Scholarship Fund

You can be a part of bridge-building between diaspora and one of their ancestral lands.

 

We have had so many people over the years come to us and ask about scholarships so they can attend Radici. 

We understand why. For most of us a plane ticket to Sicily and the cost of registration is more than what many of us can afford. 

Radici does offer long-term payment plans (9, 6, 4 months), but that often doesn’t work if the money just isn’t there. We are extremely aware of the reality of this. 

We began giving large discounts as well as doing many trades, as much as we could, but without raising our prices in a major way as well, we are not able to continue making Radici accessible in that way. Giving discounts without financial backing was and is not sustainable and defeats the purpose of wanting to make sure we are investing in Sicilian people, villages and communities. 

So we have decided to invite financially resourced Italian American individuals, businesses, and organizations to be part of the important act of allowing Radici to be accessible to those in need through contributing to scholarship funds. 


 
 
 

Why it’s important for us to create a scholarship fund: 

We believe in investing in Sicily, and through a scholarship fund we can allow someone in need to attend Radici and also fully pay our Sicilian community. You can read about our financial statement here.

  • We believe the work we are doing in Sicily is not just beneficial as a different kind of “tourism” for Sicilians, but also for the diaspora to re-connect with their ancestral lands not as a tourist, but as a guest. 

  • We believe the work we do with local Sicilians (working with plants and foods, learning ancestral arts such as cheese making, basket weaving, folk drumming, learning mythology, learning from local naturalists, being deeply immersed in community and village rituals and celebrations…) is extremely healing and important for the Italian and Sicilian diaspora. They not only meet others in their Italian American (or Italian Australian, Italian Canadian…etc) community to form life long bonds, they also connect with Sicilian friends and family. 

  • We believe in bridge building between diaspora and Sicily.

  • We believe that community support, financially, is essential for us to remember who we are, in the depths of our bones, as Italian diaspora - we take care of each other 

  • We want as many people to experience the pure magic and togetherness that happens when we gather in Sicilia. 

 
 

What your scholarship contribution will go towards: 

  • the cost of one full registration (we would be happy to send a financial breakdown of what those are, the cost will vary depending on the immersion the recipient chooses to attend as they are all slightly different in registration fees)

  • the cost of ½ registration, to award a ½ scholarship 

  • We are happy to send anyone a financial breakdown of these costs. 


Who will receive the scholarship/s?

  • someone of the diaspora (Sicilian/Southern Italian/Italian)

  • someone in financial need, which we will determine through conversations with applicants. 

If we do not reach our goal this year, your money will be saved and more fundraising will be done, and it will be used for 2025 Radici Siciliane Immersions. 

 
 

YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Thank you so much for considering contributing to the Radici Siciliane Scholarship fund.

Your generosity matters so much. Your support makes all the difference and we will continue to work hard at making Radici accessible to as many people as possible. 

We are so appreciative of your belief in what we are creating. 

Much gratitude, 

MaryBethBonfiglio, cofounder.