Kansas City, MO Scholarship Program for Low-Income Residents
Type: Program
Status: Established in January 2008
Source File: http://www.kcmo.org/manager/youth/2008-scholarship-ap.pdf
Description:
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI OPPORTUNITIES SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Purpose: The Port Authority, through development agreements with the operators of certain casino gaming operations, has obtained commitments from those operators to make annual contributions for a period of ten years to fund a scholarship grant program. The result of this agreement is a scholarship fund that will provide scholarships to Kansas City, Missouri residents who are pursuing educational opportunities at accredited or certified colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools.
Criteria: In order to be eligible for the scholarship, the student must be a high school graduate or have a GED equivalent, shall be seventeen (17) through twenty-five (25) years of age at the beginning of the term for which assistance is paid. The applicant shall be a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, residing in a household which has a total annual income which is eighty percent (80%) or less than the median income of Kansas City, Missouri households as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and adjusted for household size (see attached guide sheet). Applicants, as a part of their application, must submit a 300 word maximum essay and a copy of their high school transcript or GED certificate. Also, the most recent copy of all 1040EZ, 1040A or 1040 Internal Revenue Service forms filed by all members of the household must be submitted with the application (if you did not file taxes for the previous year, you must submit an IRS Transcript - to request this form call IRS at 800-829-1040). The copy sent to the Community Foundation must be signed or, if e:filed, a copy of the receipt must be attached. Students awarded scholarship aid must maintain full time status at the institution attended and must remain in academic good standing, as determined by the institution attended, to continue to receive scholarship aid.
Guidelines: Scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis and disbursed at semester. Recipients must provide an official transcript at the end of each semester certifying the hours of credit taken and the GPA maintained. The scholarship is renewable if the student remains a full time student, is in academic good standing with the university of attendance and continues to reside in a household which has a total annual income which is eighty percent (80%) or less than the median income of Kansas City, Missouri. Renewal application, current transcript and current student financial aid form must be resubmitted each year (call the City Manager’s office at 816-513-1372 to request an application). Original application must include a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, employer or clergyman.
Amount: Minimum of $1,000 per academic year ($500 per semester). Aid shall be used for tuition, books, room and board, and activity fees at the university of attendance.
Deadline: May 1st of each year. Please note the scholarship is handled entirely by the advisory committee at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. The Foundation will notifying applicants as to their award or denial of the scholarship by June 15th.
Please submit application, high school transcript or GED Certificate, and the most recent IRS tax return forms of your household by May 1st to:
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
Attn: Scholarships
1055 Broadway, Suite 130
Kansas City, MO 64105