Currently, I'm preparing my oldest son to go to college.  The time that we've had traveling to different schools, touring the campuses, discussing the pros and cons has been an awesome way to reconnect to a teenager.  It's been my experience, once he got a set of car keys, things changed.  You don't get the captive audience when driving to school, sports etc.  Time that used to be spent at home is now spent with friends, or at work, most importantly, not with a lame parent.  Being able to pick his brain, see what he likes, what he thinks is important, find out what is motivating some of these school choices is time I'm going to cherish when I look back at the point his mom and I sent him into the world.

BUT...

As dad, one thing that always come to my mind is, "what is this going to cost me??" I'm not sure I was shocked with the price, but there is a lot to consider.  In state tuition, out of state tuition.  State school, private school.  What's the food going to cost?  What's the room going to cost?  Ok, you'll offer me $1,000 for coming to the tour today?  Do I need that in writing?!

Our first focus was Division 3 schools.  College sports was a goal and Division 1 wasn't going to be it.  The sticker price on a D3 school is staggering.  Luckily, that's not the price you are paying.  These schools have a lot of funding and there is almost certainly money coming off the top.  I've found that generally, what they offer you puts that D3 school in the price range of the state schools.  That's not to say they are inexpensive.  Certainly there are scholarships, right?  Right?!

WELL...

There are.  First, you're going to fill out the FAFSA.  I land on the financial spectrum somewhere between, "has a good job, makes good money, doesn't need help" and "has 3 kids, what sport did you sign up for this time?  did milk always cost that much?"  For my situation, FAFSA wasn't much help.  Luckily for me, I hear there are scholarships.  Like any good father who wants their kid to work for some of what they get, I sent my son off to find these vast amounts of money that would certainly help alleviate the cost of his tuition.  

HE CAME BACK EMPTY HANDED...

Certainly you just aren't trying hard enough.  I'll do it myself.  I signed up like a student and did some of the larger scholarship search engines.  A generic search brought up 2 out of a possible 300.  This can't be right.  I manually read each description of each scholarship, and would you believe "he" qualified for 2 (insert face palm emoji, yes I typed that out!).  

I'll DO IT MYSELF...

I decided to put my money where my mouth is.  I began researching how you offer scholarships, what it takes to make a 501C3.  Do you actually need a board?  Do you need an LLC?  This seemed like this is bigger project that I want, certainly more time than I intended to spend.  Then chapgpt and I came to the idea of fiscal sponsorship.  You mean to tell me there are organizations that manage this sort of thing?  I can have an idea, take it to them, they do the paperwork, host the scholarship, deal with the $$$, and I can see my idea come to fruition?  Sign me up.  Enter the Delaware County Foundation.  Weeks after my first contact, the Stewards Athletic Scholarship was born.  2026 will be the first award.  If all goes well, and I don't see why it wouldn't, I'd like to expand the opportunities.  I'd like to increase the funds to make them permanent scholarships.  I'd like to encourage other people to do this for topics that they are passionate about.  If you want to know more or ask me questions, reach out on the contact page or go to the link below and speak to the people at the Delaware County Foundation.