Who Are Shepherds Sponsors?
Shepherds Sponsors are individuals, foundations, and corporations who have a deep belief in the value of education. And, even more importantly, they believe that every child, regardless of their means, should have access to the best educational opportunity available to them.
Shepherds Sponsors also believe in the Shepherds mission and have confidence in the organization's ability to achieve its goals.
Shepherds Sponsors are people who desire to give back locally but may not have the time to be directly involved as a Shepherds Mentor.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A
SHEPHERDS SPONSOR
Shepherds Sponsors provide financial support towards the expenses of students participating in the Shepherds program. This includes a portion of the tuition expense at one of our partner high schools, the support and oversight of the Mentor program, and our extensive supplemental academic and life skills programming.
Individuals, foundations, and corporations have two ways of participating as a Shepherds Sponsor:
General Support
Shepherds Sponsors may provide general support to the entire program with a commitment of four years. That funding will be allocated to a number of students based on their financial need and the availability of Shepherds resources including Mentor contributions.
Individual Support
Shepherds Sponsors may commit to sponsoring an individual student through their four years in the Shepherds program.
As a general Sponsor of Shepherds, we’ll keep you informed of the progress of our Shepherds student body, activities, and the overall organization.
As a Shepherds Sponsor of an individual student, you will receive periodic updates on the student’s academic progress, their extracurricular activities and accomplishments, and hear from the student on their growth and success at school.
Shepherds Sponsors are also invited to Shepherds student/mentor events including the school year kick-off and end-of-the year celebration of our graduates. You’ll see first-hand how your generosity is making an impact on the lives of these motivated and talented young people.
Foundations, Institutional & Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities
Shepherds provides many opportunities for foundations, trusts, and corporate and community funds to help ensure the academic and college prep needs of Shepherds students are met. The goal of these initiatives is to help bridge the opportunity gap that exists between what is available to Shepherds students and students in more affluent communities. Foundations and institutions can sponsor specific initiatives or needs, including tuition expenses, study skills and life skills workshops, laptop computers for students, college and test prep workshops, college tour days, and corporate career days on-site at company offices.
Shepherds seeks opportunities to apply for grants from all foundations, including community service organizations that raise funds for non-profits and welcomes support from local corporations and banks’ community relations funds.
Shepherds also welcomes the opportunity for Shepherds students and Mentors to partner with local non-profits, corporations and other civic associations in community service projects.
Supporting Shepherds Students & Programs
- Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund/Westport/Weston Family YMCA
- Community Foundation of Greater New Haven
- Elizabeth M. Pfriem Foundation
- Exchange Club of New Canaan
- Heisman Trophy Trust
- Henry Niles Foundation
- John and Ethel Kashulon Foundation
- Lone Pine Foundation
- Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation
- Near & Far Aid
- NewAlliance Foundation
- Newtown Savings Bank Foundation
- Order of Malta/American Association
- Town Fair Tire Foundation
- Numerous other individual, private family foundations and trusts
Supporting Career Days
- Accenture/New York, NY
- BIC USA, Inc./Shelton CT
- Pfizer, Inc./Groton CT
- Timex Group USA, Inc./Middlebury CT
By The Numbers
WHAT SPONSORING MEANS BY THE NUMBERS
The Shepherds program costs approximately $10,000 per year per student.
- On average half of this amount ($5,000 per year per student) supports the tuition expense for the student to attend one of our partner schools
- The mentor program and supplemental programming cost approximately $3,500 per year per student
- Approximately $1,500 per year per student) underwrites the development and general operating expenses associated with running the organization
- The requested tax-deductible financial commitment to sponsor a Shepherds student is a minimum of $3,000 per year. The average commitment is $5,000 per year
