Frequently Asked Questions
Category: General | Donors | Fund-A-Need | Students
General Questions/Answers
Why do we need a Foundation? Why should
I give to the Foundation?
Investing in the future, the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools
secures resources to support quality education through innovative
programs, creative opportunities, and imaginative approaches. These
programs enrich the curriculum, inspire students and staff, and
expand the community's involvement in public education. To put
it simply, the mission of the Foundation is to provide a margin
of excellence for LPS students.
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Does the LPS administration have anything
to do with the Foundation?
The Foundation is a separate nonprofit organization. The board
of directors shall be no fewer than 22 and no more than 30. The
directors shall represent each of the following groups:
• Two members from the LPS Board of Education
• Superintendent of schools as a nonvoting member
• Two LPS teachers
• LEA representative
• No fewer than 16 and no more than 24 community
representatives
While the Foundation is a separate organization, our sole mission
is to support the educational purposes of the Lincoln Public Schools.
We look to those who understand education best—the professional
educators—for leadership. We look to our community to help
the Foundation develop and direct resources to meet our shared
educational goals.
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Where does the money go?
Dollars come to the Foundation either restricted or unrestricted.
The restricted dollars support programs designated by the donor.
The unrestricted contributions are allocated by the Foundation's
Awards and Grants Committee to those areas of greatest need.
From 1989 to 2005, the Foundation disbursed more than $15 million
to energize existing programs for students and staff and to promote
community involvement.
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How much does the Foundation have now?
As of August 31, 2005, the total assets of the Foundation were
in excess of $3.5 million. In addition to the experienced management
of our board, the Foundation's resources benefit from the expertise
of a separate finance committee. This committee has its own financial
advisor, Smith Hayes Financial Services, which directs the investments
of the Foundation's funds.
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Do other school districts have Foundations?
Yes, school districts across the country have similar foundations,
including 110 in Nebraska.
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Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools is incorporated
as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we will mail the donor
a receipt for any contribution made.
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How do I know that my online donation
is secure?
Our Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software is the industry standard
in encrypting all of your information, including credit card number,
name and address. For optimal security, Fund-A-Need does not store
your credit card information, which is why we ask you to retype
it each time you donate.
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What if I still prefer to donate in
the traditional way, with a check?
The donation feature lets donors decide between mailing a check
or paying by credit card. Donors may select a proposal online,
but the donation itself can be made offline.
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Donor
Questions/Answers
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools is incorporated as
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we will mail the donor
a receipt for any contribution made.
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How do I know that my online donation
is secure?
Our Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software is the industry standard
in encrypting all of your information, including credit card number,
name and address. For optimal security, Fund-A-Need does not store
your credit card information, which is why we ask you to retype it
each time you donate.
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What if I still prefer to donate in the
traditional way, with a check?
The donation feature lets donors decide between mailing a check or
paying by credit card. Donors must select a proposal online, but
the donation itself can be made offline.
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How do I know that teachers' proposals
are sound, and that materials will be used as promised?
The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools works directly with LPS
and verifies teachers' identities, confirms existence of the materials
requested, and reviews all proposals listed on Fund-A-Need.
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How do I know that my donation went toward
the project I chose?
The donor will receive student/teacher thank you notes from the sponsored
project. 100% of the contributions are used to purchase student supplies,
books and support for this program. These educational experiences
are not available for our students without private contributions.
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Fund-A-Need
Questions/Answers
Who can submit proposals?
Lincoln Public Schools and community learning center staff can submit
proposals. Fund-A-Need accepts proposals only from those who directly
serve the city's public school students; however, the proposals
may be a collaboration with a community organization.
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What kind of materials can I ask for?
Teachers can propose any resource that is essential to a student-centered
experience—everything from a set of books to summer camp tuition
for promising students. All materials purchased through fully-funded proposals become property of the Lincoln Public Schools.
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What are the Web browser requirements
for teachers?
FoundationforLPS.org supports modern versions of most popular Web
browsers. The site is designed to run on either the Windows or Macintosh
platforms with Internet Explorer, version 5 or higher; Netscape,
version 4.7 or higher; or AOL, version 5 or higher.
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Is there a $$ limit on my request?
No. Proposals can range from $50 to $12,000. The higher the price
tag, though, the more compelling a proposal needs to be. And the
lower the price tag, the more likely a proposal will be funded.
Generally the price tag is less than $500.
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How can I write a good proposal if I'm
not experienced at grant writing?
Our online application form presents teachers with any easy-to-complete
process containing a total of 13 fields. A teacher needs to fully
describe the project to take place, but experience with grant writing
is completely unnecessary. In fact, Fund-A-Need discourages jargon
and formulaic writing.
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What is the most common fault found in
teachers' proposals?
Occasionally, a teacher will center the proposal body on the materials
needed rather than the student activity to take place. For example,
a teacher proposing to get a new classroom computer should not focus
on the fact that the present one is in disrepair. That proposal should
focus first on the student activity that a new computer would make
possible. The resources have no worth of themselves-it's how students
will use them.
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How does Fund-A-Need handle my proposal
after I've submitted it?
Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools works directly with LPS and
verifies teachers' identities, confirms existence of the materials
requested, and reviews proposals. If there are any uncertainties,
staff will e-mail the teacher follow-up questions. After this process
is satisfactorily completed, the proposal is listed on the Fund-A-Need
Web site. 100% of the contributions are used to purchase student
supplies, books and support for this program. These educational experiences
are not available for our students without private contributions.
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What happens if my proposal is funded?
Fund-A-Need establishes a fund in the LPS district for the proposal.
