Intro to Philanthropy

Students in a philanthropy class at the University of Mary Washington are looking for local nonprofits to apply for $10,000 in grant money. 

It's the sixth year that students taking Dr. Robert Rycroft's class Economics of Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector. Each year, Doris Buffet's Sunshine Lady Foundation has provided $10,000 to the class for students to distribute. 

It's just one of several philanthropy classes which Buffet's foundation has funded over the years through the Learning by Giving program.  This year, the Learning by Giving program is sponsoring eight philanthropy classes at universities across the nation. 

The class is designed to teach students the ins and outs of running a charitable organizations. The 22 students enrolled this year have already created a philanthropic society guided by a mission statement, and seek grant applications based on requests for proposals. 

Last year's class received 53 applications from regional nonprofit organizations. 

The stated goal of this year's class, according to the mission statement, is to fund health and educations programs. 

Submissions must be submitted by email by Nov. 1, 2011. Paper submissions will be accepted until Oct. 25, 2011. Applications are available online.

To apply, you must be a non-profit located in the City of Fredericksburg, or Spotsylvania, Orange, King George, Stafford, Caroline Culpeper and Prince William Counties, and the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck regions. 

Last year's grants were split between the Bragg Hill Family Life Center, the Middlesex chapter of Habitat for Humanity and the Rappahannock Goodwill.