Real results from real scholarship programs.
Every engagement is different. Here's what we've accomplished alongside the organizations we serve.
Community Foundation Strategic Reset
The challenge
A large community foundation was dealing with staffing gaps, donor concerns, and an unsustainable scholarship workload. The program had grown organically over decades without a clear strategy.
What we did
We provided interim staffing during the busiest season, then guided the team through a full strategic reset: clarifying program purpose, creating sustainable processes, and auditing the fund portfolio.
The result
The foundation revised its staffing plan, retired or consolidated more than 20 low-impact funds, and now has a clear strategy for the remainder. Staff reported feeling "finally good about scholarships."
“We’re not just chugging along and surviving every year. It all feels really well aligned.”
529 Disbursement Pilot
The challenge
A major Texas foundation's scholarship awards were being displaced dollar-for-dollar after a local college announced free tuition. Students were over-awarded on paper but not receiving the funds in practice.
What we did
We designed and implemented a 529 college savings plan disbursement model, partnering with the right plan provider and building the operational framework from scratch.
The result
Every scholarship dollar made available to students. 100% student satisfaction. Funds in students' hands in days instead of weeks. Weeks of staff work eliminated each season. More than half of all scholars now receive funding through 529 plans.
Scholarship Program Formalization
The challenge
A faith-based philanthropy was operating without formal guidelines or documentation. This lack of structure led to confusion among leadership and donors, an inconsistent selection process, and a lack of transparency for student applicants.
What we did
We facilitated a strategic alignment session to define the program’s intended impact. We then built a comprehensive operational framework from scratch, including a formal scholarship policy, an annual timeline, committee job descriptions, and objective evaluation rubrics.
The result
The program moved from confusing to highly professional. The team now benefits from streamlined evaluations and quicker award decisions, while stakeholders reported significantly higher confidence in the program’s fairness and clarity.
“We are so satisfied and pleased with everything Students First Consulting has done for us.”
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Community-Centered Impact Assessment
The challenge
A large community foundation awarding over 400 scholarships annually felt its program lacked a cohesive identity. Stakeholders viewed individual funds as separate entities rather than a collective program, and a fund audit revealed potential compliance risks regarding donor-controlled selection committees.
What we did
We performed a dual community needs assessment and comprehensive fund audit. We surveyed hundreds of students, donors, and committee members to identify unmet needs—such as housing and transportation—and designed a new flagship pooled fund to simplify giving and maximize impact.
The result
The foundation is now executing a multi-year transformation strategy. This includes transitioning to a centralized technology platform and implementing objective scoring rubrics for all 100-plus funds, ensuring the program is equitable, compliant, and responsive to modern student challenges.
Scholarship Portfolio Optimization
The challenge
A regional community foundation was managing nearly 100 scholarship funds, many of which had drifted away from their original intent or fallen below minimum balance requirements. With 47 different external committees, the administrative burden was unsustainable and documentation was scattered.
What we did
We conducted a deep-dive audit of the entire portfolio and developed a new scholarship purpose statement to guide future growth. We designed a tiered service model to incentivize higher-impact funds and provided the staff with conversation guides to transition or sunset low-impact funds.
The result
The foundation now has a clear roadmap for prioritizing high-impact work. By shifting away from transactional administration of small, narrow funds, staff can focus on strategic community engagement and building a centralized community scholarship fund.
“The audit and all the details created a lot of really clear structure in how to prioritize the work.”
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