The Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation is the vehicle for alumni, family, friends, and other like-minded organizations to build a legacy and change lives. We support environments that foster academic achievement, scholarships that encourage excellence, and educational programs that develop leadership and personal potential. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and all gifts to the Foundation are 100% tax-deductible.
Members of Alumni and Volunteer Corporations (AVCs) and district governors can view information on specific chapter funds’ available balances in mySigEp. Donors who set up funds can also view this information.
There are two types of funds that donors can set up: a) declining-balance funds, which provide funds for immediate use, and b) endowment funds, which are invested and provide funds annually in accordance with the Foundation’s spending policy (4.25% of 12-quarter rolling average each fiscal year, in line with industry standards).
The fund types managed by the SigEp Educational Foundation are described below in four categories.
Multi-Purpose Funds
SLC FUNDS:
Declining-balance SigEp Learning Community (SLC) Funds support local chapter educational programming and/or chapter facilities through grants for operations or renovations. These funds provide access to the following types of grants:
- Housing facilities, land, furniture and fixtures for the educational portions of a chapter facility
- Capital improvements to the educational portions of a chapter facility
- Equipment to facilitate learning
- SigEp Learning Community events and programming
- Chapter Support Specialist service costs
- Registration, lodging and transportation costs for SigEp programs and events, e.g. Ruck, Conclave, etc.
- BMP programming and events
- AVC/Mentor Committee sponsored retreats and programming activities
- Alumni Communication Program (ACP)
- Chapter leadership retreat and related officer transition activities which are educational in nature
- Purchase of SigEp Ritual equipment
- Venue or facility rental, when used for educational purposes
- Resident Scholar stipends or honorariums
CIF FUNDS:
Chapter Investment Funds are endowments held by individual chapters with the SigEp Educational Foundation and support various educational initiatives and advance SigEp’s learning community vision. Click here to view frequently asked questions about CIF endowments.
Tuition Scholarships
With the cost of college consistently on the rise, scholarships are transformative to undergraduate members, helping them in their academic pursuits. The award criteria and recipients are selected by the sponsoring local Alumni and Volunteer Corporation (AVC).
BALANCED MAN SCHOLARSHIP (BMS) ENDOWMENTS:
BMS Endowments provide scholarships to students seeking to invest in themselves and their community, who are attracted to the ideals of living a balanced lifestyle. As endowments, these funds are invested and provide an available amount each fiscal year based on the Foundation’s spending policy. Typically, BMS awards go to non- or prospective members.
MERIT AND NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS:
These scholarships are typically chapter-restricted and awarded to members of the local chapter. As endowments, these funds are invested and provide an available amount each fiscal year based on our spending policy.
IMMEDIATE NEED SCHOLARSHIPS:
This is a declining balance fund that supports immediate needs for both merit and need-based scholarships (for members) and Balanced Man Scholarships (for prospective or non-members), which are both described above. These funds are not invested and the available amount is equal to the fund balance.
Program Sponsorships
These sponsorships are transformative to undergraduates and allow them to attend and engage in the many leadership programs SigEp offers, without financial barriers.
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP FUNDS:
Declining-balance chapter leadership funds ensure undergraduate officers and emerging leaders receive leadership and development opportunities by providing immediate funding to attend programs.
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP ENDOWMENTS:
CLEs ensure undergraduate officers and emerging leaders receive leadership and development opportunities in perpetuity. These are chapter-preferred and not restricted to a specific program. As endowments, these funds are invested and provide an available amount each fiscal year based on the Foundation’s spending policy.
Living-Learning Environment Funds
Formerly called Residential Learning Community (RLC) funds, these funds support a specific chapter and are not invested. They provide funding to support educational areas of chapter facilities and learning communities in grants to AVCs as one-time renovations and annual operating grants.
These funds support two types of grants to AVCs:
- Project Grants can cover the cost of purchase, construction or renovation of educational areas in the chapter house such as libraries, study rooms, computer rooms or museums. It may also be used for educational furnishings, including relevant technology installations. As all donations to these funds remain tax-deductible, we work with AVCs to determine the educational percentage of a chapter facility to understand available disbursements for a project.
- Annual Operating Grants are also available in subsequent years to cover the annual expenses related to operating these educational areas.
Requesting Funds
Requesting funds has never been easier! Now in mySigEp, there’s a button to request funds directly from one of your AVC’s funds held at the SigEp Educational Foundation. This form includes tuition scholarships, Balanced Man Scholarship funds, chapter investment funds, grants and reimbursements. Click here for step-by-step instructions to request funds.
For questions related to an AVC account, including disbursement requests, please contact Director of Advancement Services Rachel Mason.
Note: Any requests to expedite shipping of scholarship checks will incur a fee to the scholarship fund in use. If checks are not cashed within 90 days of date issued, they become invalid. If your check(s) is invalid, please send it back to us for reissue. Checks that are not returned are subject to a stop payment fee of $35.
