The History of the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant …floridacrd.wikispaces.com/file/view/2011_08_29-FCRD...6 Resource Development Paper, RP1-2011 Resource Development Paper The

Resource Development Paper

(RP1-2011)

The History of the

Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program

Prepared by the Florida Council for

Resource Development (FCRD) Board of Directors

2011

1 Resource Development Paper, RP1-2011


Florida Council for Resource Development

Board of Directors

2011

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT: Phyl Renninger, Director, Resource Development, Florida

State College at Jacksonville

1ST

VICE PRESIDENT: Chuck Clemons, Vice President for Development, Santa Fe

College

2ND

VICE PRESIDENT: Debbie Douma, Dean, Institutional Effectiveness and Grants,

Pensacola State College

SECRETARY: Patti Bartels, Director, Resource Development, Miami Dade

College

TREASURER: Judy Green, President, The Florida College System Foundation

PAST PRESIDENT: Tracy Porter, Vice President of Institutional Advancement,

Polk State College

DIRECTORS:

Roseanne Brandenburg, Executive Director, Foundation, Lake Sumter Community College

Ellyn Drotzer, Director, Associate Vice President, Resource Development & Strategic

Planning, Broward College

Adrienne Garcia, Executive Director, Foundation, Hillsborough Community College

Robin Johnston, Vice President, Institutional Advancement, Tallahassee Community College

Maggi LeClair, Associate Director, Resource Development, Gulf Coast Community College

Mike Lee, Executive Director, Foundation, Florida Gateway College

Patrice Whitten, Executive Director, Foundation, Pensacola State College

Wendy Warner, Chief Fiscal Officer, College of Central Florida Foundation


Board Members Serving on the


Committee

Phyl Renninger, Director of Resource Development, Florida State College at Jacksonville

Wendy Warner

Chief Fiscal Officer, College of Central Florida Foundation

Ellyn Drotzer Associate Vice President of Resource Development & Strategic Planning, Broward

College

Judy Green President, The Florida College System Foundation

Tracy Porter

Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Polk State College


September 2011

Dear Reader,

The Florida Council for Resource Development (FCRD), composed of grant and foundation

officers at each of the Florida 28 colleges, strives to address and find financial resources

for programs important to the individual colleges as well as to the Florida College System

(FCS) as a whole. As a new endeavor, FCRD is launching a series of resource development

papers designed to inform members and system stakeholders on topics of interest to the

colleges and to the populations we serve.

This first paper is focusing on the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program (PBMG)

in Florida. It provides background information for those new to their jobs or unfamiliar

with the program. This paper is also being presented at two venues: 1) The Council of

Presidents (COP) meeting September 9, 2011 in Pensacola and 2) the FCRD Conference

held September 28 – 30, 2011 in Gainesville.

This first paper establishes the background information needed for future papers that will

continue to discuss topics important to our colleges. We welcome any suggestions you may

have towards this effort.

On Behalf of the Board,

Dr. Phyl Renninger, President of FCRD and

Director of Resource Development

Florida State College at Jacksonville




The History of the

Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program

Florida is composed of 28 locally-governed public colleges. These colleges are

governed by local boards of trustees appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the

Senate. The colleges are coordinated under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education

(FDOE, 2011). The Chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of the Florida College

System (FCS) and reports to the Commissioner of Education. The State Board of Education

presents their annual legislative budget request to the legislature and the Governor.

Under this state structure, many programs touch the lives and operation of numerous

colleges within the system. One such subject, and the topic of this informational report, is

the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program.

Florida Scholarship Programs

In Florida, there were three scholarship programs, created in the Legislature, that

played key roles to aid educational efforts at each of the 28 colleges:

1) The Academic Improvement Trust Fund, created by the Legislature in

1983, was renamed as the [Dr.] Philip Benjamin Academic Improvement

Trust Fund;

2) The Nursing Education Challenge Grant Fund, created by the Legislature

in 1989, renamed in 1992 to Health Care Education Quality Enhancement

Challenge Grant; and


3) The Scholarship Matching Program, created by the Legislature in 1996.

In 2001, the Health Care Education Quality Enhancement Challenge Grant and the

Scholarship Matching Program were merged with the Dr. Philip Benjamin Academic

Improvement Trust Fund.

Intent of the Program

The Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program (PBMG) was designed to

leverage private or community support for

postsecondary educational access in the Florida

college system. The plan was to attract donors

while building public-private partnerships

(CEPRI, 2001). These public-private

partnerships were designed to supplement state

allocations and provide access through student

scholarships.

The State Board of Education and local

boards of trustees were charged with determining appropriate uses of funds. Allowable uses

included expenditures for scientific and technical equipment; scholarships, loans, or need-

based grants; and other activities that benefitted current and future students, improved the

quality of education at the institution, or enhanced economic development in the

community.

Donations and matching funds for PBMG have been used to support scholarships for

students with financial need and students who are first in their families to attend college, to

“Education is more than just book learning. Education is not only preparing you for life, but it’s an asset that you’re adding to your community and your country.”

