Hearthstone Housing Foundation
Scholarship Sponsored by Hearthstone Housing Foundation
Hearthstone Housing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation focused on creating service-enriched, affordable housing for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities. The Foundation also works to prevent neighborhood decline and reduce pressures on public services.
Eligibility
To be considered, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Demonstrate financial need or come from a low-income household (income limits are set by HUD — consult HUD’s current limits online).
- Be between 15 and 25 years old as of March 31, 2025.
- Live in either a Hearthstone Housing Foundation property or in a county that contains a Hearthstone property.
- During the 2025–26 academic year, be one of the following:
- A full-time high school student seeking funds for college-preparation courses, college-application fees, or other academically enriching programs; or
- A full-time undergraduate enrolled at a college, university, or accredited vocational school in the United States.
- Important: Awards may not be used for graduate-level study or for programs abroad.
- Meet the minimum grade-point average requirement: at least a 3.0 GPA for current high school students or at least a 2.75 GPA for current college students.
- Be available for a phone interview in May or June 2025.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should expand on your application and give reviewers a clearer picture of the experiences that have shaped you, your development, and your academic or career objectives.
The statement must address all of the following:
- Your personal, academic, and/or professional goal(s).
- The specific steps you plan to take to reach those goal(s).
- How you would use any scholarship funds awarded by Hearthstone Housing Foundation.
- Actions you have already taken toward your goals (for example, relevant extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or other experience).
Evaluation criteria will include the content above plus overall writing quality. Reviewers will also consider how well you demonstrate:
- Community-mindedness
- Persistence and the ability to overcome obstacles
- Initiative and leadership
- Financial need
Formatting Requirements (follow exactly — failure to do so may lead to disqualification)
- One page, single-spaced, with one-inch margins.
- Typed in 12-point Times New Roman.
- Your name must appear in the top right corner of the page.
Renewal Applicants
If you are reapplying for a renewal, you must submit a new personal statement that reflects your growth and experiences over the past year. Re-submitting last year’s personal statement will result in automatic disqualification.