester: Awards specifically for the Spring semester must be released between January 1 and February 15.

Most scholarships require proof of enrollment in the form of an un/official transcript before the scholarship can be released. All scholarships are paid to the school and applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the scholarship summary or award notification. Additionally, most awards will be split between the Fall and Spring semesters unless otherwise specified.

Some scholarships require follow-up information that is due by February 15; however, providing follow-up information for the initial Bullis Family Scholarship disbursement by December 1 will ensure timely delivery of the student’s Spring semester payment.

Scholarship Application Storage

Awarded student applications must be kept on file for seven years after the grant period or a total of eight years, and then shredded. Declined student applications must be kept on file for three years after the grant period or a total of four years, and then shredded. 

These applications must be kept confidential and secure. If you are currently responsible for saving the applications and cannot maintain them according to these guidelines, please send the applications to the Community Foundation Scholarship Office at 500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607.

Completing Requests from Students

Student are required to send requests to various individuals to obtain additional information in support of their applications. For the Consolidated Scholarship Application and other online applications, an email is sent through the system with a link and access code. Upon visiting the website, enter the access code on the Nominator Login page. Once in the site, you will be able to see all of the requests that have been sent to you. You may access all of them once you are logged in, but if you exit the site, you will need an active access code to reenter. Should you have any questions or need assistance during this process, please email Scholarships@racf.org.

Here is a preview of the Student Application Request Form.

Be advised that requests can only be made during the open application period and are due February 1. All requests must be completed no later than February 15 or the student’s application will not be considered.