Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF), an organization that sparks generosity and collaboration to address the region’s greatest needs, announced today that it is partnering with the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund to expand opportunities for donors to support young people and their goals of attending college.
Since 1991, the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund has offered competitive, generous, multi-year scholarships via a robust and widely respected process. Since 1999, ECCF has been inspiring and growing local philanthropy. Now, the two organizations are combining forces to increase the support for motivated students with financial need to pursue higher education.
“Since we share deep roots on the North Shore and a mission to help individuals and communities thrive, Phillips and ECCF are natural partners,” said Barbara Welles Iler, executive director of the fund.
Through this partnership, Phillips has opened a dedicated scholarship fund at ECCF. This new vehicle opens the door for an increasing number of donors to support Phillips’ scholarship efforts with a wider variety of gift types. This means that donors wishing to make a one-time gift or give to support Phillips’ mission through their DAF can now do so through ECCF.
It also enables Phillips partners who participate in the organization’s named scholarship programs – like the Efrosini Demoulas Scholars Program and the Salem Five Charitable Foundation’s Bright Minds Scholarship Program – to coordinate their funds through the community foundation as well.
“Our role as a community foundation is to foster local philanthropy, in whatever way we’re needed,” said Stacey Landry, ECCF’s senior vice president for advancement and philanthropic services. “Through this partnership, ECCF is providing administrative support, while the Phillips’ team continues to focus on what they do best, which is helping students realize their dreams of college without the overwhelming debt associated with it.”
“Because of this partnership,” said Iler, “We’re able to better serve our donors and, in turn, the students who benefit from their generosity.”
The Phillips family has deep roots in Essex County, dating back to the early 18th century and spanning centuries of civic service, philanthropy and educational endeavors. The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by Betty Phillips, wife of the last Stephen Phillips, who lived from 1907 to 1971. The couple had taken an interest in helping students obtain a college education, which for many in their hometown of Salem was not within reach.
In the last 34 years, the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund has granted over $85 million in scholarship grants to more than 5,000 students. Scholarships are awarded every year to over 150 new applicants and over 300 returning scholars.
“ECCF is honored to partner with an organization with such a strong track record of supporting the hopes and dreams of local students, many of whom go on to be leaders right here in Essex County,” said Landry. “This collaboration with the Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund is an innovative example of how ECCF continues to work with community partners to innovate new ways of strengthening local giving.”
