Applicant Questions

Potential Donor Questions

Q:  When can I apply?

A:  We are a brand new scholarship program - as soon as we start receiving donations, we will start the program.  We hope to start as soon as School Year 2008.

Q:  Is my donation tax-deductible?

A:  YES!  We are a recognized nonprofit foundation.

Q:  How will the Application work?

A:  We ask basic questions about who you are and what school you hope to attend.  We also ask for a copy of your latest transcripts and a writing sample.  The writing sample is about 500 words about why genealogy is important to family history.

Q:  Is this available only to people with the name "Vannurden"?

A:  No, it is open to everyone that wants to apply.

Q:  Who decides the winner(s)?

A:  A variety of factors will determine who wins.  1) We have contracted with a group of local teachers to “rank” each writing sample. (spelling and grammar counts!) and 2) we look at your GPA and the type of classes you have taken.  We combine these two items and determine who best deserves to win a scholarship(s).  There is no single item or individual that makes the decision. 

Q:  If I donate, how much of my donation is going to be used for scholarships and how much will be used for administrative costs?

A:  We are a small but tightly regulated organization - the only material administrative costs will be for the contracted teachers to read and rank the written responses.  We will have bank fees and some internet expenses but there are no huge "salaries" for board members.  We expect administrative fees to be less then 10%.

Q:  Are you giving more then one $1,000 scholarship?

A:  It depends on donations.  We want to maximize any resources that are donated to us while making the program run as long as possible.

We are also considering 2 different scholarship pools.  One pool for high school students going to their Freshman year and a separate pool for continuing college students. The continuing college students have a different pool because we expect a different level of work from that group.

Q:  Do you file tax returns for the Vannurden Scholarship Fund, Inc.?

A:   Yes, we are required to file a 990-PF Annually.  This is a Return of Private Foundation Form 990-PF or Section 4947(a)(1) Nonexempt Charitable Trust Treated as a Private Foundation.  An example of it can be found at:  IRS Website.   Our foundation must make the 990-PF from available for public inspection.

Q:  Do the scholarships need to be repaid?

A:  No, our scholarships are grants and the winners will not be required to repay the money they won.

Q:  Who exactly is involved with the Vannurden Scholarship Fund, Inc?

A:  The president is William Vannurden. (the Scholarship fund is seasonal, Mr. Vannurden is a full-time auditor for the Federal Government and his degree is in Accounting)

Q:  Can I apply if I am going to a Vo-Tech School?

A:  Yes, as long as you are attending an accredited school and you are working towards a certificate or degree.  If you are only taking one course at a Vo-Tech because it interests you, you are not eligible.  If you are working towards a certificate program at the Vo-Tech (series of classes to achieve the certificate) then you are eligible to apply.

Q:  Can we see the IRS letter that shows you are a non-profit organization?

A:  That letter can be viewed and printed at this link: IRS Letter

Q:  If I win, do you send the money directly to me?

A:  No, we send the money to the school you decide to attend.  The school will credit your account. The scholarship is meant for tuition, books and educational expenses.

Q:  How can we donate?

A:  Send a check to the Vannurden Scholarship Fund, Inc. PO Box 736, Hanover MD  21076  (we will send you a receipt for tax purposes)

Q:  What state is the Vannurden Scholarship Fund, Inc. registered in?

A:  We are registered in the state of Maryland.  The registration can be found at the Maryland Secretary of State Website at this link: Business Entity Information (Charter/Personal Property)