Ways to Support and Donate

Donations made to this Fund are unrestricted, allowing the South Seattle College Foundation to assist South Seattle College in a variety of ways. The President’s Discretionary Fund, a portion of the Emergency Fund Grants, Faculty Grants, even the recent $350,000 award to the College for the remodel of the Alki Cafe, are all made possible by donations made to the Fund for Opportunity.

Donors to this Fund want to see their contributions used in a more immediate fashion. Unlike an Endowed Scholarship, where monies are generally not awarded until the Endowment reaches $50,000 in donations, the Adopt-A-Student Fund allows donors to contribute one or more quarters of tuition to be distributed during the next awarding period. Presently, one quarter of tuition for a resident student taking 15 credits of lower-division courses is $1,410.50. Accordingly, there is a minimum donation to this fund of $1,500 which covers tuition and a small amount extra for fees. As in Endowments, Adopt-A-Student donors may specify which program of study they wish their Scholarship to be used, as well as suggested characteristics and needs of student(s) to be awarded.

Many individuals and corporations elect to create an Endowment. Donors can specify which program of study they wish their Scholarship to be used or may choose to support a particular academic or technical-professional program. The Foundation’s main goal is to work with donors so that their wishes are followed now and in perpetuity. The minimum donation needed to create an Endowment is $50,000, though contributions can begin with $25,000 with the remainder contributed over a period of five years. The Foundation invests this money with the advice of our professional investment advisor; and once the income from the Endowment reaches at least $1,500, monies are then awarded according to donor intent.

As of December 2021, the South Seattle College Foundation has 76 separate Endowments with total funds in excess of $20 million.

To view our current Endowments please visit Our Endowment Donors page.

This fund allows Donors to make donations in any amount to support South Seattle College Scholarship students. Contributions from this Fund are grouped together; and during the next scholarship awarding period, distributed to qualified students. Contributions in this Fund are awarded to students in any program, where the need is greatest.

The 13th Year Promise Scholarship was conceived at a South Seattle College Foundation Board retreat in December 2006. The program enrolled its first students from Cleveland High School in fall quarter, 2008. In 2011, Chief Sealth International High School was added, followed by Rainier Beach High School in 2014. West Seattle High School was added in ­­2018. These are now called our “Legacy Schools.” The original 13th Year Promise Scholarship program included one year of free tuition to any graduating senior, regardless of need. Wrap-around support services were also included: advising, peer mentorship, and tutoring, as well as a Preparedness Academy to help with the transition from high school to college. To ensure permanence of the 13th Year program, the Foundation successfully completed a planned five-year, $8.2 million endowment campaign in 2017 by raising $12 million.

Local educational and political leaders were very interested in our 13th Year Promise Scholarship program and wanted to expand it city-wide. In November 2018, Seattle voters passed a seven-year levy to fund the now named Seattle Promise Scholarship. Beginning in Fall 2019, students from two additional Seattle Public High Schools were given tuition-free admission: Garfield students to Seattle Central and Ingraham students to North Seattle. In 2020, the city-wide program extended to all Seattle Public School students the opportunity to attend any of the three Seattle Colleges for two years of tuition-free admission.

Since the levy-supported Seattle Promise Scholarship is funding tuition, the South Seattle College Foundation enacted a “Legacy Schools” Grant program.  Graduating students from any of our four Legacy Schools who attend South Seattle College are eligible for up to $200 a quarter as a stipend for books and/or supplies for their first two years at South.

The South Seattle College Foundation is committed to continuing the promises made to its 13^th Year Scholarship donors. Even with additional funds provided by the Seattle levy, students’ financial needs for their education are not totally met. The Foundation is continually exploring ways to support students through the 13th Year Promise Scholarship.

South Seattle College’s Legacy Club recognizes those donors who plan to contribute through a will, beneficiary designation, gift annuity, or trust. Please contact the Foundation by email or phone for specifics regarding the Legacy Club.

Acceptable in-kind donations are gifts of goods – such as equipment, machinery, vehicles, and tools – or services that serve the purposes of and support for South Seattle College. In order for the South Seattle College Foundation to accept an in-kind gift, the donation must be approved by the appropriate SSC program Vice President/Director, the College President, and the Administrative Services Vice President. The agreement of acceptance of the donation is not valid until the form is completed with all required signatures.

Please contact advancement@seattlecolleges.edu, for specifics regarding the In-Kind Process Overview and In-Kind Donation Form.

The South Seattle College Foundation is certified by Benevity as a valid non-profit organization and can be designated for contributions through their corporate giving portal. This technology allows employees of larger corporations to set up giving programs and make charitable contributions through this program. Benevity creates a gift receipt for the employee for their tax records and forwards the funds directly to the chosen non-profit organization.