The BASIC Fund began awarding scholarships in 1998. The idea was to educate less fortunate inner-city children, who may be locked in an unacceptable school situation. For example, schools a long way from home or where learning is impossible because of overcrowding, lack of discipline, gangs, drugs, or lack of caring and motivation. All these situations have in common a detriment to learning, and parents who must accept these conditions because they cannot afford to do anything about them.

The area of education that seemed most logical to support was the elementary school, K through 8th grade. We felt if we could help the children in their earliest years, they were more apt to have a chance of success. For, without an education, many were doomed to a life of crime, drugs, unemployment and a situation not unlike what they had grown up with.

The main qualification for eligibility for a BASIC Fund scholarship is that the families meet the financial guidelines set in the application; which are similar to the Federal Reduced Lunch Program guidelines. Also, the students must be entering the grades K-8. When granted a scholarship, it is necessary for the students to meet all the academic requirements of the private school to which they apply.

We aim to offer a meaningful scholarship that in most cases approaches 50% of the tuition, with the parents making up most of the difference. Currently, the scholarship is up to $1,600 per year. We are a helping hand, not a hand out. BASIC Fund families must also have a stake in this educational endeavor. They have a stake if they are contributing to the cost of schooling.

For the school year that began in 1998, The BASIC Fund awarded scholarships to 355 students who attended school in San Francisco County. The students attended forty-six different schools. In 1999 we expanded the program to include students attending schools in Marin and San Mateo Counties. In 2001 we expanded the program to include students in Alameda County. For the 2005-2006 school year we expanded our programs to include students attending school in Contra Costa County. And, in 2008 we expanded our program to include Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and Napa Counties. Currently, we are supporting 5,000 students in The Bay Area at about 300 different schools.

Since our inception we have enjoyed generous matching gifts from Children's Scholarship Fund in New York and Arthur Rock. This means that with 100% of our administrative costs covered by contributions from our board of directors, every dollar we raise in contributions becomes multiple dollars in scholarships.