[Income tax return shows the Gannett Foundation awarded
$42,250 in Madelyn P. Jennings scholarships in 2007]
Hard to believe, isn't it? The Gannett Foundation apparently gave only $42,250 in college scholarships to employees' children in 2007 -- a year when the company employed 46,000 workers, according to public documents. That would be just 14 Madelyn P. Jennings Scholarships, based on the contest's current $3,000 award value.
Those numbers appeared so low that I dived back into the foundation's four most recent public income tax returns to learn more. But it turns out that 2007 wasn't an anomally, if these reported annual totals are accurate:- 2004: $39,000
- 2005: $39,000
- 2006: $39,000
- 2007: $42,250
Now, there are several reasons why these figures might be so low -- but lack of money shouldn't be one. In 2007 alone, the foundation donated $11.3 million to non-profits across the country. That included $320,000 in grants that CEO Craig Dubow and 15 other current and former executives steered toward scholarship funds at their alma maters, and to other pet charities, under a perquisite available to only the well-paid top brass. (Noteworthy examples.)
Of course, average employees aren't so fortunate, according to foundation rules for everyone else: "The only scholarship program currently funded by the foundation is the Madelyn P. Jennings Scholarship Program for children of Gannett employees."
Possible explanations
I can only imagine what foundation Executive Director Tara Connell would say about this, given that she's not talking to me. (Indeed, I'm still waiting for Connell, who also is Gannett's spokeswoman, to explain the whereabouts of $40,000 in other foundation money.)
Maybe there's a pile of other Jennings scholarships disclosed somewhere else; I could only find one page summarizing the grants in the tax returns. Perhaps the scholarships aren't getting promoted enough. Maybe the qualifications are too tough, or the application process too daunting. (Basically, college-bound high school students must score well on the PSAT/NMSQT test, plus meet other criteria.)
Whatever the reasons, Gannett Blog readers want to know more. "Where is that list of award winners?" Anonymous@4:35 p.m. asked yesterday. "We applied when my daughter was a junior, too. I was dismayed when we didn't hear a single thing back -- not even a, 'tnx for applying' note."
How to apply for 2010 scholarships
Deadline for fall 2010 college enrollment is Feb. 28, 2009, for high school students who took the standardized PSAT/NMSQT test this fall. (Details, here.)
Earlier: Listing other ways to give away $40,000
Got a Jennings experience to share? Post it in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar.
The application is not clear but I concluded you have to be a National Merit semi-finalist or finalist to qualify. Standards for semi-finalists vary from state to state; it's much easier to qualify in, say, Alabama, where the cutoff was 209, than New Jersey, where there are many more college bound students and you needed a 220 this year to be a semi-finalist. By setting the bar for the scholarship that high, the foundation wouldn't have to give out much money. It would be more generous for the foundation to state that any student earning more than 200, which commonly is the "commended" level on the PSAT, and is still very good, could qualify. Jim, please persist in your efforts to get that list of who received the scholarships. We, too, applied and never heard a word back.
ReplyDeleteThey should pull the plug on these ridiculous scholarships immediately. They always were "much ado about nothing".
ReplyDeleteback before the indianapolis star was sold to gannett in 2000, it gave employees' kids 8-12 scholarships for $2500 (or maybe $3000), renewable for all four years, for study in any field. the arizona republic did the same, and the smaller central newspapers inc (pulliam-owned) papers also gave in proportion to the number of employee-kid applicants.
ReplyDeleteeveryone's college-bound kid was encouraged to apply . . . the more applicants, the more grants could be given (there was a federal limit involved).
cni also had scholarships for journalism students and, back when the carriers were kids, there were scholarships for them, too.
in other words, there were 50-75 people a year -- maybe more -- going to college with help from pulliam-owned papers.
the pulliams had the strange idea that an educated readership and educated writers just might be good for their newspapers.
