Latest News from College Access Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2008
COLLEGE ACCESS FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES $5.47 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS STATEWIDE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – December 10, 2008 – College Access Foundation of California’s board of directors has approved its largest funding docket of scholarship grants to date. These grants, totaling $5,477,915, were awarded to 29 community- and school-based programs across the state that provide academic support, mentoring and college advising services to first-generation college-going students.
College Access Foundation grantees use their grant funds to offer college scholarships to the students they serve. Students receive one-year to four-year scholarships to attend the college of their choice. Twenty-two of the grants awarded this week go to previous grantees whose grant renewals will extend their scholarship programs. The other seven grants have been awarded to new grantees whose work is making a real difference for low income and other underserved students. A list of grant recipients is below; more information about the organizations and their work is available at www.collegeaccessfoundation.org.
“These scholarship funds will impact more than 1,800 students’ lives, and will also enrich the communities in which they live,” said Julia I. Lopez, College Access Foundation president and CEO. “We know that a college education can break the cycle of poverty for families and drive economic growth for communities in ways that benefit all of California.”
College Access Foundation recognizes that financial aid is crucial for low-income students, but financial aid alone is not adequate. College Access Foundation grantees offer academic support, college application advice, and other services to ensure that these students enter college armed with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
“With adequate support and encouragement, students who otherwise might not dream of going college are enrolling and succeeding,” added Jay Sherwin, vice president for programs. “We are proud to support these outstanding programs and the promising students they serve every day.”
About College Access Foundation of California
College Access Foundation of California, the largest grantmaking organization of its kind in the state, helps California students who have financial need attend college. The Foundation makes grants to community-based college advising and academic support programs, which use the funds to award college scholarships to students they serve.
For more information on College Access Foundation and its grantees, visit www.collegeaccessfoundation.org or contact Kristen Stancik at 310.656.1001.
The following community-based organizations have been recently awarded funds by College Access Foundation of California:
| Organization Name | Location | Grant Amount |
| Project BEST - Kern High School District | Bakersfield | $150,000 |
| Level Playing Field Institute – IDEAL | Berkeley | $100,000 |
| Glendale Community Foundation | Glendale | $299,225 |
| Cal-SOAP Long Beach | Long Beach | $150,000 |
| Mountain View Los Altos Community Scholars | Los Altos | $ 60,000 |
| Cal-SOAP Los Angeles | Los Angeles | $290,000 |
| Community Build, Inc | Los Angeles | $177,000 |
| Cal-SOAP North Valley | Marysville | $250,000 |
| Peninsula College Fund | Menlo Park | $138,000 |
Diablo Valley College –
Educational Talent Search | Pleasant Hill | $ 97,200 |
| Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute | Oakland | $250,000 |
| Cal-SOAP Sacramento | Sacramento | $250,000 |
| Cal-SOAP San Diego & Imperial Counties | San Diego | $375,000 |
Concerned Parents Alliance –
College Bound San Diego | San Diego | $ 98,400 |
| San Diego Foundation | San Diego | $357,600 |
| Cal-SOAP San Francisco – Japanese Community Youth Council | San Francisco | $140,000 |
| First Graduate | San Francisco | $250,000 |
| Larkin Street Youth Services | San Francisco | $ 88,000 |
| Leadership High School | San Francisco | $241,140 |
| Meritus College Fund | San Francisco | $165,600 |
| Omega Boys Club | San Francisco | $262,500 |
| Students Rising Above | San Francisco | $276,000 |
| Cal-SOAP San Jose | San Jose | $127,500 |
| Orange County Bar Foundation | Santa Ana | $136,000 |
| Cal-SOAP Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | $ 87,750 |
| Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | $200,000 |
| Cal-SOAP South County – Gilroy | Santa Clara | $176,000 |
| Watsonville College Success Scholarship Fund | Santa Cruz | $110,000 |
| Cal-SOAP Central Coast | Santa Maria | $175,000 |
| Total Grants in November 2008: | | $5,477,915 |
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