Parents Council doles out $92,000 to fund 13 on-campus grant proposals

The Carolina Parents Council allocated nearly $92,000 this weekend to fund 13 on-campus grant proposals.

The dues-funded organization received 21 grant applications this year, down from 28 in 2011. That year, the council gave $131,249.29 to fund 21 proposals.

Each year, the Parents Council, which is made up of 81 families affiliated with the University, allocates money to campus groups that apply.

“We think the Parents Council is a vehicle to help the University with different problems they can solve,” said Liz Zellner, one of the national chairs of the council.

If the council had fully funded every request, it would have cost more than $216,000, Zellner said.

The largest grant — $13,051.09 — was given to the HAVEN and One Act programs, which provide training to prevent interpersonal and sexual violence.

Last year’s top recipient was SafeWalk, which received $15,000.

This year, Student Body President Mary Cooper received $5,000 for the Student Enrichment Fund, an initiative she began to help students attend off-campus events.

“It’s so exciting,” Cooper said. “This guarantees some stability for the Student Enrichment Fund. It’s incredibly generous of the Parents Council.”

Cooper had been devoting her monthly student government stipend of $300 to fund the program.

The 81 families in the council all pay a $1,250 membership fee that goes directly into the group’s fund.

“They’re giving up their resources to the University and a lot of their time,” said April Mann, director of New Student and Carolina Parent Programs. “It’s about enhancing the undergraduate student experience at Carolina.”

Applications are available in early October and are due Dec. 1. After applications are reviewed in January, the executive committee hears a presentation on each proposal and suggests to the rest of the council how to allocate the money.

“What I love about this University is their commitment to make sure every single student has the skills (to succeed),” said Jesse Zellner, Liz Zellner’s husband and the other national chair.

Liz and Jesse Zellner are the parents of Maggie Zellner, opinion editor at The Daily Tar Heel.

The Parents Council was the original underwriter for FallFest and Safe Walk, Liz Zellner said.

She added that she wishes more people knew about the council.

“If it was just a place where we spent our time receiving and not giving, it wouldn’t be so important.”

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.