College Tuition Rewards Program Introduced to Encourage Volunteerism, Provides Tuition Credits for Children & Grandchildren of Non-profit Volunteers

Philadelphia, PA -- Two Philadelphia-area companies have partnered to offer college tuition credits incentives to non-profit organizations that rely on volunteers.

Called SAGE Scholars Tuition Rewards for Volunteers, the program can provide a tuition reward up to $2,500 for an unlimited number of college-bound children named by a volunteer who participates in the program sponsored by the nonprofit.

The Solutions Network, a Newtown Square, PA professional services firm and Philadelphia-based SAGE Scholars, the nation’s largest college savings plan devoted exclusively to private colleges and universities, are the creators of one of the nation’s first incentive programs designed for nonprofit organizations that rely on active volunteers.

There are over 200 participating private colleges and universities throughout the United States.

“This is a solution to a serious problem nonprofits are facing everywhere, the declining numbers of volunteers in the face of a growing need for dependable volunteers in hospitals, schools, fire departments, senior centers, youth organizations and other community services,” said Richard J. Anthony, the managing director of The Solutions Network. “The pool of prospective volunteers isn’t being replenished quickly enough to satisfy the need.

“Tuition Rewards for Volunteers provides several benefits,” Anthony said. “For the sponsoring organization, Tuition Rewards can be used to recruit volunteers and motivate them to remain active because the awards are earned over successive 12-month periods up to 60 months. For volunteers, tuition credits based on the amount of time contributed are a valuable bonus for volunteering; in addition to doing good work for a cause, the volunteer automatically creates a valuable educational resource for children who go on to college. It’s two good deeds in one.”

Headquartered in Philadelphia, SAGE Scholars was founded in 1995 by James Johnston, PhD, a long-time advocate of programs that help families plan and prepare for their children’s and grandchildren’s college education. Johnston has spent most of his career in higher education and providing private educational counseling services to families. He is the author of “Beyond Financial Aid: Funding Strategies for College Costs,” published in 2006 under the auspices of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Johnston argues that of the three components of financial aid -- scholarships, loans and work study -- only scholarships actually lower a family’s portion of college costs which, in most Pennsylvania private colleges averages more than $22,000 a year.

“This program is not a replacement for good recruiting and retention practices. Nor is it likely to be enough of an inducement to attract people who aren’t already inclined toward volunteerism. The tuition credits are really a bonus for doing good and contributing time and talent to benefit others,” Johnston said.

Nearly 100,000 families in Pennsylvania are SAGE participants. As of May 1, SAGE Scholars has over 250,000 families participating in 50 states, and over 113,000 students enrolled in programs across the country.

There are over 211 private colleges and universities in 33 states participating in the program, and 60 percent of SAGE colleges are in included in the annual U.S. News and World Report’s “Best of” Listing.

Additional information about SAGE Scholars is available at http://www.tuitionrewards.com/.

Additional information about the Solutions Network is available at http://www.thesolnet.com/.

Media Contacts:

For the Solutions Network:

Jim DeLorenzo; Phone: 215-564-1122; E-mail: jim@jhdenterprises.com
For SAGE Scholars:

Robert Savett; Phone: 215-564-9930; E-mail: robert@sagescholars.com