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Ruritan National Foundation
The Ruritan National Foundation
(Foundation) is administered by five
Foundation Trustees, who are elected
by the delegates at the Ruritan National
Convention. Each Foundation Trustee
must be an active member of a Ruritan
club while serving as trustee. These trustees meet
as necessary to conduct the business of the Founda‑
tion. Delegates at the 2007 Ruritan National Conven‑
tion approved incorporation of the Ruritan National
Foundation, Inc. (Foundation). The Foundation was
incorporated by the State of Virginia in March 2007.
Mission
The Ruritan National Foundation provides financial
assistance to qualified individuals or groups for edu‑
cational, charitable, and benevolent activities. Efforts
to provide this financial assistance require fundraisers
and donations from various sources along with invest‑
ment procedures throughout the year.
Purpose
The purpose of the Foundation is to manage and
maintain a trust for the encouragement, promotion,
and financing of the charitable, educational, and be‑
nevolent principles and activities of Ruritan clubs and
of Ruritan National.
Grant Program
The Build Your Dollars Educational grant program
is one of the major grant programs of the Foundation.
This program allows Ruritan clubs to contribute $300
to the Foundation and get an equal share of the net
income of the Foundation the next year. Using criteria
established by the club, a student may receive a grant
based on the students’ financial need, community
service, or academic achievement. The amount of
the grant received by the club is based on the number
of clubs that participate and the income available for
distribution. The grant received by the club will always
exceed the amount contributed by the club. Participa‑
tion is limited to those clubs that contribute within the
selected time period for contributions and that select
a recipient within the required time period. Currently,
the club has to donate their $300 by October 1 and
select a student by April 1 of the following year. If a
club does not have a student selected by April 1, they
must submit a written request stating that a student
will be determined later.
The Foundation also issues a limited number of
regular grants, which are awarded on the basis of
financial need, character, scholarship, community ser‑
vice, and the applicant’s desire for higher education.
Regular grants are awarded to students selected by
the Foundation Trustees.
Grant applications are available by contacting the
Ruritan National Foundation, P.O. Box 487, Dublin,
Virginia 24084 or by calling 877-787-8727 ext. 302.
Source of Funds
Primary funding for the Foundation comes from
individual, club, and district donations. Foundation
donations are applied to any fund designated by the
donor, but only the donor is credited with the dona‑
tion. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and
all donations to the Foundation can be tax deductible.
Gifts to the Foundation are a good way to honor an
individual. Acknowlegement is sent to the donor as well
as the individual being honored. Gifts of any size may
be given to the Foundation in memory of a deceased
individual. In the case of memorial gifts, the family of
the deceased will be notified of the gift provided the
Foundation is given the proper information of whom
to notify as well as their address.
Appropriate gifts may include money or property
such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. The Founda‑
tion may also be listed as the beneficiary of an insur‑
ance policy. Ruritans and friends are encouraged to
remember the Foundation in their wills and trusts. For
information on other gifts please contact any Founda‑
tion Trustee or the Foundation at Ruritan National.
Funds donated to the Foundation are designated for
the Education Fund, the Operation We Care (OWC)
fund, or special funds established for specific events.
For example, the Foundation has contributed funds to
the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, and to the
construction of a Habitat House in the past.
Use of Funds
The financial assets of the Foundation are invested
as directed by the Trustees. Earned income from the
Education Fund investments is used to pay Foundation
expenses with the net income given as educational
grants to further students’ education or training beyond
high school. OWC funds are collected and maintained
by the Foundation for distribution in cases of National
or State declared disasters.
Establishing a Permanent Fund
Ruritan districts, clubs, individual members, and
families are encouraged to establish a permanent fund.
This can be to honor an individual, be in memory of
an individual, or to recognize a club or district. A per‑
manent fund can be started with any size contribution,
and additional contributions may be added at any time.
Once the fund balance is $1,000 it will be officially listed
as a Permanent Fund and will always retain its identity.
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Foundation