About Us
The objectives of the College Fund of Pinellas County, Inc. are to:
- Raise and distribute funds for the assistance of scholastically-qualified Pinellas County residents who are pursuing a college-level education and who demonstrate a need for substantial financial aid; and
- Maintain contact with student recipients to support them in their educational pursuits.
Students who will qualify for College Fund grants will be receiving Pell Grant scholarships, but will lack the additional funds needed for expenses such as books, computers, school supplies, transportation, childcare, and room and board. A standing committee of our Board of Directors will determine the qualifications of prospective candidates, assess their financial needs, and recommend to the Board funding of up to $1,000 for each student for the school year. Some of our recipients are recent high school graduates, and some are adults entering college many years after high school.
We are pleased to have provided grants to 36 students for the 2011 fall semester, 21 to continuing recipients and 15 to new recipients selected from among 93 applicants in 2011. There are many more students with exceptional scholarship and significant financial need whom we could help, if we only had the money. Won’t you please consider sending a tax deductible contribution to us? Make your check payable to “College Fund of Pinellas County” and mail it to:
The College Fund of Pinellas County, Inc.
P.O. Box 673
Clearwater, FL 33757
If you are a Certified Public Accountant, another way you can help is by performing a pro bono annual audit of College Fund finances. The audit expense we would avoid would enable us to support two or three additional financially-challenged college students. If you are interested, please contact us by email at info@collegefundpinellas.org.
The College Fund of Pinellas County, Inc. has been in continuous operation as a Florida corporation since 1966. Since 1967 the Internal Revenue Service has continuously recognized it as a 501(c)(3) organization exempt from Federal income tax. An independent audit of our operations is conducted annually. In over forty years of service the College Fund has helped over 630 residents of Pinellas County attend college on the basis of their academic ability, motivation, and financial need.
The benefit of the program can best be perceived by its success in turning underprivileged high school graduates into successful, educated college graduates holding prominent jobs. For example, during the thirteen years 1991-2003 the program supported 201 students, 103 of whom graduated, 22 of whom were continuing successfully at the end of 2003, and 76 of whom were dropped due to change in financial need, insufficient course load, or poor grades.
Inquiries may be sent to info@collegefundpinellas.org.
