Question 1

Who funds the Foundation?

Accepted Answer

James and Ruth Brown fund it personally and in full. There is no endowment campaign, no grant income, and no public support of any kind behind a sponsorship.

Question 2

Can I donate?

Accepted Answer

No. The Foundation does not solicit or accept outside contributions, and there is no mechanism anywhere on this site to give money. If you want to support education in the region, support a community-led program directly.

Question 3

Why does a student need sponsorship if they already have a scholarship?

Accepted Answer

A scholarship may cover tuition, but tuition is not the only cost of attending college. Students studying away from home may still need housing, meals, transportation, books, and other essential expenses. For families with very limited means, those costs can make attendance impossible. Our sponsorship is designed to close that gap.

Question 4

What will you never fund?

Accepted Answer

Salaries, administration, buildings, fundraising, and indirect cost recovery of any kind. Operating organizations sustain their own operations, as they should.

Question 5

Who selects the scholars?

Accepted Answer

The local program and its community. Selection is theirs entirely; the Foundation neither ranks applicants nor attaches conditions to who is chosen.

Question 6

How long does a sponsorship last?

Accepted Answer

To the completion of the course. A scholar who begins with us finishes with us, and continuity does not depend on how a fundraising season went, because there is none.

Question 7

What exactly does a sponsorship cover?

Accepted Answer

A sponsorship covers the actual costs required for a qualified student to attend and complete their course of study. These may include housing, meals, transportation, study materials, and other approved essential student costs. The key distinction is that we are not replacing the community's education program. We are funding the student who would otherwise be unable to participate because their family cannot afford the costs.

Question 8

Does a scholar have to appear publicly?

Accepted Answer

No. Publicity is never a condition of sponsorship. A scholar may decline photography, interviews, quotations, or public identification without affecting their funding or participation. Where scholars do choose to take part in Foundation communications, appropriate informed consent is required, with regard for their privacy, safety, age, and community context.

Question 9

How are claims on this site verified?

Accepted Answer

Through a per-scholar ledger, tuition paid directly to institutions, registrar-confirmed enrollment each semester, signed releases of support, an annual independent review, and an annual in-person visit.

Question 10

Do you publish financial figures?

Accepted Answer

We publish what we fund, how it is verified, and what happens to scholars. Because the Foundation is privately funded and solicits nothing, it publishes evidence of stewardship rather than financial appeals or figures.

Question 11

Where does the Foundation operate?

Accepted Answer

Cambodia is the active geography, through the Bunong Scholars program. Vietnam is exploratory and clearly labelled as such. Nothing exploratory is presented as a commitment.

Question 12

How does a program begin a conversation with the Foundation?

Accepted Answer

Through the inquiry form on Partner With Us. We read everything that arrives, and we say no often, because capacity is finite and additionality matters more than growth.

Question 13

Are you a charity or a public foundation?

Accepted Answer

Neither, in the ordinary sense. The Foundation is a private sponsorship institution, funded by one family and operated by them. It should not be described as donor-supported.

Question 14

Can the Foundation speak to media or researchers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on the model, its governance, and its verification practice. We will not facilitate access to scholars for media purposes.

Questions, answered plainly.

If the answer matters and it is not here, ask.

Questions, answered plainly.

Questions and answers

01Who funds the Foundation?

02Can I donate?

03Why does a student need sponsorship if they already have a scholarship?

04What will you never fund?

05Who selects the scholars?

06How long does a sponsorship last?

07What exactly does a sponsorship cover?

08Does a scholar have to appear publicly?

09How are claims on this site verified?

10Do you publish financial figures?

11Where does the Foundation operate?

12How does a program begin a conversation with the Foundation?

13Are you a charity or a public foundation?

14Can the Foundation speak to media or researchers?

If the answer matters and it is not here, ask.