Scholarship Fund for Inner City Children increases scholarship amount

As The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Board of Directors recently approved an increase in scholarship funding of $300 per child for the 2023-24 school year. It also plans to grant 250 more scholarships than the 1,766 it did last year. 

The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC) is a non-profit organization funded by corporations, foundations, and individual donors who wish to invest in the future of economically disadvantaged children living in neighboring communities by subsidizing tuition to Catholic schools. SFIC has provided over 60,000 students with over $51,200,000 in partial tuition assistance over the 40 years it has been in existence. 

The decision to increase scholarships from $1,200 to $1,500 per child was proposed by Board Chairman Joseph J. Hughes and unanimously approved by the Board of Directors. The move aligns with the mission of the SFIC, which is “to provide children in need with the opportunity for a quality, values-based education in a safe environment,” according to the SFIC website.  

This is the second time in recent history that the SFIC Board of Directors has increased scholarships. In 2021, the Board raised individual scholarships from $1,000 to $1,200 per child. And the Board of Directors plans to help more children more significantly in the coming years, according to CEO Dr. Michelle Hartman. The organization has set a goal to provide scholarships to 2000 children in the coming school year, a 13% increase from the 1,766 scholarships granted to Catholic school students in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties last year. 

“The Scholarship Fund is pleased that we will be able to provide larger scholarships to the students at our Catholic schools, next academic year,” Hartman said. “This will make a significant difference for students needing financial assistance. Here at SFIC, everyone shares a genuine dedication and commitment to improving the lives of these children."   

The announcement of the increase in scholarship funding also comes during the first anniversary of the Torch of Learning campaign, a three-year initiative that aims to annually match the $150,000 the Archdiocese of Newark provides each year to fund its “We Are Living Stones” Catholic Tuition Assistance Program offered through SFIC. Established in 2021, the yearly “We Are Living Stones” program gives $1,500 scholarships to 100 underprivileged students of the Catholic faith attending archdiocesan schools in Newark, Jersey City, East Orange, Union, and Fairview.  

As part of their initiative to increase the number of scholarship recipients for the 2023-24 school year, the SFIC is hosting the first ever application night at the Archdiocesan Center on March 1, from 5 – 8 p.m. All are welcome to attend the bilingual event, which is designed for those people who may need assistance filling out applications or have issues accessing the internet at home. Registration is recommended by calling 973-497-4283. 

“I’m excited that we are offering $1,500 tuition assistance this year and I encourage everyone to apply,” said Jasmin Roman, Director of Scholarship Programs.