Step 1: Submit “Create a Scholarship” Form

Describe your scholarship.

• Why do you want to create the scholarship?
• Requirements you want as part of the application and weight given to each component.
• Eligibility criteria of the scholarship. Note: Eligibility for scholarships must fall within a charitable class and not be for a predetermined individual.
• Amount of the scholarship.
• Deadline for applications.

Select how you want the Scholarship to be given out.

• Winner Notification: Tell us which method you would like to notify and award the recipient by either email, phone, video or in-person.
• Fund Management: All funds collected for the scholarship will only be disbursed for qualified educational expenses direct to colleges. Tell us if you want Scholar Fund to hold unto the funds until disbursement or if you want Scholar Fund to invest the funds in a 529 College Savings Plan and disburse the funds and all interest earned once the student attends college.

Step 2: Agree to Key Scholar Fund Terms

Acknowledge and Comply to Scholarship Procedures.

A link to our procedures can be found on the bottom of any page of our website, ScholarFund.org

Make a Donation Pledge.

Scholar Fund will require a donation in the full amount of the scholarship and an additional 5% or more to help support Scholar Fund’s operations. All donations will be classified as irrevocable gifts.  

Abide to Selection Process.

Scholar Fund requires that the selection committee consists of three members: the main scholarship administrator and two independent members. The administrator can recommend people to serve on the committee or elect Scholar Fund to appoint the independent members from our pool of trained volunteers. All members must sign an acknowledgment of our scholarship procedures and be approved by Scholar Fund.

Step 3: Scholarship Publicized and Students Apply

Scholar Fund conducts an outreach campaign to publicize approved scholarships.

• Online Outreach: Scholar Fund creates a dedicated scholarship page, online application form and social media widgets, lists the scholarship in major databases and provides a help/info email to handle inquiries. Additionally, Scholar Fund contacts qualified students that are already in our network to let them know about the new scholarship opportunity.
• Community Outreach: Scholar Fund has a budding list of non-profits and community organizations that we partner with and notify about scholarships. If scholarships are geared towards specific schools, we also reach out to teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators. We try to be creative in finding ways to reach qualified students. In one case for a scholarship for NYC working students we reached out to a reporter at The New York Times who had a feature about working students. The reporter was more than happy to help.
• Personal Outreach: Even though we love the power of technology, we also know that some of the most effective outreach are personal ones. With that in mind, Scholar Fund works with donors and scholarship administrators to figure out how they can amplify the outreach within their own personal networks.

Students apply to scholarships at ScholarFund.org.

Students can visit our website and search and apply to all approved scholarships offered through Scholar Fund. Throughout the application process students may receive email notifications such as when deadlines are coming up and their status in the selection process.

Step 4: Scholarship Winner Selected

Selection committee conducts a three round Selection Process within 6 weeks of application deadline.

• Initial Score (Round 1):  Each eligible application must be scored by at least one member of the selection committee. A score between 1-10 is given to each application component and then weighted as specified when the scholarship was created.
• Deliberation (Round 2): The top 5 applicants are chosen for discussion on how they best fit with the purpose of the scholarship. At the end of discussion each committee member must rank the top 5 and the highest ranked student is recommended as the scholarship winner to Scholar Fund.
• Final Decision (Round 3): Scholar Fund will review the recommended winner to ensure that it complies with Scholar Fund scholarship guidelines and finalizes the decision.

Step 5: Scholarship Recipient Awarded and Funds Disbursed

Notification and Award

Once a scholarship decision is finalized, Scholar Fund will notify all applicants that were not chosen via email and then work with the administrator on how to notify the winner and how to present a custom Scholar Fund scholarship award certificate. Options include mail, e-mail, video conference,  personal meet and greet and surprise on-site presentation.

Verification and Disbursement

Upon notification, the scholarship winner will upload any confirmation docs required for disbursement (e.g. acceptance letter). Scholar Fund will then manage the scholarship funds as specified when the scholarship was created via direct financial aid office disbursement or investment in a 529 plan for eventual disbursement in a given time frame.