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The
Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation:
The History of CLCA's Scholarship Program
Since
1977, one of the main focuses of the Auxiliary has been the
financial assistance to students pursuing careers in the landscape
field, both at the state and local levels. Each year, the Auxiliary
coordinated fund raising events with the full support and involvement
of the CLCA membership. They then awarded the profits to deserving
students attending California colleges and universities with
recognized landscape programs, thus "reinventing the wheel"
year after year.
In
the mid-1980's a proposal was presented to the State Women's
Auxiliary wherein a tax-exempt foundation would be established
which would house and manage perpetual scholarships established
by individuals, companies and CLCA entities. Donations - tax
deductible to the extent allowed by law - to these funds would
earn interest from investments as set forth by its Bylaws and
ONLY THE INTEREST would be awarded as scholarships each year,
thus insuring the principal would remain intact. The Women's
Auxiliary enthusiastically approved this proposal and, thanks
to the efforts of many dedicated individuals from the Auxiliary,
CLCA and the Associate Member Organization, the Landscape Educational
Advancement Foundation (LEAF) was formally established in 1988.
Since that time a total of 13 chapter, 23 memorial, 2 honorarium,
1 company, the CLCA Women's Auxiliary and the AMO funds have
been established with a combined principal value of $505,387.93!
Applications
are mailed to colleges and universities with recognized landscape
programs. Students must return completed applications by the
mid-February deadline. The Scholarship Selection Committee then
carefully evaluates applications and rates each applicant based
on goals, extra curricular activities, work experience, financial
need, letters of recommendation and grade point average in their
major. Applicants are assigned scholarships based on criteria
set and their ratings. Letters of congratulations are sent to
the winners and written notification is sent to the schools
and the CLCA Chapter presidents closest to the student (Chapters
are encouraged to invite recipients to a meeting for formal
introduction and recognition). Finally, the checks are sent
upon confirmation of fall enrollment provided by the recipient.
To date the CLCA Women's Auxiliary and LEAF have awarded 463
scholarships to 448 students totaling $292,625!
In
1995 a grant program was proposed as an opportunity to provide
financial assistance to landscape programs for special needs
(projects, equipment, tools, etc.) in all educational levels,
not just to individual college level students. After careful
planning and developing criteria the grant program was established.
To date we have three grant funds: the Educational Grant, the
North Coast Women's Auxiliary Grant and the CLCA Environmental
Research Grant. To date ten grants have been awarded, including
one sent directly from the CLCA Women's Auxiliary just prior
to the start of the program totaling $34,166 and the combined
principal value of these grant funds has grown to $148,726.78.
The
establishment of a scholarship or grant is a very easy process.
A written request or commitment letter may be submitted to the
LEAF Board of Trustees, including some details and history of
the namesake of the fund to be established. At the present time
$5000 is the minimum balance required in order for the actual
scholarship to commence. Namesakes of the funds do not necessarily
need to be directly involved in CLCA as long as the scholarship
is awarded according to the established guidelines. Specific
criteria (i.e. student attending a specific school, student
attending a school within a designated geographic area or student
with a permanent residence within a designated geographic area)
can be stipulated.
Making
an individual donation is also a very easy process. You may
wish to commemorate a special anniversary, birthday, milestone
or achievement with a donation to your fund of choice directly
to LEAF or donations can be included in your CLCA membership
renewal. You may also want to consult with your financial advisor
and consider an option called planned giving. As an IRS-recognized
501 ©3 tax-exempt educational foundation, CLCA's Landscape Educational
Advancement Foundation enables you to do well for yourself by
doing good things for the industry. Contributors personally
benefit from tax savings while, at the same time, provide a
perpetual fund of scholarship/ grant dollars.
The
State Women's Auxiliary continues their fundraising efforts
with the unending and much appreciated support and participation
of its members and you, the members of CLCA. The chapter honorarium
and memorial funds continue to grow, thanks to the fundraising
efforts of the chapters who established them. Several events
have proven to be extremely successful and suggestions and guidance
are available to anyone or any group interested in a commitment
like this. Remember, your contribution is a way of giving something
back to the wonderful industry that has provided your family
its livelihood. Gifts to LEAF ensure an enduring source of capital
to support future leaders of the landscape industry by fostering
educational excellence.
Unchanging
from its inception, the future goals of the LEAF Board of Trustees
and the CLCA Women's Auxiliary are simple:
- Continue
to educate the members of CLCA about LEAF
- Be
available to those individuals, companies and chapters who
wish to participate in the LEAF program
- Promote
LEAF and the availability of scholarships within the general
public, collegiate faculty and student population
- Raise
awareness within established special educational programs
of the availability of grants through LEAF
- Monitor
the successes of LEAF scholarship recipients by staying in
contact with them and reporting their progress and accomplishments
back to the membership
- Continue
supporting this honorable Foundation by doing whatever is
necessary to guarantee its vitality and growth
For
more information regarding LEAF or for fundraising suggestions,
please contact Mary Cohen, LEAF Chairperson, at (408) 867-7746
or via e-mail at marycohen@aol.com.
To establish a new fund, make a donation or for informational
brochures, either contact Mary or send your request to the Landscape
Educational Advancement Foundation (LEAF), c/o CLCA Headquarters,
1491 River Park Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95815-8899
or call (916)448-2522.
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