About The Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation
The Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation, established in 1944, serves as the charitable and educational arm of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity. As a 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation provides scholarships for college students, funding for educational spaces in chapter houses, and grants for educational programs that promote leadership, campus safety, scholarship, and good citizenship. With support from alumni and friends of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, the Foundation has awarded more than 2,500 scholarships totaling over $3,000,000 since 1962.
The Challenge: Managing Complex Scholarship Programs
In 2009, the Sigma Alpha Mu (SAM) Foundation faced a significant challenge. Following a successful campaign in the 1980s that exceeded its goal of establishing 75 scholarships by almost 50%, the Foundation needed a more efficient way to manage its growing scholarship program.
Each scholarship could have unique criteria, provided it complied with IRS guidelines and Foundation regulations.
“We were using paper then, and that was a unique experience,” recalls Maria Mandel, Director of Scholarships & Grants for the SAM Foundation. After attempting to work with a custom solution developed by an alumnus volunteer, the Foundation realized they needed a more professional and scalable solution.
Finding SmarterSelect: A Game-Changing Solution
The Foundation discovered SmarterSelect at the NIC/FFE Dual Meeting, a fraternity and sorority conference. What started as an affordable solution to their immediate needs evolved into a transformative partnership that has grown with them over the years.
“I feel like I really grew with this company,” Mandel explains. “The features they’ve been able to add every year have been things that I have been able to use every year. I don’t just think, ‘oh, we have the capability’ – I actually use their features.”
Key Results:
- Scaled to 175 scholarships managing over 300 member applicants annually
- Eliminated bias in the review process through strategic question hiding
- Reduced application length by 50-75% through smart conditional logic
- Saved hundreds of hours in administrative time
- Enhanced security for sensitive applicant documents (i.e. transcripts and financial data)
- Streamlined grant management process
Innovation in Action
The Foundation leverages several key SmarterSelect features to manage their complex scholarship program:
1. Application Rules
“App Rules are huge for us,” Mandel emphasizes. The Foundation uses conditional logic to:
- Show relevant questions based on previous answers
- Reduce application length and complexity
- Create a more efficient process for both applicants and administrators
2. Bias Reduction
The platform allows the Foundation to hide sensitive information from reviewers, ensuring fair evaluation based only on relevant criteria.
3. Communication Tools
The broadcast and text messaging features have been “total game changers,” allowing the Foundation to:
- Send targeted reminders to applicants
- Update evaluators efficiently
- Maintain consistent communication throughout the process
4. Grant Management
The Foundation recently expanded their use of SmarterSelect to manage grants, utilizing the platform’s flexibility to handle different types of applications within a single system.
A Match Made in Heaven – SmarterSelect and SendGrant
One of the latest tools to come out of the SmarterSelect toolbox is SendGrant – our powerful distribution tool for the distribution of funds. The Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation was thrilled to start using it right away, according to Mandel.
She said, “The post office has been a TOTAL NIGHTMARE for us. Checks get lost, returned, forgotten and not deposited…We had one student this year in California-we sent 2 scholarship checks – and neither the original nor the replacement reached him. Students are an itinerant group as it is, add the post office and just forget it.
SendGrant changed the game for us. Online banking and direct depositing is how students are used to doing banking, and with SendGrant we were able to meet them where they are. We had so many students request this. It’s huge that we are able to offer it. It’s been terrific and we’ve had no problems.
I like that I can attach forms and information to the SendGrant transfer so it’s not just sending money without a paper trail – it’s more than that. I also like that it’s smooth, and I can send proof to the student of payment distribution if they claim the money wasn’t paid.
And, the things I wish they’d add, SendGrant is already working on them!”
SendGrant plus SmarterSelect are a match made in scholarship and grant heaven!
Expert Insight
“It’s Sesame Street compared to Harry Potter,” Mandel says, comparing other solutions to SmarterSelect’s capabilities. There is so much more SmarterSelect can do compared with alternative solutions. It’s like magic.
The Foundation’s expertise in scholarship management has grown alongside their use of the platform, allowing them to:
- Manage complex criteria across hundreds of scholarships
- Maintain high security standards for sensitive documents
- Scale their impact while maintaining efficiency
- Adapt to changing needs and requirements
Looking Forward
The Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation continues to expand its impact, using SmarterSelect and SendGrant to manage both scholarships and grants with increasing efficiency. Their success demonstrates how the right technology partner can enable a foundation to focus on its mission rather than administrative challenges.
Learn More
To learn more about the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation’s work and scholarship opportunities, visit their website.
Ready to transform your scholarship or grant program? Schedule a demo with SmarterSelect today to see how we can help you achieve similar results.
