General Need Scholarships

Innovation Fund

The Innovation Fund gives Maryland’s independent colleges and universities the unrestricted resources to be proactive and assertive in pursuing their missions. Windows of opportunity for funding scholarship gaps, teaching, learning, research and service can be short-lived and can close quickly. The Innovation Fund provides the financial margin to allow our colleges to be agile and flexible so that possibilities are fully realized. 100% of the contributions to this fund are distributed to member colleges and universities by a formula based on full-time enrollment. Besides the critical use of unrestricted funds for needs-based financial aid, here are just a few other examples of how our the I-Fund campuses came alive through the Innovation Fund:

• At the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, these unrestricted funds supported the Elizabeth Morrissy Honors Program, which offers curricular and co-curricular opportunities to students of outstanding intellectual ability and high motivation, thus raising the academic profile of the institution.
• Goucher College’s long-standing commitment to community service was supported through the Innovation Fund by funding community service programs that facilitated the transportation of students to their community work sites.
• The Innovation Fund helped implement a broad range of activities and events in Villa Julie College’s focus on diversity and multiculturalism.

Pooled Scholarship Fund

The Pooled Scholarship Fund helps ensure the benefits of an independent liberal arts education are available to many qualified young men and women for whom the cost of college would otherwise be out of reach. Scholarships from this fund are awarded to students of all majors; the sole criterion for selection is financial need. Grants fund basic and emergency financial needs. Minimum investment in the Pooled Scholarship Fund is $1,000. Contact your financial aid office and ask for the I-Fund “Pooled Scholar” grant by name.