Chapter Leadership Funds (CLF) are changing. Beginning in the Fall of 2018, chapter leaders will be able to access funds that alumni have contributed to chapter-specific CLFs to pay for qualifying leadership development activities and programs on a local level. The change is in line with the Phi Psi Foundation’s effort to serve Phi Kappa Psi as its ‘community foundation’, providing available grant dollars to local chapter leaders and alumni volunteers who are best positioned and knowledgeable regarding chapter needs.

“This is a big step in the right direction for chapters. The newly focused CLFs will enable local alumni advisors and volunteers to partner with undergraduate leaders to determine short-term and long-term leadership development programming priorities and allocate available funds accordingly,” said Drew Thawley, Chief Advancement Officer for the Phi Psi Foundation. “Our expectation is that this shift will allow for more strategic discussions at the local level about how and where to deploy alumni-donated resources.”

CLF grant distributions will still be required to align with IRS 501(c)3 nonprofit requirements. By the Fall, chapters will be able to view a list of approved leadership activities and programs, as well as the balance in their CLF. Should a chapter wish to conduct or participate in a program not previously considered by the Foundation, an application process will allow for new program consideration.

“As an alumnus involved in revitalizing my chapter, I’m excited to see the Foundation moving in a direction that aligns its investment in chapter-based leadership development with its historic and effective investment in chapter-specific academic scholarships. This will help us as we resource our chapter’s strategy around the development of ethical and moral leaders. It also helps me engage other alumni in supporting our volunteer team by investing in the priorities we see for the chapter’s development.” said Ohio Lambda’s Chip Weiant ’78.

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Phi Kappa Psi Foundation
The charitable arm of Phi Kappa Psi, the Phi Kappa Psi Foundation was established in 1914 to foster the development of leaders and promote academic excellence in higher education. Today, through contributions from generous donors, these priorities remain with the Foundation funding grants in three key areas benefiting the lives of Phi Psis across the nation: leadership, scholarship and housing.

Chapter Leadership Funds (CLF)
Chapter Leadership Funds were introduced in 2016 as a means for alumni to contribute funds directly to support their chapter’s participation in national leadership programs. The original model established a tiered system where chapters whose alumni had contributed significantly would be able to send more undergraduates to programs or to access additional national leadership development programs. In the intervening years, the Phi Kappa Psi National Fraternity has evolved its leadership programming so that all chapters have more equitable access to leadership programmings such as the Professional Development Conference, Regional Officer Training and the Woodrow Wilson Leadership School. This change in programming strategy prompted larger general leadership grants to the National Fraternity by the Foundation that is primarily generated from unrestricted Phi Psi Fund contributions and assets, thus making the original design of Chapter Leadership Funds obsolete.