Ford, Zipcar "Students with Drive" Grant Program Awards $300,000 to Student Organizations

First Year of "Students with Drive" Recognizes Worthy Student Organizations on University Campuses; UCLA's Choral Activities Receives $25,000 Grand Prize

CAMBRIDGE, MA--April 23, 2012: Ford Motor Company and Zipcar, Inc. , the world's leading car-sharing network, today announced the culmination of the first year of the "Students with Drive" grant program, which donated a total of $300,000 to student organizations on university campuses throughout the United States.  Today, in an event at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Zipcar and Ford recognized UCLA's Choral Activities at the as the "Students with Drive" grand prize winner.

Through the "Students with Drive" grant program, which first launched in October 2011, Ford and Zipcar provided student organizations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities with free Zipcar memberships and driving credits to support their activities on campus and in their local communities. Each month, five student organizations in each of the five categories (Academics, Arts, Athletics, Community Service and Student Life) working to make a difference were awarded $5,500 each in Zipcar credits. Zipcar and Ford also recognized 10 runner-up organizations each month with $1,000 each in Zipcar credits.

"We know that today's students are active with local organizations in their communities and we were pleased to be able to help them give back through the 'Students with Drive' program," said Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager.  "Ford's alliance with Zipcar not only provides students with access to Ford's newest fuel-efficient vehicles but it allows them to use these vehicles when supporting local organizations." 

"One of our core values at Zipcar is to 'have an impact,' and the organizations that have been recognized by 'Students with Drive' over the course of the year should be very proud of the work they are doing to make their campuses and communities better places," said Scott Griffith, Zipcar chairman and CEO.  "On behalf of Zipcar, I'd like to congratulate our Grand Prize winner Choral Activities and the UCLA community on the work that these students are doing to change our world for the better. We're pleased to help such worthy organizations achieve their missions through the use of Zipcar's car sharing program."

UCLA's Choral Activities is a group of vocal ensembles with a growing community outreach program. With the grant money from Ford and Zipcar, Choral Activities plans to bolster the UCLA Choral Outreach Program, which serves inner-city schools in California and across the nation. The program seeks to encourage and inspire students to pursue musical and artistic endeavors and higher education. The "Students with Drive" grand prize will fuel the group's mission to enhance the lives of young people in the community with singing, by providing honor choirs, quarterly choral outreach concerts at UCLA and free clinics in participating schools and on the UCLA campus.

As "Students with Drive" grand prize winners, UCLA's Choral Activities will receive $5,000 in Zipcar credits to be used for memberships and driving, $10,000 for to put toward their cause and $10,000 to be awarded to UCLA.  Four grand prize runner-up organizations, including Alpha Phi Omega-Alpha Gamma Nu at the University of California Santa Cruz, Aspiring Hands at the University of New Hampshire, Camp Kesem at Johns Hopkins University and the Student Volunteer Program at Rice University, will each receive $1,125 in Zipcar credits, $1,000 to put toward their cause and $1,000 for their school.

"As a completely self-sustaining organization, Choral Activities relies on financial contributions from individuals and companies like Zipcar and Ford to do its work. Every dollar donated to our organization goes to bettering the life of a student through music and arts education, and Zipcar and Ford's generous contribution will enable us to continue our mission next year," said Rebecca Lord, associate director of Choral Activities. "Choral Activities uses Zipcar for all of our outreach visits to the schools we work with, and we thank Zipcar and Ford for helping us make our dreams of service and artistic excellence for today's youth a reality."

For the 2011-2012 school year, the "Students with Drive" grant program received over 300 submissions from student organizations at nearly 140 colleges and universities.  The competition received over 37,000 votes from students trying to help their school's organization win.

"Students with Drive" will recommence in August 2012 at the start of the fall semester. Student organizations will have a chance each month to receive grants from Ford and Zipcar through sharing their stories. Students can visit the "Students with Drive" tab on Zipcar's University Facebook page for more information on the program and how to enter.

Ford Motor Company and Zipcar collaboration

Ford Motor Company and Zipcar announced a strategic alliance in August 2011, establishing Ford as Zipcar's largest University vehicle supplier, reaching students at more than 250 U.S. campuses. The first-of-its-kind, two-year partnership introduced a new generation of drivers to Ford vehicles with the highly fuel-efficient Focus and Escape now part of Zipcar's existing fleet of environmentally friendly, reliable and fun vehicles.

Through the Ford deal, Zipcar was able to offer $10 off the $35 annual membership fee for new University members who signed up during the 2011-2012 school year, plus $1 off the Zipcar hourly rate on any of the new Ford vehicles at participating colleges and universities. The successful first year of the program resulted in over 40,000 unique Zipcar members driving Ford vehicles on university campuses from September 2011 through March 2012. The program will continue through the 2012-2013 school year.