Discovering My Interest in Philanthropy and Its Impact on Others by Garrett

Discovering My Interest in Philanthropy and Its Impact on Others by Garrett - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

I have been a member of the Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council (NMYAC) for the past three years. I was invited to be a part of the organization my sophomore year of high school, and have continued to be a member ever since. The program has had a monumental effect on me, my self-knowledge, and my future plans. It has made me aware of my interest in philanthropy and the impact that it has on others.

NMYAC is a group of students from several counties in Northeast Michigan that learn about philanthropy, and promote it via the grant-giving process. This program aims to distribute grants to local non-profit organization applicants whose goal is to improve their community in some way through youth-related projects and programs. It is part of the Northeast Michigan Community Foundation. Endowed funding provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, allows the group to award approximately $50,000 per year.

Through being a part of the program, I have become more aware of the financial needs of many individuals and programs in our area that depend on grants and other funding that enables them to provide a variety of opportunities for the youth in their communities.

The experience I have had with NMYAC has helped shape my knowledge and intuition with prioritizing issues and distributing money efficiently. The Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council has taught me that I have strong skills in breaking down a budget and distributing the available funds in an efficient way. It has also moved some of my college interests towards business and accounting, as I have discovered how proficient I am with balancing budgets, distributing money, and setting priorities.

The program has helped me to develop a confidence in my abilities, which allows me to lead the charge when breaking down how much money to give each NMYAC applicant based on logic, priority, and their projects impact on the community.

The program has also given me insight into my ability to work as a team with my other council members. As a team, we address the impact that would occur based the applicants idea, narrowing down the applications to distribute the money accordingly. Being a team player is always a strong facet in a great person, student and employee. Using this trait, along with the budgeting and prioritizing abilities I have developed, has prepared me to assist the communities I may be involved with in the future, by working hand in hand with my peers on projects that will benefit others.

The program has also provided me with a great interest in philanthropy, making me more aware of the needs of others, and the fact that often, just a helping hand is needed to get a project off the ground that has the potential to benefit others for many years to come.

This zeal for philanthropy, alongside discovering that teamwork and budget distribution are some of my fortes, will affect me for the rest of my life, and hopefully, allow me to assist in some way, in the betterment of communities in which I live.