ABOUT T&R FUND

The T&R Fund is a private 501(c)(3) foundation formed in 1997. In its early years it operated broadly within its charitable mission, including support of various infrastructure projects and efforts involving children, always within Colorado.

In 2002, T&R entered into a ten-year agreement with the University of Colorado Foundation to support low-income single parent scholars by providing the CU Foundation with funding for scholarships where the use of funds was not restricted. Over time we came to understand how tremendous the need was for this type of support.

Given limited resources, effective January 2008, we decided to concentrate our efforts on the expansion and refinement of our single parent scholarship program.

In the fall of 2008, our commitment to the University of Colorado Foundation was restructured and expanded.  Because of support from some of our friends, who have agreed to give both time and money, and an increased financial commitment on the part of T&R, the "Flying Solo Scholarship Program" was launched and we were able to offer fifteen $5,000 scholarships for the 2008/09 school-year to sophomore, junior and senior undergraduate scholars who were attending CU campuses or who were in their final year at certain Colorado Community College and intending to finish their undergraduate degree at a CU campus.

The 2008 / 09 program was a tremendous success and one of our supporters, The Pioneer Fund, agreed to increase their commitment to our effort by offering a $1,000,000 dollar-for-dollar challenge grant.

As a result of a prior partial match, a $1,000,000 "Southern Program" was set up, beginning the 2009-2010 school year, to expand our effort at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.  Students in their final year at Pikes Peak Community College meeting certain criteria are also eligible to participate under the UCCS Southern Program.

We have expanded the Flying Solo Program cautiously as we learn from experience. We went from fifteen $5,000 awards in the 2008/09 school year, to 21 in the 2009/10 year, 33 in the 2010/11 year and 40 in the 2011/12 year.

In January 2012, a decision was made to limit our involvement to pursuit of the Southern Program commencing the 2012/13 school year.  All students attending the University of Colorado at Denver or the Community College of Denver, granted scholarships for the 2011/12 school year will be eligible to remain in the Program through graduation, assuming they meet the minimum renewal criteria.  However, all other efforts to grant scholarships not covered by the Southern Program will not be continued next school year.  We expect to increase the Southern Program scholarships granted from 25 for the 2011/12 school year to 40 for the 2012/13 school year.

We have chosen to spend out all funds raised under the Pioneer Fund challenge grant within a maximum of 15 years of receipt rather than endow a more modest program into perpetuity.  If 100% of the challenge grant is ultimately matched, we estimate that 400 annual scholarships will be awarded, assuming $5,000 per scholarship.  Assuming each scholar is in the program for an average of two years, 200 families would be positively impacted.  At the current level of challenge grant match, approximately half of the total expectation will be realized.

T&R insists that 100% of every dollar given to support a scholar under the Flying Solo Program goes to the scholar.  Neither T&R management nor any participating school receives any form of financial remuneration for running this scholarship program.

— Dave, Terri, and Bob