Scholarships & What We Fund
Academic Scholarships
The Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation provides scholarships to brothers awarded on the basis of need for financial assistance, merit, leadership, and citizenship. Scholarship awards must be applied to tuition and tuition related expenses as defined by the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Such expenses include tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the educational organization and fees, books, supplies and equipment required for courses of instruction.
The Foundation has focused its resources on assisting students new to Phi Gamma Delta by rewarding them for strong grades. The Academic Achievement Award (Triple A) is awarded to newly initiated members who earn at least a 3.2 GPA during their pledging semester.
Other scholarships are available from 270 chapter scholarship funds that the Foundation manages. Generous graduate brothers created these scholarship funds and the requirements and applications vary by chapter. Contact the Foundation at 859-255-1848 to see if your chapter has a scholarship program in place.
Since 1947, the Educational Foundation has been distributing awards to alleviate expenses associated with undergraduate studies and graduate school. All awards have requirements that must be met for eligibility. Requirements for each follow, along with downloadable applications.
Deadlines for chapter scholarship applications vary throughout the year. Check with the Foundation for chapter deadlines.
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Foundation Supported Programs
The Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation makes grants to programs within the Fraternity that adhere to IRS regulations concerning our charitable status.
Health & Safety Education
The Educational Foundation stands firm in its strong commitment to alcohol education, sexual assault prevention education and mental health resources for the Fraternity's new members, members and chapters. Learn more about the Health & Safety Education programs.
The Leadership Institute
The Leadership Institute is a leadership experience that will empower brothers to work on real issues and challenges facing their personal lives, chapters and communities. The Institute works through those chapter issues that are incongruent with the values and mission of Phi Gamma Delta. Learn more about The Leadership Institute.
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Chapter House Endowment Fund (CHEF)
Overview
The Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation CHEF program provides educational grants to house corporations for chapter housing, furnishings, equipment and annual maintenance.
Educational grants are provided for facilities, services, or goods for the benefit of Fraternity members where the benefit is similar to those provided by colleges and universities for the education of the general student body. This includes:
- Study Rooms, including the fixtures and furniture (ex: study carrels, lighting and tables).
- Computer rooms including the furniture, fixtures, computer terminals, printers, and Internet connections particularly if hooked to the university computer system.
- A computer, desk and chair may also be provided in the student dormitory room. Furthermore, if the university dormitories are wired for computer use, then the chapter house may be wired too.
- Libraries used solely for educational purposes.
- Storage areas for educational materials, e.g., old tests, easels, poster boards, and architectural models.
- Leadership training rooms and related audio visual equipment and conference tables. Please note that all of these areas and furnishings must be used exclusively for educational purposes. IRS rulings do not contemplate any mixed use.
The annual building operating expenses allocated to dedicated library, study, computer, or instructional areas, for example, (property taxes, property insurance premiums, utility costs, maintenance cost). The percentage applied should not exceed the total square footage of exclusively educational space over the total square footage of the chapter house. (This formula for computing the percentage and cost may change without notice. The Foundation reserves the right to change the formula at anytime and without notice and require outside legal opinion as directed by the Foundation.)
IRS rulings indicate that to determine the amount of the grant that can be made for a particular project, a square footage approach is appropriate. NOTE: The space, equipment and/or furnishings shall be used 100% for academic purposes. Study rooms equipped with beds DO NOT qualify; dining rooms also used for study DO NOT qualify.
Graduates may contribute to a specific CHEF account, but the Foundation must retain ultimate control over the use of all contributed funds. The Foundation may not legally obligate funds to a particular project. Qualified applications for educational grants will be considered for amounts up to the combined value of contributions received by the Foundation for a particular CHEF account. The house corporation president, treasurer and chapter president must sign an agreement on behalf of the house corporation.
CHEF accounts pay their own investment management fees, administrative and distribution fees.
Contact Executive Director Ben Robinson with additional questions regarding the use of CHEF grants or phone him at (859) 255-1848 ext 133.
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