Program Description

Community Involvement

“Change the Count”

Instead of focusing mainly on the number of hours a campus dedicates to service each year, the Bonner Program strives to emphasize the quality of and investment in relationships that exist when students make long-term, meaningful commitments to the community.

Related links:
- Reflections by Bonner Scholars on their Community Service
- Excerpts from Bonner Student Impact Survey

• Comprehensive Placement Process

The Comprehensive Placement Process not only includes tools for quantifying the number of hours of direct and indirect service completed but also offers techniques for setting service and learning goals that can be tracked throughout the year. At the heart of this process stands the Community Learning Agreement. Each student developes this agreement with assistance from his or her program coordinator and community site supervisor. Together they discuss what the student hopes to accomplish and gain through his or her service as well as how the site will utilize the student’s skills, passions, and interests. Throughout the year, the Community Learning Agreement is used to assess progress towards objectives, make adjustments, and create new program objectives. Community partners benefit through this process as they support students' service efforts and employ them in ways that address the most pressing needs of the community.

Related Links:
- Comprehensive Placement Process Description
- Community Partnership Processes (chapter from Bonner Directors Handbook)

• Community-Based Research

The Bonner Foundation has provided financial and technical support to faculty and students who are willing to respond to requests from local non-profit organizations which do not often have the technical skills or resources to conduct their own needs or asset assessments, program evaluations, or other community-based research projects. These projects are usually incorporated into an academic course as a form of service-learning, but have also become the focus of a summer internship or a Bonner service placement.

Related links:
- Community-Based Research and Higher Education: Principles and Practices
- National CBR Network
- Learn & Serve Community Based Research Project

• Bonner Web-Based Reporting System

The Bonner web-based reporting system allows for administrators to collect and submit data about students and their service activities. Administrators use the internet to connect with databases and special software that the Bonner Foundation has developed. This web-based system serves as an effective tool for managing the program, tracking student progress, sharing data with campus faculty, and reporting information to grantors. It also offers students and administrators access to information about student participation and service site relationships so that staff members can work with students to support them on their journey through the Bonner Program.

Related links:
- Users Guide to the Bonner Web-Based Reporting System
- Guest administrator access to BWBRS (login name: "guest"; password: "pass")

• Community Fund

As students engage in their community activities, they often identify needs that require financial resources, so the Bonner Foundation contributes to each school's Community Fund $100 for each student involved in the Bonner Scholars Program. This fund makes money available to organizations and agencies with which Bonner Scholar students work. Students are among those involved in the application, reviewing, and awarding process.

Related links:
- Bonner Foundation Guidelines for use of the Bonner Community Fund (pdf from Bonner Directors Handbook)
- Guide for Administering the Bonner Community Fund

• Bonner Partners

Many organizations are interested in the Bonner Program for a variety of different reasons. Some organizations would like to see their young people go to college as Bonner Scholars; other groups are looking for summer interns. Many groups are trying to identify recent college graduates to employ in their organizations. There are also organizations that want to have a strong presence on college campuses. The Bonner Partners Program helps these organizations access the resources of the Bonner Program and the campus communities. The Partners Program offers information and access for Bonner students who are seeking opportunities to work and serve with service-minded organizations. More than 100 regional, national and international organizations are registered partners of the Bonner Program.

Related links:
- Bonner Partners home page
- Application to become a Bonner Partner

• Bonner Connection

The Bonner Foundation provides up to $650,000 annually to support local congregational and faith-based coalitions seeking to address the needs within their communities. Specifically, the Foundation provides grants to help confront and overcome local issues of poverty; a particular effort is made to fund programs emphasizing hunger prevention. The Foundation gives priority to joint requests made by congregations and colleges and universities involved in the Bonner Scholar or Bonner Leader Program. Typical annual grants range in amount from $2,500- $10,000 and in many cases are renewable.

Related link:
- Guidelines for Bonner Connection Proposals

• Micah 6 Initiative

The Bonner Foundation provides up to $30,000 annually to support community-based organizations that help prevent hunger in their areas.

Related links:
- Micah 6 Initiative home page
- Excerpts from Bonner Student Impact Survey