Program areas at St Petersburg College Foundation
The Foundation has over 282 named scholarship funds that provide financial assistance to spc students. Through the generosity of our donors, we have specific scholarships available for every area of study including (but not limited to), nursing, education, study abroad programs and financial assistance for our returning veterans. Each scholarship has unique awarding criteria which may include financial need and/or academic achievement. College expenses have risen nearly 40% over the last decade, making this the most difficult time in history for young people to pay for a College education, according to the us department of education. Without the help of financial assistance, many of our students would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend College. During 2022-23, the Foundation provided financial assistance to more than 4,046 students. The average scholarship award was approximately 620. Total amount of scholarships awarded was approximately 2.5 million.
Provide management of investment assets of the Foundation.
The Foundation provided funding to St. Petersburg College for program support as well as capital facility projects. The Foundation provided financial support for the arts by raising funds for the palladium theatre at St. Petersburg College. In addition, the Foundation provided financial support for numerous College departments, such as nursing, education, engineering, business and technology, athletics, collegiate high school and fine arts. Additionally, the Foundation provided grants to faculty and staff to implement programs that broaden the scope of the curriculum and improve student success. Foundation funding provided support for programs such as women on the way and male initiatives. As the College identified a gap in achievement for african american male students, the Foundation provided significant support to close the gap and increase the graduation success rate for african american males. St. Petersburg College is experiencing declines in support from the state of Florida. Accordingly, private support is an increasingly important component of revenue to the various campuses/departments. The Foundation anticipates a higher rate of use of Foundation held funds in the future as a result of decreased resources provided by the state. The Foundation supported various College departments and programs in the amount of 1.74 million during 2022-23.