Recent COVID-19 Support
Over the past several months, the Alliant Educational Foundation was able to greenlight several funding streams to support those impacted by the Novel Coronavirus. By partnering with Alliant International University and its California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), the foundation approved funding to help support clinical psychologists-in-training in their shift to provide mental health via “tele-health”…a necessary move to online and telephone support. In both the Bay Area and San Diego, this initiative sought to bolster a safer model for CSPP students to provide mental health support in partnership with local and regional non-profits to clients seeking assistance due to the pandemic.
Scholarships for Students
In July and August, the Alliant Ed Foundation announced the results of the 2020 – 2021 competitive scholarships for Alliant students. This annual round of funding is made possible, in large part, by the generosity of more than 50 donor-restricted scholarship funds aimed at helping Alliant students across all six California campuses. A total of $100,000 in tuition assistance was granted for this coming year.
Stephanie Byers-Bell Scholarship Fund
One year ago, the foundation launched the Stephanie Byers-Bell Scholarship fundraising drive to create a new endowed fund that would support students of color and/or those conducting research impacting underserved populations in the CSPP-LA program in the fields of gender equality, race and diversity. As you know, this work couldn’t be more timely.
After pausing the campaign from March to August in light of so much uncertainty, we’ve decided to resume our efforts and hope you’ll consider making a gift to the new fund. We’re already 60% of the way there, having raised $60K of our $100K goal over the past year. Please join us in making a tax-deductible contribution by visiting www.AlliantEd.org/cspp50 or mailing a check to the Alliant Educational Foundation at 10455 Pomerado Road, San Diego, CA 92131.
New Innovation Seed Grants
In addition to seven initiatives being funded by AEF through $55K in innovation/seed grants to better serve the Alliant and research communities, we’ve approved a new round of funding for 2020 – 2021. Faculty and staff from five of the six California campuses submitted 17 new proposals as part of our year-two continuation of the innovation/seed grant program. Seven proposals were selected to begin this fall totaling just over $58K.
Mental Health Consortium
Working closely with Alliant’s California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), the foundation is building new bridges in support of children’s mental health. To date, we’ve identified ten San Diego-based non-profit organizations who work with underserved infants, children, and young adults.
By placing CSPP clinical psychology graduate students at some of these agencies, we will bolster their ability to provide high-quality mental health support to some of the populations who most desperately need it. The foundation is paying for clinical supervision by licensed psychologists to enable this new program to flourish.
Partner agencies who participated over the summer and/or will do so this fall include: YMCA Behavioral Health, San Diego Center for Children, Interfaith Community Services, and South Bay Community Services.
Strategic Planning
The foundation’s board and staff are hard at work in helping to build their vision for the next three years. With our inaugural strategic plan set to wrap at the end of 2020, we’re actively planning for the future to ensure our priorities and funding are directed to make the greatest impact possible. The outcomes of this work will likely help frame a revised vision and mission statement, along with formalizing our core values, and articulating new and expanded programs for the future.