Portsmouth Community Scholarships Now Accepting Donations on City Website

In December 2019, the Portsmouth City Council approved the recommendations of the Trustees of the Trust Funds to consolidate several underfunded accounts into five, newly-created Portsmouth Community Scholarship Funds that combined accounts with fund balances too small to generate enough investment interest to make annual awards. The creation of the new scholarship funds means that there is now more income available to award the scholarships each year, and that, over time, there will be income available to support more, and larger, scholarships. 

The Trustees of the Trust Funds have established five community scholarship funds in support of the following areas of scholastic accomplishment and educational and vocational aspirations:

• Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Arts
• Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Athletics
• Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Higher Education, Generally
• Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Technology/Trades
• Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

These scholarships are open to all students who are Portsmouth residents, not just to students at Portsmouth High School.

The Trustees of the Trusts Funds are pleased to announce that they have established a secure portal on the City of Portsmouth website that allows individuals and businesses to donate conveniently to the community scholarship funds.

The Trustees note that now is a great time to consider making a donation to the scholarship funds. Approaching Thanksgiving, the “Day of Giving” on November 30, 2021 – a day that highlights the work of nonprofits and community funding opportunities – and year-end decisions about tax-deductible donations that must be recorded before December 31, the Trustees of the Trust Funds encourage residents, friends, families and businesses to consider donations to these scholarship funds.

“High school students and their families face significant financial challenges as they plan for post-graduation education and training. The cost of these pursuits can impose great financial strain on families, or limit the options of otherwise qualified students, restricting how young people evaluate their life- and career-options,” said Tom Watson, chair of the Trustees of the Trust Funds. “Scholarships are a way for the community to recognize our schools and the ‘products’ they produce – our students – while giving those students encouragement and lessening the financial burden they face as they take the next steps in their lives, whether in higher education or the trades. A donation to the Portsmouth Community Scholarships is an investment in the future of Portsmouth.”

To make a donation to any of the Portsmouth Community Scholarship Funds through the secure donation portal on the City website, click on the “Make a Donation” button in the middle of the CityofPortsmouth.com homepage, or go directly to https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/city/trustees-trust-funds-scholarships and select the scholarship fund you wish to support.

Donations may be made on the site by electronic check (no fee) or by credit card (the 2.9% fee goes to the service provider and is not retained by the City). Check donations may also be mailed to Portsmouth Community Scholarships c/o Trustees of the Trust Funds, City Hall, One Junkins Ave., Portsmouth NH 03801. Donors receive a letter confirming tax deductibility for the amount of their donations, to the extent of the law.