The Ballard Family Foundation Scholarship History and the College Student Financial Need Gap in Georgia
The Ballard philanthropic journey began in 2007, when they partnered with the San Diego Foundation to support students who had been in the foster care system and wanted to go college. Over a 10-year period, they provided assistance to 48 students who received $55,000 over that time period, with an average grant of approximately $1,100 per student.
Prior to establishing the E. David and Linda C. Ballard Family Foundation, David and Linda Ballard first became aware of the college student financial gap need after reading a 2016 Washington Post article. The Ballards reached out to the Howard University student featured in the article and felt compelled to support her to ensure her graduation. Her heart touching story can be found at the link: A Story of Grit and Grace. The Ballards discovered that this Howard University student’s experience was not an outlier and they began to explore the needs of Georgia students, with a specific focus in the Atlanta area, where the Ballards now reside.
In Georgia, between 15,000-25,000 students leave school annually due to financial challenges, often with balances of less than $1,000.
It is estimated that by the year 2020, 65% of all jobs will require some level of post-secondary education. In 2017, it was reported that approximately 47% of the workforce had a post-secondary credential. For the Atlanta community to remain attractive to large and small businesses, it is imperative that these numbers improve. A well-educated community benefits all in many ways.
In 2011, Georgia State University initiated a student retention program for seniors called the “Panther Retention Grant Program.” Students with tuition balances of less $2,500, in good academic standing, and who had exhausted all other forms of financial aid received a grant to pay off their outstanding balance. Between 2011-2016, grant recipients were found to be twice as likely to graduate within 3 terms of receiving a grant compared to their peer group of Pell grant eligible students who dropped out due to their financial situation. In Academic year 2016, 78% of students graduated within three terms of receiving a grant versus 27% of students in the control group.
In 2013, Coca Cola established the “Coca Cola Last Mile Scholarship” for Morehouse College junior and senior students who were at risk of dropping out due to lack of funds. Over a 3-year period, 34 students (26 seniors and 8 juniors with an average group GPA of 3.38) reported a financial need and received awards totaling $347,671.
In 2015, a Morehouse College alum established the Robbie Robinson '98 Finish Line Scholarship, donating $1,000,000 to the Fund to assist senior students whose financial deficits put them at risk of discontinuing their studies temporarily or dropping out of college entirely. During the first year, 95 students received scholarships totaling $431,475, with an average award of $6,000. The scholarship funds were depleted over a 3-year period.
In 2017, Morehouse College estimated between 5-10% of the total student body was a risk for dropping out because of a financial gap ranging from $5,000-$12,000 each semester.
As an outcome of these findings, the Ballards decided to partner with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to create the E. David and Linda C. Ballard Family Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship was created to support junior and senior students currently enrolled in an accredited four-year institution whose unmet financial needs put them at risk for temporarily discontinuing their studies or dropping out. Students are nominated by school administrators, counselors and financial aid officers working directly with potential applicants from Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University. More information about the Ballard Foundation Scholarship can be found on the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta web page under the scholarship section.