Program overview. Please address all correspondence to: For additional program information, please visit

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1 Program overview The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program recognizes and provides resources to students in underserved communities who are committed to furthering their education and the nonprofit organizations who who support them. Through the program, Sun Life provides grants, scholarships, and other resources to the winning organizations and students. As part of the grant application process, each nonprofit nominates a student who participates in its program and has demonstrated a commitment to his/ her education and the community. Winning nonprofits will receive a one-time $50,000 grant based on their commitment to youth and education. Winning students will receive a $5,000 scholarship, which will be sent directly to his or her post-secondary institution. For additional program information, please visit Funding considerations To be considered for a Sun Life Rising Star Award, you must be designated as not-for-profit and tax-exempt as defined under the Internal Revenue Code. Sun Life is interested in organizations that have the following: a program that directly benefits secondary school youth, ages 21 and younger, in the area of education engagement and matriculation rates, with special emphasis on high school students, demonstrated partnership or engagement with a secondary or post-secondary educational institution, consistent and effective management, clearly stated goals and objectives, a broad base of funding support, fiscal soundness as demonstrated by financial statements, the documented ability to respond to the needs of specific groups of youth in a manner that yields measurable results, and longevity of three years or more. Please note, Sun Life does not fund: individuals or organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or private foundations, groups that qualify as a government agency, groups that discriminate because of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran status, citizenship, or any other legally protected category, capital campaigns or endowment funds, political activities or organizations, religious organizations or religious schools that restrict entry to those of a certain faith or to those who belong to a specific denomination or sect, fraternal, veterans, or labor groups, when serving only their members, goodwill ads, ticket/dinner purchases, sports programs/events, cause-related marketing, or any Parent Teacher Association regardless of tax-exempt status. Please address all correspondence to: risingstarapply@sunlife.com Sun Life Rising Star Awards c/o Sun Life Financial Attn: Philanthropy, SC 1214 One Sun Life Executive Park Wellesley Hills, MA Phone: Page 1 of 9

2 Preparation and submission Your grant proposal must be submitted in English and should include the following: grant application form creative submission to illustrate the mission of your project or program, preferably in a format that can be ed. It may be submitted in any form of the following: video PowerPoint presentation slide show overall portfolio collage, which may include photos, artwork, etc. original song student nomination form student reference letters and essay W9 form written documentation demonstrating measurable results with students financial statements, including: operating budget balance sheet past-donor information listing of board of directors Review process An independent judging panel will review and select the winning nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated the ability to respond to the needs of specific groups of youth in a definitive, interactive manner that yields measurable results. If your organization is selected, the student you nominate will receive the scholarship. We will acknowledge receipt of your application. If the judging panel has questions regarding your proposal, we will follow up with you. If you are selected to receive a grant from Sun Life, you must use the funds awarded for the specific purpose detailed in the grant application. A follow-up report based on the evaluation criteria included in this application must be returned to us nine months from the date of the award. It is understood that any funds not used in the manner specified in the letter of agreement will be returned to Sun Life. Page 2 of 9

3 Grant application form Organization Name Project Title Contact Name, Title Is your organization a 501(c)(3)? Yes No Contact Phone Address: Executive Director/CEO Executive Director/CEO Signature Website Number of employees Number of members on the board of directors What is your organization s geographic scope? Local State National Please list the states/cities where you offer services. How many clients are served by your organization? Please provide the percentage of each group. % African American % Asian American % Hispanic/Latino % Native American % Caucasian % Other Page 3 of 9

4 Grant application (cont.) Describe the purpose of your organization; include a brief history as well as your mission and vision statements. Provide examples of recent successes. If applicable, submit copies of media coverage and/or testimonials. Explain how you are aligned with or how you partner with secondary or post-secondary educational institutions. Page 4 of 9

5 Grant application (cont.) Describe in detail the project for which the grant will be used (e.g., the need or problem to be addressed). Explain how you will allocate grant dollars for the project. What is unique about your project/program? Please outline your evaluation plan for your program, including detail on benchmarks and measurement tools. Page 5 of 9

6 Student nomination form Please nominate a student who actively participates in your program for a Sun Life Rising Star Award scholarship. This student must reside within 40 miles of your organization, be entering his/her senior year of high school in the fall of 2011, and be in good academic standings. Students are eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship. Please answer the questions below, describing: how this student has contributed to the improvement of life in his or her community, how this student has demonstrated exceptional survival, civic or academic skills, and how this student exemplifies the importance of committing to and completing one s high school education. Please attach three reference letters from among the following: the student s teacher, guidance counselor, youth group, church, or some other professional who is part of the student s support network. Name of Student Date of Birth Anticipated Graduation Date Student s School Permanent Address Why does this student deserve this scholarship? Page 6 of 9

7 Student nomination (cont) Describe the student s community engagement. How do you believe this student has had (or will have) a positive impact on others? What college or vocational/technical school is the student planning to attend after graduating? Page 7 of 9

8 Student essay Name of Student Date of Birth Student s School Permanent Address At Sun Life Financial, our mission is to help our customers achieve lifetime financial security. We want to hear your thoughts on how financial education contributes to success in the future. In 750 words or less, briefly answer one of the following questions: What are some of the obstacles you or someone you know have faced in being financially secure? What recommendations do you have for overcoming these obstacles? Why do you believe people spend more money than they have and what advice would you give them to get back on track? What is the one piece of financial advice you wish you or your family had been given? Please attach your essay in a Word document. Page 8 of 9

9 Signature page Sun Life Rising Star Awards In order to complete the application, please print this page and collect the following signatures. Completed forms should be returned no later than July 1, Send your application to Nonprofit Executive Director or CEO must sign the following in order to be considered. I hereby authorize Sun Life Financial to use any information contained in this application for the purpose of promoting and publishing the Sun Life Rising Star Awards program, or as legally required or permitted by the law. In providing this authorization, I attest that I own all intellectual property rights to the materials and have obtained all consents (including consents of individuals that may appear in photographs) necessary to provide Sun Life Financial with the right to use these materials. Executive Director/CEO Signature Date Nominated students and a parent/guardian must sign the following certification in order for the student to be considered. Certification: I certify that I am currently enrolled and in good standing as a senior in high school for the academic year, with plans to apply for full-time enrollment to a 2- or 4- year college or university or vocational/technical school, and am eligible to receive the scholarship granted under the Sun Life Rising Star Awards program. I hereby authorize Sun Life Financial to use any information contained in this application for the purpose of promoting and publishing the program, or as legally required or permitted by law. Student s Signature Date Parent or guardian s signature Date 2011 Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved. Sun Life Financial and the globe symbol are registered trademarks of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada SLPC (05/11) PRAP-1114 (Exp. 06/12) Page 9 of 9