About Us: Q & A

What is Dollars for Scholars?

Dollars for Scholars is a national organization dedicated to increasing scholarship opportunities for students seeking all types of post-secondary education.

There are over 1300 chapters in 42 states and ND has 84 chapters and is growing. The latest figures indicate that all Dollars for Scholars chapters have raised $23 million for over 19,000 students while also building their local endowment funds, since beginning in North Dakota.

Dollars for Scholars is the largest, volunteer operated, community-based, local scholarship foundation in the US and has ranked as the top education charity for five consecutive years by Smart Money magazine.
Local dollars support local students - local philanthropy at its best!
Chapters exist to promote attendance at post-secondary institutions, whether a technical program or college degree.
Chapters benefit from national publicity and programs such as Collegiate Partners and National Scholarship Month.

How did NDDFS begin?

The national organization began through Dr. Irving Fradkin in Fall River, MA in 1958. In 1962, a North Dakota businessman brought the idea to Grand Forks, where the first chapter for the state was formed.

In 1988, Bob Alin retired from Scheels and started a chapter in his hometown of LaMoure, ND. This new chapter developed very well and he made it his mission to develop 50 more chapters within the following four to five years. Bob accomplished his goal with his volunteer time, an investment of about $250,000 from Fred Scheel, and national office support. Ten years later, those 51 chapters had raised a total of $7.3 million, awarded scholarships to nearly 6,000 students across North Dakota, and built endowment funds locally in many of those communities.

From 2000 to 2005, a staffed state office helped establish 27 new chapters, for a total of 80 chapters which supported 182 communities. This program doubled the number of communities served, as well as the number of scholarships awarded, with a total of $17 million raised since the inception of Dollars for Scholars in North Dakota.

January 1, 2006, the state office ended its staffed program due to lack of funding, but volunteers on the state level continued to help North Dakota chapters in a more limited manner.

As of January 1, 2008 North Dakota Dollars for Scholars (NDDFS) established an exciting new partnership with Bank of North Dakota (BND), the only state-owned Bank in the nation. NDDFS and BND share a similar mission and vision in relation to higher education, and now the two will work side by side to promote such education through scholarship opportunities.

Laura Entzel of BND currently works as the NDDFS Director to assist local chapters and maintain regular communications with Scholarship America. She promotes and organizes chapter trainings, and cultivates strong relationships with Collegiate Partners in North Dakota. BND also dedicates resources for public relations, assistance with statewide fundraising opportunities, and website management.

Click here for a list of important milestones in the history of North Dakota Dollars for Scholars.

Is Dollars for Scholars (and Scholarship America) Nationally Recognized?

Charity Navigator, leading independent evaluator for nonprofit gives Scholarship America (parent organization to Dollars for Scholars)a coveted 4-star rating for the sixth year in a row for sound fiscal management. Only two percent of charities rated by Charity Navigator have received at least six consecutive 4-star evaluations , indicating that Scholarship America outperforms most charities in America. www.charitynavigator.org (March 2008)
Scholarship America is named one of the Top 100 Highly Rated Charities in America by GiveSpot.com, recognized as one of the nation’s most efficient fundraisers and spenders. The GiveSpot.com list was created to make it easier for potential donors to spot organizations that will put their funds to good use. (December 2007)
Charity Navigator lists Scholarship America as one of the “10 Best Charities Everyone Has Heard Of” and one of the 10 “Slam Dunk” charities for its efficiencies and low operating costs. (2005)
Smart Money, the Wall Street Journal's magazine of personal finance, ranks Scholarship America as one of the nation's most efficient nonprofits. (1997-2003).
Forbes lists Scholarship America among the country's 50 largest nonprofits.
The Non Profit Times lists Scholarship America 51st among the 100 largest nonprofits in America. (2003)
The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranks Scholarship America 48th among nonprofits raising funds from private sources.
The Twin Cities Business Journal ranks Scholarship America #1 on its Top 25 list of Civic Nonprofits. (2002, 2003)