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Pay it Forward Grants: Strengthening Communities through Student-Led Philanthropy

What is Pay it Forward?

“Having actual money gave us actual responsibilities. We didn’t want to let our community partners down so we all worked extra hard…We really wanted to write great grant proposals and we worked harder than we would have if the philanthropy part was hypothetical.”
-College Student, 2009-2010 Pay it Forward course evaluation

One-Page Pay it Forward Overview

The Pay it Forward grant for student philanthropy helps students learn how to be engaged citizens and to understand the important role philanthropy plays in the health of our communities, of our nation and of the world. The program, a tri-state initiative led by Michigan Campus Compact, Ohio Campus Compact and Kentucky Campus Compact, addresses critical economic needs in communities through student-led grant making and volunteerism. It focuses efforts in three needs areas: children and youth programs; neighborhood development and revitalization; and hunger, homelessness and health issues.

The purpose of this initiative is to develop a new generation of philanthropists through a course-based service-learning environment that engages college students in hands on philanthropy, grant-making, and service while providing community nonprofits with much needed assistance in the current deflated economic environment. Selected campuses receive $5,000 for each awarded course. $4,500 of the grant must be invested in local non-profit 501(c)(3) agencies through a mini-grant process at the determination of the students in the course while the remaining $500 is used to support course activities related to the project.

Funding for Pay it Forward is made possible through The Corporation for National and Community Service (Learn and Serve America Higher Education.) The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering.

Administrative support for Pay it Forward is provided by the Kentucky Campus Compact, the Michigan Campus Compact, and the Ohio Campus Compact.

2011–2012 Pay it Forward Grant Program

Despite severe federal funding cuts, Michigan Campus Compact is committed to continuing our successful--and award winning--Pay it Forward student philanthropy education initiative. Since its inception, Pay it Forward has engaged over 2,000 students in 107 courses across 33 campuses in three states while providing more than 35,000 volunteer service hours and $481,500 to community nonprofit organizations. Pay it Forward will continue in the 2011-2012 academic year, but at a much smaller scale due to the elimination of Learn & Serve America. Funds will be awarded to 2010 – 2011 Pay It Forward programs.

2010-2011 Pay it Forward Grantees

Central Michigan University
Davenport University
Delta College
Eastern Michigan University
Ferris State University
Madonna University
Michigan State University
Western Michigan University
  

 

Michigan’s 2010-2011 Pay it Forward Impact

In 2010-2011, Pay it Forward – Michigan:

Student Philanthropy Resources

Michigan Campus Compact's Student Philanthropy Toolkit
MCC has created a Student Philanthropy Toolkit, a document designed to assist college faculty and staff in developing student-led philanthropy projects. The Toolkit contains an overview of student-led philanthropy, a checklist for implementing a course-based philanthropy project, testimonies from student philanthropists and partners, student philanthropy resources, potential funding sources for student philanthropy projects and more. 

Pay it Forward was modeled after Campus Connects, a student philanthropy program of Kentucky Campus Compact and Ohio Camus Compact. Below are links to sample syllabi from that program:

For more information regarding Pay it Forward contact:

Renee Zientek
Assistant Director of Grant Programs
1048 Pierpont, Suite 3
Lansing, MI 48911
Phone: 517.492.2439
Fax: 517.492.2410
Email: rzientek@micampuscompact.org