The Spread Process was started in 2013 to touch, reward, and encourage as many deserving graduates as possible with our local scholarships. The method was developed after recognizing that the individual selection committees, operating totally independent and in isolation of each other, often limited the distribution of scholarship awards to students. For example, in 2012 only half of the student applicants received a scholarship. Through this process we have been able to ensure that 100% of the students who apply receive at least one scholarship assisting in their pursuit of higher education. 

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Upon completing the application review and selection process, the selection committee Chair will submit the final selection(s) on the designated website. This is where the Chair will indicate whether or not the committee wants to opt-in to the Spread Process. 
 

The Spread Process works as follows:

1. Select "Yes" to opt-in to the Spread Process on the final selection website

2. List as many viable applicants as you feel are worthy of the scholarship in rank order. If you feel there are 15 students who would be worthy recipients, please list all 15. This helps us spread the award dollars to as many students as possible.

3. A designated committee within Sisters GRO ranks all scholarships that opt-in to the Spread by the amount of the award

4. If the top candidate for an opt-in scholarship is the recipient of another, larger scholarship (whether opted-in to the Spread of not), then the scholarship will be awarded to the following candidate from the ranked list. This process continues until a candidate can be awarded who has received a lesser amount than the student(s) ranked above them. Sometimes the award goes to the first candidate in the Spread and sometimes it goes to the fifth, sixth, etc.

5. The final scholarship recipient(s) will be determined by the Sisters GRO approved Final Selection Committee and will be shared with the scholarship selection committee Chair once the Spread Process is complete. 

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Here is an example:

The Sisters Community Scholarship wants to opt-in to the Spread Process. They rank order 1. Carlos, 2. Lisa, 3. Fredrick and

4. Briar as worthy recipients of their $1,500 scholarship. During the Spread Process, the Sisters GRO committee can see that Carlos has already been awarded another $5,000 scholarship and Lisa has been awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Fredrick and Briar have not yet been awarded any other scholarships. Since Frederick is next on the list, Frederick is selected as the final recipient of the Sisters Community Scholarship. 

 

Those donors who have previously participated in the spread process are greatly appreciated and if it is appropriate for your scholarship, Sisters GRO strongly encourages opting into the spread. Thank you for your generosity, time, effort and involvement in the lives of the young people in our community, and for your cooperation to reward and encourage as many graduates as possible.