2016 World Championships Scholarship Fund

The 2016 World Championships Scholarship Fund was endowed in 2018 with $1 million in proceeds from The Skating Club of Boston hosting the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden. The fund was begun with the intention of supporting skaters who actively compete in U.S. Figure Skating qualifying competitions, and who represent the Club. At the time the funds for the endowment were approved, the Club Board adopted the following resolution:

“Grants may be awarded to support and develop ice skaters training to compete at the regional, sectional, national and international levels in pursuit of competing at national and international competitions; and in addition, grant recipients must be members of the Club for one year before eligibility. Membership dues may be included in the grant award for those recipients who are unable to afford them.”

It was further approved in the permanent policies that endowed the fund that no more than 75% of the increase in the net portfolio value over the course of the immediately preceding calendar year would be distributed in scholarships. This was to ensure that the 2016 World Championships Fund would be a permanent fund with ongoing growth over time.

Future Donations

Importantly, per the above permanent policy, all donations made to the fund can never be spent. New donations may only increase the fund itself, building a larger base from which it can earn greater value and generate more earnings. It is a percentage of the fund’s earnings that can be spent each year. As such, 100% of every donation to the scholarship fund is used for the benefit of qualified recipients. Your donation will only grow over time. It will never be spent.

Standards for Scholarship Grants

The Club Board approved the below minimum requirements and standards for awarding scholarships from the Fund at its March 4, 2020 meeting.

  • Proceeds from the Fund will be used to support Club members in the ice dance, pairs and singles (men and women) disciplines, in keeping with the disciplines of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
  • Skaters must represent The Skating Club of Boston in qualifying U.S. Figure Skating competitions, and the United States in ISU sanctioned competitions. *
  • Skaters must be members with Club accounts in good standing.
  • Skaters must represent the Club at the time of qualifying for scholarship.
  • Skaters must participate in Ice Chips for each year in which they are receiving Club funding, unless otherwise approved by Club management.
  • Skaters must contract ice at the Club during the fall/winter/spring season.
  • Scholarships from the Fund will be awarded in equivalent cash value to credits for ice time purchased from The Skating Club of Boston.
  • In certain circumstances, special awards may be made to assist a member with their membership dues.
  • Each member of a pair or dance team will be treated individually. The award is to the skater and not the team.
  • Ice sessions are non-transferable for scholarship skaters.

The Club Board further approved the below structure for awarding scholarships from the Fund at its March 4, 2020 meeting. This is to allow for maximum transparency and fairness for all skaters. If total available funds for a given year are less than the planned percentage credits for senior- and junior-level medalists as outlined below, actual gift amounts will be prorated based on available funds.

National High Performance Development Team

Scholarships are not available to skaters who qualify for the National High Performance Development Team, except as a result of their placement in the season’s qualifying competitions that places them into one of the five tiers outlined below.

*Special Note

Skaters who are members of The Skating Club of Boston and contract ice, but do not represent the United States in international competition, may apply for an exception to the above restriction on representation on the basis of financial hardship or other extenuating circumstances. All such applications will be reviewed by Club management. Allocations for each tier level will be completed before consideration of allocation for the next subsequent level. After that, the balance of the available funds for that year will be distributed to qualified applicants and other qualified skaters.

U.S. Championships Senior Medalists (Tier 1)

Complimentary monthly contracted ice at The Skating Club of Boston’s Norwood facility, beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the calendar year in which the skater earns a medal at the U.S. Championships through June 30th of the following year.

Senior Level Team USA Skaters (Tier 2)

50% discount to be applied against monthly contracted ice at The Skating Club of Boston’s Norwood facility, beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the calendar year in which the skater becomes a senior-level Team USA member through June 30th of the following year.

U.S. Championships Junior Medalists (Tier 3)

50% discount to be applied against monthly contracted ice at The Skating Club of Boston’s Norwood facility, beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the calendar year in which the skater earns a medal at the U.S. Championships through June 30th of the following year.

Junior Level Team USA Skaters (Tier 4)

25% credit to be applied against contracted ice at The Skating Club of Boston’s Norwood facility, beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the calendar year in which the skater makes Team USA through June 30th of the following year.

Sectional Medalists or U.S. Pairs and Dance Final Medalists (Tier 5)

A cash credit to be applied against contracted ice at The Skating Club of Boston’s Norwood facility, beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the calendar year in which the skater earns a medal at the Sectional Singles Championships or U.S. Pairs and Dance Final.

Defining Team USA Status

A Club skater will be considered a member of Team USA after they have been assigned and have competed in an international ISU-sanctioned event. Senior and junior levels are determined by the level at which the skater represents Team USA internationally. In the case of skaters who are not Team USA, the level competed at the U.S. Championships determine junior or senior status. Novice skaters invited to compete at the junior level at the U.S. Championships are not considered junior-level skaters. In the case of skaters who meet multiple criteria, the Club will apply the most advantageous scholarship.

Annual Distribution Amounts

In keeping with the terms of the endowment, each year the Club’s finance committee will calculate the available amount of scholarship funds available for distribution that year per the terms of the Fund’s distribution policy. In priority order by tier, the funds will be allocated to U.S. Championships medalists and senior and junior Team USA skaters according to the above distribution percentages. Allocations for each tier level will be completed before consideration of allocation for the next subsequent level. After that, the balance of the available funds for that year will be distributed evenly against all other qualified skaters from the season. Funds will be made available beginning with the fall/winter/spring season of the following fiscal year.