Fund-A-Need sends the teacher an address for a thank you to be
written to the donor.
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How long will it take for my proposal
to be funded?
Several proposals have been funded within 48 hours of being posted,
while one compelling proposal waited 12 months before it was funded.
Teachers can view their proposals to learn of partial funding. Proposals
will be online for a maximum of 12 months.
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How many proposals may I submit in a year?
There are no restrictions on the number of proposals submitted.
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Student
Question/Answers
What is the Foundation for Lincoln Public
Schools scholarship program?
Our scholarship program is made up of over 120 scholarships established
by individuals and organizations to assist students seeking a college
education. Students apply for scholarships and, if selected, can
be awarded one or more different scholarships.
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Am I eligible to apply?
Each scholarship fund has specific eligibility criteria that were
defined by the donor when the fund was established. Please read
through the specific criteria for each scholarship to see if you
are eligible for any of the funding.
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How much does it cost to apply for a scholarship?
There is no charge to apply.
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When is the deadline to apply? What do
I send in?
Each scholarship has its own deadline. Applications and any attachments
must be postmarked on or before the deadline (check with your local
post office for hours of operation to assure your materials get postmarked
correctly). Applications received after the deadline will not be
considered for funding.
Each scholarship requires its own application and attachments. Those
attachments may include financial aid information, grades, letters
of recommendation, or an essay. Please read through the criteria
to determine what you need to submit in order to be considered for
funding.
Some scholarship applications need to be sent to the Foundation
while others need to be submitted to individual high school counseling
centers. This information can be found within the criteria for each
scholarship.
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Are these scholarship grants taxable?
Generally, scholarships used for tuition, fees, books, and supplies
are not taxable. Any portion of the scholarship that is used for
room and board or miscellaneous expenses is taxable. Consult a
tax expert for advice.
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Are the scholarships sufficient to pay
the cost of my college education?
No. These scholarships are intended to provide only partial support.
In addition to applying for scholarships through the Foundation,
you should look into other financial aid resources such as federal
grants, loans, and work-study awards. A complete financial aid package
can be put together by your college's financial aid office and may
include a portion of each of the above types of financial aid.
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If I am awarded a scholarship, how much
will I get?
Some scholarships have set amounts. Most of them offer varying award
amounts, which may range from $100 to several thousand dollars. The
award depends on how much is available to award, the number of awards,
and the distribution directions given by the donors of the fund.
The Foundation will determine the number and size of scholarships
awarded each year.
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Where can I go to school with these scholarships?
Most of the scholarships are for schools anywhere in the United States,
unless noted otherwise in the scholarship description. The school
needs to be an accredited, nonprofit institution. Most colleges
or universities fit this category. Most beauty schools and business/travel
schools do not. Please call your school directly if you are unsure
of its status.
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May I receive scholarships from more than
one fund?
Yes, you can apply to all of the scholarship funds for which you
are eligible and, therefore, can be selected as a recipient for each
of those. You will, however, have to submit a complete application
package for each scholarship. You are welcome to complete one master
copy of your application and reproduce it for each scholarship for
which you are applying. Please be sure that you keep the scholarship
name blank and fill it in after you have made the copies. Please
note that some scholarships require a specific application form to
apply.
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Do I need to pay scholarship money back?
No, these are charitable grants that do not need to be paid back.
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Does the Foundation make the decision
about who is awarded?
For some scholarships, the Foundation does select the recipients.
For most scholarships, a selection committee makes the decision.
The Foundation processes the application materials for the committees
that make the decisions.
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If I am awarded a scholarship, do I
get the check?
No, the checks go directly to your school's financial aid office.
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What can my scholarship be used for?
The scholarships can be used for any educational expenses: tuition,
fees, books, supplies, room and board, and miscellaneous expenses.
In rare cases, specific uses such as "tuition only" will
be indicated in a scholarship description.
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How do I receive my scholarship?
You must submit proof of enrollment from your college or university
to the Foundation. You may also be required to submit a grade transcript
before a check will be sent. When the Foundation receives enrollment
verification and a copy of your thank you letter to the scholarship
donor, your scholarship check will be sent to your school. Please
check with the scholarship guidelines for this information.
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If I receive a scholarship one year,
will I automatically receive an award for the following year?
A few scholarships are awarded for multiple years and may be renewed
automatically, provided the student meets the criteria for renewal.
This includes submitting proof of enrollment and maintaining a specific
GPA each semester. Some scholarships are only for graduating high
school seniors and, therefore, cannot be renewed in future years.
If the scholarship is renewable and you are interested in reapplying,
you are responsible for contacting the Foundation. The Foundation
will not contact past recipients about the possibility to renew. Back
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If I decide to change schools, what
happens to my scholarship?
Some scholarships require the recipient to attend a specific college
or type of college. If you change schools and no longer attend the
required college or university, you will forfeit your scholarship
at the time you begin attending the new school. Most scholarships,
however, do not have such a requirement. You are free to attend the
college of your choice. If you decide to change schools, you will
need to contact the Foundation as soon as possible and submit proof
of enrollment from your new school before a check can be released.
Please read the scholarship criteria carefully to determine whether
or not you have to attend a specific college or type of college.
Remember, most beauty schools and business/travel schools cannot
accept scholarships from the Foundation.
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When will I be notified?
You will be notified after the selection committee meets in the spring.
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Do I have to send a thank you note to
the scholarship donor(s)?
Yes. In order to receive your award, you must submit a copy of the
thank you letter you wrote to the scholarhip donor. The scholarship
donors' name and address will be provided in your award letter.
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