Give Kids a Chance Florida Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Miami Foundation

Introduction
The Give Kids a Chance Scholarship was created by Brian McDonough, Esq. to assist students from lower-income households. It provides $1,250 awards to Florida public high school seniors who plan to pursue college but require extra financial support. Scholars may be considered for repeat awards while enrolled as undergraduates, provided they meet the renewal requirements (see “Renewal” below).

Required Parental / Legal Guardian Form
You must download, complete, and upload the Parental / Legal Guardian Form with your Give Kids a Chance application. The application will not be considered until this form is included.

Award Details
- Award amount: $1,250 per recipient.
- Use of funds: If granted, scholarship money may be applied toward eligible educational expenses up to your institution’s published cost of attendance.
- Level of study: Awards are available only for undergraduate programs.

Renewal Eligibility
Students who have previously received a Give Kids a Chance award may apply for additional scholarships while in college for up to four years, provided they remain enrolled full time and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Prior receipt of an award does not guarantee future awards.

Who May Apply
Applicants must meet all of the following:
- Be a high school senior graduating in Spring 2026 from a public high school in the State of Florida.
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Demonstrate financial need: family income must be less than 60% of the median family income for the area in which the family resides (see the resource link for guidance).
- Show an active interest in school and community activities.
- Submit a complete application including two (2) letters of recommendation.

Application Process and Deadline
- Deadline: Applications must be submitted online by Sunday, March 15th at 11:59 PM. No exceptions.
- How to apply: Use The Miami Foundation’s online scholarship portal at scholarships.miamifoundation.org. Follow the registration and submission instructions carefully.
- Attachments: Required documents (including the Parental / Legal Guardian Form and the two letters of recommendation) must be uploaded through the online system. The Foundation will not accept documents by email or fax.
- Incomplete applications: If an application is missing information or required attachments, the Foundation will not notify the applicant and the application will not be reviewed.

Administration
The Give Kids a Chance Scholarship program is administered in partnership with The Miami Foundation. Applications submitted through the Foundation’s online system will be provided to the review and selection committee for the Give Kids a Chance Scholarship Fund.