Questa is a local nonprofit funded entirely by local contributions. Your donation, when combined with other community support, helps Questa to fund over 700 local students each year. Questa programs are designed to make up the gap between students’ cost of attendance, other aid, and what they can afford to contribute to their education.

You have a pivotal role to play in our ongoing mission. Your contributions directly support Questa's goal of making education accessible and retaining a top-tier workforce in Northeast Indiana. You can donate at any time, whether on a monthly, annual, or one-time basis.

The descriptions below provide examples of how your support can create a meaningful impact.

Collective Impact Opportunities:

· Scholar Ally: $50: Empowers a scholar with essential student supplies

· Scholar Activist: $150: Unburdens scholars by covering vital textbook costs

· Scholar Advocate: $500: Fuels scholar success with technology support

· Scholar Champion: $750: Safeguards scholars against unexpected challenges

Comprehensive Scholar Support:

· Scholar Room and Board Support: $1,000: Provide a scholar with room and board for an entire semester as they pursue their education.

· Scholar Semester Support: $2,500: Elevates one to two scholars, opening the door to higher education for an entire semester.

· Scholar Year Support: $5,000: Sustains dreams by funding one to two scholars for a full year of transformational education.

· Scholar Associates Support: $10,000: Ignite futures by sponsoring a scholar's associate degree or equivalent.

· Scholar Bachelor’s Support: $20,000: Shapes tomorrows by supporting a scholar to earn a bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Consider stretching your donation impact and becoming a monthly donor.

Ways to Donate:

Online:

Click here to be directed to our online donation form.

Mail:

Questa Education Foundation

6502 Constitution Drive

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Non-Cash Gifts:

Questa can accept non-traditional gifts like publicly traded, readily marketable securities, Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCDs), and other non-cash gifts. To discuss non-cash gift options, please contact our Development Director, Nicole Penar, at npenar@questaeducation.org or 260-407-6494.

Planned Giving:

You can support Questa by establishing life income gifts (charitable remainder trusts, or gift annuities), or by including the Questa in your will, trust, or as beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement plan, or donor advised fund. For more information, please see our Questa’s Planned Giving Society.

Questa Education Foundation has two giving societies: Questa’s Planned Giving Society and the Snider Legacy Society.

Questa’s Planned Giving Society

Membership in Questa’s Planned Giving Society is purely honorary, carries no obligations and is open to all supporters who have demonstrated their commitment to Questa’s future by establishing planned gifts (i.e. endowments, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities), or by including the Questa in their wills, trusts, or as beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement plan, or donor advised fund. No gift minimum is required. All are welcome!

How do I become a member of the Questa’s Planned Giving Society?

By including Questa Education Foundation, Inc. in your estate, you are welcomed to Questa’s Planned Giving Society. You can name Questa Education Foundation to receive a portion or all of your estate through your will, and you donate a specific dollar amount or percentage of your estate.

Best of all, you’ll receive the satisfaction of knowing you are helping individuals to access postsecondary education, graduate with less debt, and become contributing members of Northeast Indiana’s workforce.

If you are already a member and would like to share the details of your future intentions, please contact our Development Director, Nicole Penar, at npenar@questaeducation.org or 260-407-6494.

Snider Legacy Society

The Snider Legacy Society, named in honor of Questa’s founder R. Nelson Snider, brings together those dedicated to advancing education, supporting students, and investing in the future of Northeast Indiana. As principal at South Side High School, R. Nelson Snider used personal funds and garnered support from educators and business leaders to assist students to pursue their college dreams despite financial constraints. He articulated, "Our idea is to encourage capable students denied education due to financial limits to help themselves, knowing there's additional support available."

Since its inception, Questa Education Foundation has attracted dedicated donors who establish scholarships, funds, endowments, and trusts to provide ongoing support for students. Legacy gifts represent significant contributions and are one of the strongest ways to support Questa on a long-term—often permanent—basis. Your gifted assets, combined with the gifts of others, are professionally managed and invested for growth. Questa uses only the income from the fund (or a stated percentage of the income) for the benefit of the designated program, scholarship, or area.

In this way, your gift becomes perpetual and self-renewing. It increases your impact and helps Questa Education Foundation accomplish its work long into the future.

How do I become a member of the Snider Legacy Society?

To become a member of the Snider Legacy Society, your cumulative contributions, whether made as a one-time donation or pledged over time, should total at least $110,000 to the Questa Education Foundation, Inc.

 Furthermore, your membership serves as a testament to your dedication to the advancement of education and the cultivation of talent in Northeast Indiana. Your participation contributes to the establishment of a long-lasting fund that consistently provides support to students and the local community. Note: Endowment options can be customized to create a unique partnership with Questa

Are you interested in making a large gift that establishes your legacy? Consider creating your own endowment fund to support and sustain the area closest to your heart. To initiate a discussion or share the details of your future intentions, kindly reach out to our Development Director, Nicole Penar, at npenar@questaeducation.org or by calling 260-407-6494. She will discuss and guide you through the steps to join the Snider Legacy Society.

Snider Legacy Society Members:

· John N. Crawford Scholar Fund: Established in 2024, designed to honor John N. Crawford, MD as a testament to his vision and unwavering commitment to educational attainment and community development. Recognizing the pressing need to reverse the trend of college graduates departing our region, Crawford courageously took proactive measures to effect change. Crawford, through his forward-looking leadership as a city councilman, launched an innovative program to attract graduates back to our community by offering debt relief for education loans. Crawford’s dedication to these goals was exemplified by the generous decision to donate his entire City Council salary to Questa. Even after his departure from the City Council, Crawford continued annual contributions, personally aiding numerous local students via Questa programs. Throughout Crawford's lifetime, he supported over 20 students, and contributed to the success of over 200 more, to achieve their educational goals and remain in northeast Indiana. Annually, Questa receives approximately $5,500 to support students pursuing postsecondary credentials in high-demand talent fields at accredited, public colleges or universities in Northeast Indiana.

· Gregory Hosler Wilson Scholarship Fund: Established in 2007 by Rod and Christine Wilson, in memory of their son, Gregory, this scholarship fund provides approximately $10,000 a year to support graduates from Allen County high schools who demonstrate perseverance and strong work ethic.

· Walter and Lucille Beckman Scholarship Fund: Established in 2007 by Marcia B. Giraldo, a retired Fort Wayne teacher, in memory of her parents, Walter and Lucile Beckman, this scholarship fund provides approximately $10,000 a year to support graduates from Allen County high schools pursuing degrees in education or social sciences.

· Edward C. Dodez Scholarship Fund: Established in 1970, Questa receives approximately $18,000 a year to support Indiana students attending Darthmouth College, Dodez’s alma mater.

· Virgil J. and Mildred C. Roy Scholarship Fund: Established in 1987, Questa began funding scholarships to selected students who attend local schools of nursing, in honor of Mildred Roy, a former Fort Wayne nurse. Annually, Questa receives approximately $12,000 to support nursing students.

· Rosenthal Fund: Established in 1986, philanthropist J. Milton Rosenthal, Jr. created a trust fund to secure college education for a group of fifth graders at Bunche Elementary School. Upon Mr. Rosenthal's 1992 passing, much of his estate bolstered this trust. Questa facilitated funds to support Target Success students through college and now leverages these resources to support Questa scholars. Each year, Questa receives around $18,000 to fund local students.

· Venette and Mabel Sites Fund: Established in 1974, Questa became the beneficiary to administer scholarships from the Venette and Mabel Sites Fund to support Allen County public high school graduates who are Questa Scholars. Annually, Questa receives approximately $100,000 to support students.