- Dr. Philip Benjamin


purchase needed equipment for laboratories, and to support the college and its instructional

programs in other ways determined appropriate by the college’s District Board of Trustees.

Naming the Program

The Matching Grant Program was named after Dr. Philip Benjamin, an original state

board of community college member and respected throughout the state. Dr. Benjamin was

born in New York City and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1929. In 1941 he enrolled at

St. Petersburg Junior College now known as St. Petersburg College (SPC) and became a

member of the charter class activating the Fifth Avenue North campus. After graduating

from SPC in 1942, Dr. Benjamin attended and subsequently graduated from Northern

Illinois College of Optometry in 1944. He served in the United States Army from

September 2, 1944 to June 23, 1946, married his wife, Marilyn, and had three children. Dr.

Benjamin owned and operated a local optometrist practice in St. Petersburg from 1947-

1990.

Upon returning to St. Petersburg, Dr. Benjamin became an active community

member with his biggest contribution was serving as a champion for higher education,

specifically for Florida’s community colleges. From 1970 to 1983, Dr. Benjamin served on

SPC’s Board of Trustees, acting as vice chairman and chairman the last 7 years. The

college named a Social Arts building after him (Attachment C) in 1984 to honor his service

to SPC and his commitment to Florida’s community colleges and higher education.

Dr. Benjamin served on the State Community Colleges Council in 1978 and the

State Community College Coordinating Board in 1980. In 1983, Governor Bob Graham

asked Dr. Benjamin to serve as a founding member of State Board of Community Colleges,


which was created to coordinate the activities of the 28 community colleges in Florida. He

was elected chairman in 1983-1984. The same year, Governor Graham and the cabinet

passed a resolution (Attachment A and B) commending Dr. Benjamin for his service to

education.

In addition to serving as State Community College Council member and State

Community College Coordinating Board chairman, in 1995 Dr. Benjamin also helped

organize the Foundation of Florida’s Community Colleges to benefit students and education

statewide.

Benjamin said he is proud that ―education has been in the forefront of bringing all

classes of people together in the state of Florida.‖

Evolution of the Legislature

The Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program was created in 1983 as a single

matching gifts program. The program encouraged private support in enhancing

postsecondary education thought scholarships that were received through the college

foundations. Each of the 28 Florida colleges participated in the Dr. Philip Benjamin

Matching Program by establishing a matching grant program fund as a depository for private

contributions and matching state funds received under the program. The college foundation

departments served to maintain, invest, and administer the matching grant funds. Each FSC

institution is required, in Florida Statute, to complete a final certification form, based on

contributions that have not been previously matched with state funds; the form is to be

received by February 1 of each year. An annual expenditure report is also required in


Florida Statute to the State Board of Education (SBOE) to track the use of the matching

funds as well as an annual financial audit to the Auditors General and SBOE.

Prior to fiscal year 2008-09, the Legislature fully matched the eligible private

donations for the matching grant programs. Fiscal year 2007-08 is the most recent year in

which the programs received the full match for eligible contributions. A backlog was

created as the state began to experience a lack of matching funds. The 2009 Legislature

amended the statutory provisions of these programs to require colleges to notify donors of a

substantial delay in the availability of state matching funds.

Current Status of the Program

In June, the 2011 Legislature amended the statutory provision to suspend the state

matching program. Donations received prior to midnight on June 29, 2011 would remain

eligible for match. As the state works to addresses the existing matching backlog in order to

restart the program, donations received June 30, 2011 or later will not currently be eligible

for state match.

Florida statutes for the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program

Florida statutes 1011.85, Rule 6A-14.00 (see Attachment E)


References

CEPRI. (2001). Council for Education Policy Research and Improvement. The Costs and

Benefits of State Matching Funds for Community Colleges and State University

Private Donations, December 2001 report.

FDOE. (2011). Florida Department of Education: Florida College System – Overview.

Retrieved from http://www.fldoe.org/cc/overview.asp.

Florida House of Representatives. (2011). Education Fact Sheet: Dr. Philip Benjamin

Matching Grant Program. Retrieved from

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/

Web/HouseContent/Approved/Web%20Site/education_fact_sheets/2011/documents/

2010-11%20Dr.%20Philip%20Benjamin%20Matching%20Grant%20Program.3.pdf

Governor’s Cabinet Honors Dr. Benjamin. (1983). Blue & White: Faculty and Staff

Announcements: Governors Cabinet Honors Dr. Benjamin. St. Petersburg Junior

College. (see Attachment A)

Graham, B. (1984). Personal correspondence. (see Attachment B).

Lang, J. (1997). Personal correspondence.

Maxwell, C. (1997). Personal correspondence.

