1. Memorial gifts given by friends/family.
When a loved one passes away, families often accept donations on their behalf to a charity. If you would like to honor your loved one with a gift to the SME Foundation, you may select which program the donations will benefit and then tell your friends and family about the option.
Common language used in obituaries is as follows:
“In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in NAME’s memory to support the PROGRAM. Donations can be made at https://community.smenet.org/memorials”
Your friends and family will be able to indicate that the gift is in memory of your loved one and we will provide you a list of all donations.
2. Setting up a named scholarship
Another option for honoring your loved one is by setting up a scholarship in their name. The minimum starting amount for a scholarship fund is $100,000. This can be made with one donation, or a collection of donation from friends and family. Once you indicate the desire to start a scholarship fund, you have three years to reach the $100,000 threshold for the scholarship to begin. Each year the scholarship will award up to 5% of the three-year rolling average.
Your family will have the opportunity to set guidelines for the scholarship and determine the purpose and scope of the scholarship criteria.