Who should be eligible for a scholarship?

​

​

Any new specific criteria will be determined by the MEF Steering Committee by the November meeting but we expect to continue encouraging (1) employees who began work at least prior to the previous October 15 and (2) allowing applications from dependent unmarried children of any full-time (32 hours/week) employee (including salaried staff) whose start date was prior to October 15 of the year before applications.  Eligibility includes undergraduate and masters programs.​​​​

​

​

Do applicants need to be US citizens or be otherwise legal in AZ?

​

​

We assume that all employees are legally hired by SRG and therefore eligible and ACF agrees. We assume the same for dependents of employees.

​​

​​

How can applicants email or call ACF about questions re their applications?

​

​

The best way is to email ACF - scholarship@azfoundation.org. Or call 602.381.1400.

​​​

​

What is the “maximum target” scholarship amounts for two-year, four-year, and vocational schools?

 

 

MEF will set these amounts not later than April 1 based on our balance in the ACF account and number of qualified applicants.  Awards for full-time students were normally $3500 for two-year and $7000 for four-year institutions.  Half of that amount for part-time students.  

​

​​

Can the MEF Steering Committee award amounts less than the “maximum target” amounts?

 

 

Yes, based on the applications and the interviews. The Steering Committee has full authority to set any amount.

​

 

Can applicants apply for an award to go to grad school?  

 

 

ACF allows it but it is entirely up to us. We could limit the number, the amount, and consider the program.

​​​​

​​​

Are interviews absolutely required to receive a scholarship?

​

 

Yes

​​​​

​​​

Do all applicants receive a scholarship?

​

 

Since the program began, all who complete their application requirements have received an award, but there could be exceptions to that, if the Steering Committee does not feel an award is warranted.

​​

​​​

When does ACF give the formal award notice to recipients?

​

 

Notification of scholarship is sent via email the first part of May to recipients

​​​​

​​​

When will MEF send confirming emails to successful applicants?

​

 

After ACF notices go out to awardees, the MEF Chair will send ASAP our own congratulation emails to successful applicants.  

​​​​

​​​

What happens if employees, once they affirm in their interviews that they intend to work at least 60 hours per month while on scholarship (our MEF requirement), then leave Maravilla employment or do not maintain that level of work?

​

 

Once ACF commits to the educational institutions that a scholarship is coming, MEF cannot terminate that scholarship. 

​​

​​​

Since our applicants are automatically considered for some other ACF-managed scholarship programs, what if an applicant qualifies for another one or two – is all of the MEF award still made?

​

 

Students are allowed to receive as many scholarships as are awarded to them, as long as they do not exceed ‘cost of attendance’, which can be found on their school’s website. Since the MEF award is always lower than tuition, getting another award from any source will not affect the amount of our award.

​

 

Once ACF sends money to a school for the first semester, then we discover an awardee decided not to enroll, how can the money be returned to the MEF account in whole or in part?

 

 

If MEF learns an awardee did not enroll in the fall semester as planned and notifies ACF, or the school notifies ACF the student didn’t enroll, ACF said they will ask the school to hold the scholarship until the spring semester and will not send the school additional funds.  If the student dropped their classes before the school’s drop date, ACF is able to get the funds back and returned to the MEF account. If the student drops the class after the school’s drop date, that means the student has gotten too far into the semester and the school will not give a refund (either to ACF or the student). 

​​

​​​

Since awards are sent directly to the schools in two parts, in advance of each semester, how does ACF monitor enrollment status, including the second semester?

​

 

(From ACF) We work very closely with the school’s financial aid offices. When a student drops or is no longer enrolled, the financial aid office (or the student) lets us know. If ACF has not sent the second semester payment yet, ACF can cancel the payment in the system. If ACF had sent the second payment, the school will send the funds back (see question 24 for drop date rules). 

​​​

​​​

What if an awardee didn’t attend the first semester, then decides not to attend the second semester either?

​

​

ACF would ask for the amounts sent to the college to be returned for our MEF account.

​​

​​

What if an awardee who told MEF he/she planned to attend full-time, gets a scholarship based on that information, then ends up enrolling only part-time (even for only one class)?

 

 

(From ACF) When we award the student, they are asked to let us know if their enrollment changes. Additionally, when we send the funds to the school, we ask them to alert us in the case of a change in student enrollment. The funds will be returned to us if the student's tuition/fees are covered. (MEF should also monitor students’ progress through our emails and liaisons.)

​

​​

Why do we allow dependents of full-time employees to qualify?

​

 

These awards are big incentives to recruit and retain good employees.  The awards are viewed by employees as an honor and help their own budgets.  Our motivation is to help those who are part of the Maravilla family that serves us so well.  ACF has no issue with this.

​​

​​

Does ACF monitor a student once school starts to confirm our scholarship awardee is enrolled full-time or not?

​

 

No. But if we grant a scholarship based on the information an awardee provided that he or she will enroll full-time (normally 12 credits), we can ask ACF for information from any student’s transcript, which ACF gets.  Thus, a subsequent year’s award (if any) could be adjusted if we awarded more than a person qualified for in the previous year. We can also text awardees mid-semester to get their update.

​​​

​​​

What if an applicant plans to go to one of the ten Maricopa County Community Colleges (MCCC) for the first semester, then transfer to a four-year school for the second semester?

​

 

ACF says that can be arranged but the student needs to inform them on the “post-acceptance form.”

​​​

 

Is there a possibility this (and other) scholarship programs could qualify for the AZ tax CREDITS?

​

 

ACF Response: Unfortunately, no we do not qualify for the tax credit program.

​​​

 

If we one day had the money and wanted to help a dependent with a child in day care, could we help with a scholarship? How about a dependent going to a private K-12 school?

​

 

ACF Response: No because they do not meet the IRS definition of a scholarship.

​​​

 

If an applicant misses, out of neglect, to respond to Steering Committee requests or misses the March deadline for completing the application, what might the Steering Committee do?

​

 

The interviewers (if we have them) may recommend to the Steering Committee that a smaller award be made than might otherwise have been made for not responding to Committee deadlines.  If an application is not completed in time, the Committee will make decisions on a case-by-case basis.  But we try to remind those intending to apply to meet all deadlines via phone, texts, emails, and conversations. 

​​​

​​​

Is there a video that explains how a student begins the online application process?

​​​

 

Yes, same as the link at the top of page one: https://vimeo.com/500109189/7fef015238 

​​​​

​​​​

What do applicants see when they work on their applications on the ACF website?

​​

 

The application itself.  They can work on it off and on but they can’t “submit” until all questions are answered.  They do see the deadline for our and other programs.  (March 14-15 is the normal deadline.)