Annual Appeal | Manchester Essex Education Fund

For more than 40 years, the Manchester Essex Education Fund (MEEF) has helped families in our communities lessen the cost of higher education by awarding scholarships based on merit and need. According to Forbes, students in Massachusetts graduate with an average of $31,466 in college debt, ranking seventh highest in the nation, and “student loan debt is now the second highest consumer debt category — behind only mortgage debt — and higher than both credit cards and auto loans.” Local families face similar challenges: 80% of Manchester Essex 2021 graduates applied for financial aid.

MEEF awarded $54,000 to 42 students from Manchester and Essex in 2021. Historically, we have raised money through an annual fund solicitation and private contributions. Those contributions fund most of our scholarships through portions of our annual portfolio total return and are replenished by the annual fundraising solicitation. Last year, we introduced a complementary Directors’ Program, with the intention of more immediate funding of scholarships for Manchester and Essex graduating seniors. Details about the Directors’ program are outlined in this downloadable information sheet.

Please consider joining your neighbors in broadening the power of scholarships for our worthy students and their families. We welcome your participation as a private donor or through the Directors’ Program. To learn more visit our support page.

Donations may be made in the form of cash, marketable securities, qualified IRA distributions, or foundation and estate-planning vehicles. The Manchester Essex Education Fund is a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax-deductible.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.