McClendon, C. (1984). Optometrist Sees a Better Way for Higher Education. St. Petersburg

Times, Florida. December 10, 1984. (see Attachment C)

Section 1011.85, Florida Statutes. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.leg.state.

fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-

1099/1011/Sections/1011.85.html

State Board of Education. (2011). Action Item: Approval of Budget Guidelines for

Development of 2012-2013 Legislative Budget. Retrieved from

www.fldoe.org/board/meetings/2011_06_21/budget.pdf

Witwer, S.B. (n.d.). Optometrist Given SPC Board Post. St. Petersburg Times. (see

Attachment D)


Attachment A


Attachment B


Attachment C


Attachment D


Attachment E

Florida Statutes, Section 1011.85

Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program for 1Community Colleges.—

(1) There is created the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant Program for 1Community

Colleges as a single matching gifts program that encompasses the goals originally set out in

the Academic Improvement Program, the Scholarship Matching Program, and the Health

Care Education Quality Enhancement Challenge Grant. The program shall be administered

according to rules of the State Board of Education and used to encourage private support in

enhancing 1community colleges by providing the

1community college system with the

opportunity to receive and match challenge grants. Funds received prior to the effective date

of this act for each of the three programs shall be retained in the separate account for which

it was designated.

(2) Each 1community college board of trustees receiving state appropriations under this

program shall approve each gift to ensure alignment with the unique mission of the 1community college. The board of trustees must link all requests for a state match to the

goals and mission statement. The Florida 1Community College Foundation Board receiving

state appropriations under this program shall approve each gift to ensure alignment with its

goals and mission statement.

(3) Upon approval by the 1community college board of trustees and the State Board of

Education, the ordering of donations for priority listing of unmatched gifts should be

determined by the submitting 1community college.

(4) Each year, eligible contributions received by a 1community college’s foundation or the

State Board of Education by February 1 shall be eligible for state matching funds.

(a) Each 1community college board of trustees and, when applicable, the Florida

1Community College Foundation Board, receiving state appropriations under this program

shall also certify in an annual report to the State Board of Education the receipt of eligible

cash contributions that were previously unmatched by the state. The State Board of

Education shall adopt rules providing all 1community colleges with an opportunity to apply

for excess funds before the awarding of such funds.

(b) 1Community colleges must submit to the State Board of Education an annual

expenditure report tracking the use of all matching funds.

(c) The audit of each foundation receiving state funds from this program must include a

certification of accuracy in the amount reported for matching funds.

(5) The matching ratio for donations that are specifically designated to support scholarships,

including scholarships for first-generation-in-college students, student loans, or need-based

grants shall be $1 of state funds to $1 of local private funds.

(6) Otherwise, funds shall be proportionately allocated to the 1community colleges on the

basis of matching each $6 of local or private funds with $4 of state funds. To be eligible, a

minimum of $4,500 must be raised from private sources.


(7) The 1community college board of trustees, in conjunction with the donor, shall make the

determination of whether scholarships established pursuant to this program are endowed.

(8)(a) Funds sufficient to provide the match shall be transferred from the state

appropriations to the local 1community college foundation or the statewide

1community

college foundation upon notification that a proportionate amount has been received and

deposited by a 1community college in its own trust fund.

(b) If state funds appropriated for the program are insufficient to match contributions, the

amount allocated shall be reduced in proportion to its share of the total eligible

contributions. However, in making proportional reductions, every 1community college shall

receive a minimum of $75,000 in state matching funds if its eligible contributions would

have generated an amount at least equal to $75,000. All unmet contributions shall be

eligible for state matching funds in subsequent fiscal years.

(9) Each 1community college entity shall establish its own matching grant program fund as a

depository for the private contributions and matching state funds provided under this

section.

(10) The State Board of Education may receive submissions of requests for matching funds

and documentation relating to those requests, may approve requests for matching funds, and

may allocate such funds to the 1community colleges.

(11) The board of trustees of the 1community college and the State Board of Education are

responsible for determining the uses for the proceeds of their respective trust funds. Such

use of the proceeds shall include, but not be limited to, expenditure of the funds for:

(a) Scientific and technical equipment.

(b) Scholarships, loans, or need-based grants.

(c) Other activities that will benefit future students as well as students currently enrolled at

the 1community college, will improve the quality of education at the

1community college, or

will enhance economic development in the community.

(12) Each 1community college shall notify all donors of private funds of a substantial delay

in the availability of state matching funds for this program.

History.—s. 680, ch. 2002-387; s. 4, ch. 2006-73; s. 32, ch. 2009-60.

1Note.—Section 21, ch. 2010-70, directs the Division of Statutory Revision to prepare a

reviser’s bill to substitute the term ―Florida College System institution‖ for the terms

―Florida college,‖ ―community college,‖ and ―junior college‖ where those terms appear in

the Florida K-20 Education Code. 1Community college foundations are responsible for the

maintenance, investment, and administration of their matching grant program funds.

Documents

The History of the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Grant …floridacrd.wikispaces.com/file/view/2011_08_29-FCRD...6 Resource Development Paper, RP1-2011 Resource Development Paper The