This posting certainly raises a hell of a lot more questions than it answers. Under federal philanthropy laws, foundations aren't permitted to just sit on the money they are managing, but are required to spend down a certain amount each year. (It used to be 5 percent, although there were efforts in Congress to increase that amount, so that might have changed recently). If they don't pay out that amount, they can have their foundation status challenged. I looked for some indication of how this particular foundation is founded. Is it an endowment from Jennings left to Gannett, or do we know? These are piddling disbursements under this sort of account, and you are correct to raise questions about it given the number of GCI employees with kids who would qualify.
ReplyDeleteAccording to this PDF (www.nationalmerit.org/student_guide.pdf) from the National Merit Scholarship Corp., "Gannett Foundation, Inc. – 12 awards for children of employees of Gannett Co. Inc."
ReplyDeleteSo they only plan to give out 12 per year.
If they're allocating between $39,000 and $42,250 per year to the 12 $3,000 scholarships, where's the other money going? Or are they giving out 13 or 14?
(Even 14 is weird because 14x$3,000 is only $42,000.)
8:20 pm---
ReplyDeleteNow there's a scary thought - the family that produced Dan Quayle was more enlightened about the value of education than Gannett
Jim, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation says they release the names of the winners to the media. You should just ask them for the names of all of the Gannett winners in the last several years.
ReplyDelete9:38 p.m., and others: The Gannett Foundation doesn't have a fixed endowment. It is what's called a pass-through foundation. As the name suggests, when Gannett wants to make charitable contributions, it first donates cash, securities or other assets to the foundation. And the foundation does from time to time carry a portfolio of securities. This is true for the Jennings scholarships; they are simply a line item.
ReplyDeleteThe extra $250 was for a bunch of the USPS 'Forever' stamps so that in future years, the Foundation wouldn't get screwed over mailing the checks.
ReplyDeleteThe hidden 13th scholarship these past years was to compensate the intern they have on board to mail those checks out each year. Last year she needed a helper -- hence the 14th scholarship was given.
I'll be damn curious to hear about those scholarship winners - if names are ever provided, and whether they had to sign non-disparagement paperwork to get the money.
12 awards to the kids of 46,000 workers. Maybe they should call it the Ebenezer Scrooge scholarship.
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ReplyDeleteJim, you have some details of the scholarship in error. Application is not open to high school seniors. It's only open to high school JUNIORS.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a big reason so many of our kids couldn't even complete. In my state, most kids don't take a PSAT -- this prep SAT is not required at any college I know -- and for those who do take it, the exam isn't offered in time to get PSAT scores back by the Jennings application deadline.
So, de facto it's NOT available to many Gannett employees' kids.
My son didn't take a PSAT, took an early SAT for early college applications and earned a perfect 800 and a 790, but Gannett had nothing for him because the timing on the Jennings scholarship is nonsensical to reality.
Thanks, 1:42 pm: I've clarified that.
ReplyDeleteJim -
ReplyDeleteeven though those kids names were found via google, don't you think it would be appropriate not to re-publish their names? Some may still be minors, and regardless, they certainly shouldn't be dragged into anything on this board....
8:13 pm: You are so right! I somehow missed those in a flurry of comments today. I've removed them.
ReplyDeleteI've just removed three comments that potentially identified the minor children of Gannett employees. Please don't post such information; children should not suffer because of decisions made by their parents.
ReplyDeleteIn the main post, you quoted a commenter: "Whatever the reasons, Gannett Blog readers want to know more. 'Where is that list of award winners?' Anonymous@4:35 p.m. asked yesterday. "We applied when my daughter was a junior, too. I was dismayed when we didn't hear a single thing back -- not even a, 'tnx for applying' note."
ReplyDeleteSo why shouldn't names be posted here? It's public info that NMSC releases to the media every year.
I know it may sound subjective, but I just don't like having the names of minors -- children -- published on this blog. It doesn't feel right. (And I'm not even a parent!)
ReplyDeleteHow about getting the list and posting their employee-parents' names?
ReplyDeleteWell, my child could have applied, but now that I'm no longer employed, and the money could be used, I guess that's another loss to my family while the uppercrust of Gannett keep reaping the benefits. Oh, and if your child is a junior this year, why even bother, since many others will probably not be employed by the time the "scholarship" kicks in anyway.
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