Foundation Grants for Needy Students

Gates Foundation

• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offers a number of scholarship opportunities for low-income and financially needy students.

  The Mary Gates scholarship helps to fund undergraduate study at the University of Washington in Seattle for hundreds of students each year. The scholarships fund academic achievement, research possibilities, leadership projects and independent ventures for students at the university.

  Gates Millennium scholarships award students for academic achievement, leadership capabilities and community service efforts. These scholarships are available to minority students who are eligible for need-based financial aid from the Federal Pell Grant.

  Other Gates Foundation efforts fund study abroad efforts at Cambridge University, law degree scholarships and graduate fellowships.

  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  P.O. Box 23350
  Seattle, WA 98102
  206-709-3100
  gatesfoundation.org

IECA Foundation

• The IECA Foundation provides funding grants for programs in the schools and communities that are designed to reach out and improve the lives of underprivileged or needy students.

  The number and value of grants available for such projects vary by year; the highest value for a grant is $5,000. The grants are given to organizations that provide direct assistance to needy students through professional consultation, leadership development and other areas.

  The grants are available for individuals or organizations working as nonprofits, such as schools or churches. For-profit organizations or those that receive unrestricted funds from other areas will not receive grants.

  IECA Foundation
  3251 Old Lee Highway
  Suite 510
  Fairfax, VA 22030
  703-890-0135
  iecafoundation.org

National Science Foundation

• The National Science Foundation provides grants to colleges, universities and other institutes of higher learning to fund scholarships granted directly through the schools.

  Scholarships are given to universities to disperse among associate, baccalaureate or graduate-level degree seekers in the science and engineering disciplines. Students are required to fulfill academic standards and financial need requirements before they can earn these scholarships.

  Those interested in applying for NSF-funded scholarships should contact their educational institution to find out if funds are available. NSF does not provide awards directly to students; the schools determine who is eligible to receive an award.

  National Science Foundation
  4201 Wilson Blvd.
  Arlington, VA 22230
  703-292-5111
  nsf.gov