National Scholarships and Grants

These are an example of a professional organization offering scholarships that are intended to expand their own career field and help those wishing to enter the specific workforce.

## Scholarships and Grants

* **Scholarships:** A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further their education at a private elementary or secondary school, or a private or public post-secondary college, university, or other academic institution. While scholarship recipients are not required to repay scholarships, the awards may require that the recipient continue to meet certain requirements during their period of support, such maintaining a minimum grade point average or engaging in a certain activity (e.g., playing on a school sports team for athletic scholarship holders, or serving as a teaching assistant for some graduate scholarships). Scholarships may provide a monetary award, an in-kind award (e.g., waiving of tuition fees or fees for housing in a dormitory), or a combination.
* **Grants:** There are non-repayable funds or products disbursed or given by one party (grant makers), often a government department, corporation, foundation or trust, to a recipient, often (but not always) a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal or an application is required.

## Increasing Success

Scholarships and Grants are awarded based upon various criteria, such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, financial need, among others. Or some combination of these criteria. Scholarship criteria usually reflect the values and goals of the donor or founder of the award.

* **Scouting Achievements:** Scouting is an internationally recognized character improvement program. Participating in the scouting program and earn its highest awards such as the Eagle Scout Rank, Hornaday Award or Duke of Edinburgh Award (plus many others) will stand out above other applicants. Note: While Scouts BSA is targeted for middle-school youth, there are co-ed Venturing and Sea Scouts programs that are age appropriate for high-school youth.
* **Community Service:** One of the noble features in the Scouting program is its many community service programs. Participating in significant community service activities of scouting (or any other such community, civic or religious organization) will stand out on scholarship applications.
* **Scouting Religious Emblems Program:** For scholarships involving religious schools and organizations, earning the faith appropriate religious award of that institution will stand out on their scholarship and grant applications.
* **Scouting STEM Awards:** These awards highlight exception interest and ability in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

## **National Scholarships and Grants**

Some prestigious, highly competitive **National Scholarships and Grants** are well-known even outside the academic community, such as

* Fulbright Scholarship and
* the Rhodes Scholarship.
* **Scouting Scholarships** - Developing responsible citizenship, character, and self-reliance are important values encouraged by Scouting.
* **United Negro College Fund** - UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. Each year, we award more than $100 million in scholarships to students attending more than 1,100 schools across the country, including our prestigious network of 37 HBCUs.
	+ **UNCF Fund II STEM Scholars** - identify 500 African American high school students who are determined to pursue careers in STEM fields. These students will receive scholarships, internships, mentoring and other tools to help them reach their goals.
	+ **UNCF Koch Scholars Fund** - entrepreneurs first. Scholarships, mentorship, academic and professional support and networking opportunities to talented undergraduate African American students.
	+ **UNCF K-12 Education Fellowship** - a leadership and talent development initiative aimed at building a robust pipeline of high-achieving African Americans engaged in education reform in America.
	+ **Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Scholarship Program** - scholarship program has been established in support of students attending accredited historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) nationwide.

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## National Youth Organizations

* **Carson Scholars** - The West Coast chapter of Carson Scholars celebrated 45 new Carson Scholars in 2014. This program is unique because they award the scholarships to young children so that the child will invest in and grow the scholarship to build up a future college fund. The scholarship alone might not seem like a lot of money, but awarding it to young people can help motivate them to do well in school and move on to college. It provides children tangible proof that they will undoubtedly go to college.
* **BobbySox Softball Scholarship** - Girls in the eighth grade or above can receive scholarships by playing softball with the Bobby Sox Softball organization. The organization provides girls with the opportunity to develop socially, ethically and physically while building confidence in themselves and their talents. The organization’s motto emphasizes friendship, sportsmanship, citizenship and leadership.
* **Lilliput-Debolt Scholarship** -

## National Religious Organizations

* **Italian Catholic Federation** - Since 1964, the Italian Catholic Federation has awarded over $2,000,000.00 in scholarships to more than 6,000 high school students, of the Catholic faith, attending college.

## National Professional Organizations

* **Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting** - awards scholarships to women who are pursuing Accounting degrees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels.

## Private Foundations

* **Reagan Foundation** - Since 2011, the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program has committed $7.4 million in scholarships to 185 diverse student leaders nationwide.
* **Hispanic Scholarship Fund *A Diploma is Forever*:** HSF empowers families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional students as possible.
* **AIR Scholarship Fund** The Association for Institutional Research is pleased to provide three scholarships that facilitate the professional growth and development of early-career institutional research professionals. These scholarships are available to current AIR members and are awarded on an annual basis.
* **Chinese American Citizen Alliance Foundation** - The primary endeavor of the Foundation is to award academic scholarships to exemplary college students of Chinese decent.

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## Scouting Foundations

* **NESA Scholarships** - The National Eagle Scout Association is proud to offer scholarships that can help you continue your educational adventure.
	+ Lawrence S. and Mabel Cooke Scholarship - One scholarship of up to $48,000 (up to $12,000 per year for four years) and four $25,000 scholarships (up to $6,250 a year for four years) awarded annually to an Eagle Scout who has shown academic performance, financial need, and active participation in school and Scouting activities. Established by Lawrence S. Cooke in memory of his late wife, Mabel Cooke.
	+ National Eagle Scout Association Scholarship - $5,000 scholarships awarded on a regional basis to Eagle Scouts who have shown active participation in school, Scouting activities, and community service.
	+ Hall/McElwain Scholarship - $5,000 scholarships awarded on a regional basis to Eagle Scouts who have shown active participation in school, scouting activities, and community service. T
	+ Palmer Scholarship - Three $2,500 scholarships awarded to Eagle Scouts who have shown active participation in school, Scouting activities, and community service.
* **Hampden-Sydney College Scholarship for Eagle Scouts** - Developing responsible citizenship, character, and self-reliance, Hampden-Sydney College embraces the values also shared by Scouting. Every year at H-SC, approximately 35 freshmen, 10% of the entering class, have attained the rank of Eagle Scout-among the highest percentages at any college or university in the country. Any accepted Eagle Scout who attends Hampden-Sydney College will receive this scholarship.
* **Frank L. Weil Memorial Eagle Scout Scholarship Program** - National Jewish Committee on Scouting - Applicant must be currently registered and active in Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, or Venturing. He must have earned the Eagle Scout Award; have earned the Ner Tamid or Etz Chaim religious emblem; be active in a synagogue; and have demonstrated practical citizenship in the synagogue, school, Scouting unit, and community.
* **International Association of Fire Chiefs** - The IAFC Foundation offers educational scholarships to Fire Explorers. The scholarships assist Explorers pursuing a career in the fire sciences or any related academic program.
* **Abilene Christian University** - ACU offers a $1,000 scholarship for students who have obtained any of the following achievements through the Boy Scouts of America: Eagle Scout, Venturing Silver or Sea Scouting Quartermaster. This scholarship is renewable annually, for up to four years.