Ford Foundation Scholarships: Eligibility and Opportunities
The Ford Foundation offers various scholarship and fellowship programs aimed at supporting individuals committed to addressing inequality and driving positive change in their communities. These programs target different stages of education and career development, with a focus on building a diverse and impactful network of leaders.
Ford Foundation Global Fellowship
Launched in 2020, the Ford Foundation Global Fellowship is a ten-year commitment to build a Community of Practice, supporting approximately 200 Fellows during that time. This fellowship aims to identify and support social change leaders whose potential has yet to be fully realized due to a lack of resources or access to a global network. The program seeks individuals examining and addressing the root causes of inequality.
What is a Community of Practice?
A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a commitment to a particular field or area and who have a passion and curiosity for learning how to improve their work. Composed of current and past Fellows, the group interacts regularly, reflecting on and learning from their own behaviors, practices, and decisions to support individuals and the full community of Fellows in the development of trusting and generative relationships.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
The Ford Foundation Global Fellowship seeks a diverse array of committed leaders who have demonstrated meaningful impact. The program is particularly interested in people who are examining and addressing the root causes of inequality. There is not one single archetype of leader that makes for an ideal Ford Foundation Global Fellow. The focus is to ensure each cohort includes individuals who represent a wide diversity of approaches and ways of thinking about disrupting inequality.
Fellows will have both a demonstrated meaningful track record and be positioned for future impact. Global Fellowship is a high profile initiative of the Ford Foundation. Because the foundation wants to ensure that Fellows are poised to benefit from the experience, they are not looking for Fellows who are already well-established with robust global networks and resources.
Read also: The Kyle Ford Transfer Story
Key Aspects of the Fellowship
- Diversity and Inclusion: The fellowship includes Fellows from each of the 11 regions or countries where the Ford Foundation has a presence.
- Focus on Inequality: While it is critical that all Fellows are engaged in addressing inequality and advancing justice, Fellows are not required to work in areas that are aligned to Ford’s current grant-making priorities.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration: The program seeks to build and support a diverse cohort of individuals from a wide range of sectors, including the public sector, private sector, and civil society, and also includes artists and academics.
- Global Engagement: While some Fellows’ work will be deeply focused on their country or region, some Fellows’ work will span multiple countries or regions.
- Language Proficiency: All Fellowship programming will be conducted in English. Candidates who demonstrate that they are on a path to proficiency may be considered.
- Age Requirement: Applicants must be over age 18.
- Active Participation: Full, active, and engaged participation in three week-long in-person gatherings and regular virtual cohort experiences during the Fellowship period. Candidates must commit to participating in all multi-day gatherings and monthly virtual cohort connection activities during their Fellowship period.
- Co-Creation: Active co-creation of the Community of Practice with the Foundation, including refining the learning agenda and the Fellowship’s culture, practices, and activities.
- Individual Learning Plan: Pursuing an Individual Learning Plan.
- Alumni Engagement: “Paying it forward” by remaining engaged with the Alumni Community of Practice as an active member.
Nomination and Interview Process
The Ford Foundation welcomes nominations of candidates that nominators know very well and of candidates that nominators know less well. What matters is that the relationship between nominator and nominee is known. Following the regional interviews, select candidates will be invited to participate in a virtual global interview.
Ford Family Foundation Scholarships
The Ford Family Foundation offers various scholarship programs for students from Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. These scholarships support undergraduate studies and aim to provide opportunities for students with financial need and those who have faced barriers to higher education.
Ford Scholars Program
This program is an undergraduate scholarship available to promising high school seniors or recent high school graduates who work hard, have significant financial need and face barriers to higher education. Up to 120 renewable scholarships are awarded each year to students from Oregon and Siskiyou County, California.
Eligibility Requirements
- Resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California
- Graduating high school senior, recent graduate, or equivalent, and never enrolled full time in a two- or four-year college program
- Goal to earn a bachelor’s degree
- Fall enrollment of application year, attending full time, on campus at a federally financial aid-eligible public or private (nonprofit) college, based in their home state of Oregon or California
- Face significant barriers - financial and otherwise - to attending college
- A completed financial aid application and have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of no more than 8,000
Scholarship Details
Scholarships for our programs include a renewable financial award of up to $40,000 per year. The actual award amount is calculated based on several factors, including the student's financial need, the Cost of Attendance at their college of choice and additional scholarships received.
The Ford Scholars Program covers expenses such as tuition, living expenses, books and required fees. Specifically, the Ford Scholars Program includes financial support, personal and professional support and lifetime connection with the Ford Family alumni community.
Read also: Explore Henry Ford College
Selection Criteria
The selection process recognizes the potential of all students, especially rural students. There is no minimum GPA requirement to apply. The foundation looks for resilient students who believe success is the result of hard work and exemplify exceptional qualities such as academic potential, community engagement and service to others, work ethic, motivation and mindset.
Additional Information
- Residents of Siskiyou County may attend Oregon Institute of Technology, Southern Oregon University or Klamath Community College if they qualify for in-state tuition.
- Online college education programs do not qualify.
- A recipient of the Ford Scholars scholarship may attend a community college with the intention of transferring to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Ford Transfer Scholars Program
This program supports students currently attending a community college who are prepared to transfer to a four-year university in the fall.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Ford Scholars Program, Ford Transfer Scholars Program or Ford Opportunity Scholars Program, you must be a resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California. To be considered a resident, you must have lived in Oregon or Siskiyou County, California, for at least 12 months preceding college enrollment. Additionally, if attending a public university, you must qualify for in-state tuition at your college of choice.
For the Ford Transfer and Ford Opportunity Programs, an SAI of 10,000 or less is required.
Ford Opportunity Scholars Program
This scholarship is available to students from Oregon and Siskiyou County, California.
Read also: Requirements for Ford Tough Scholarship
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Ford Scholars Program, Ford Transfer Scholars Program or Ford Opportunity Scholars Program, you must be a resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California. To be considered a resident, you must have lived in Oregon or Siskiyou County, California, for at least 12 months preceding college enrollment. Additionally, if attending a public university, you must qualify for in-state tuition at your college of choice.
For the Ford Transfer and Ford Opportunity Programs, an SAI of 10,000 or less is required.
Ford Sons and Daughters Program
Applicants for the Ford Sons and Daughters Program need not adhere to residency requirements but must otherwise meet all eligibility requirements.
General Eligibility Information for Ford Family Foundation Scholarships
- Residency: To be eligible for the Ford Scholars Program, Ford Transfer Scholars Program or Ford Opportunity Scholars Program, you must be a resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California.
- Urban Areas: Yes, The Ford Family Foundation accepts applications from students throughout the state of Oregon and Siskiyou County, California, including urban areas, although we do prioritize rural students.
- Small Schools: Absolutely. The Foundation’s selection committees take a holistic approach to reviewing applications. They are trained to recognize that students from small schools and rural areas may not have the same opportunities as students from larger communities in metropolitan areas.
- Undocumented Students: Yes, we welcome applications from undocumented students residing in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California who meet certain qualifications.
- International Students: Maybe. If you meet the eligibility requirements to complete the Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), you may be eligible to apply to Ford Family scholarship programs.
- Felony Conviction: Yes, you are eligible to apply. Scholarships are awarded to individuals with a felony conviction if they have completed parole, probation, or any type of post-prison supervision and have paid any required restitution and/or court fees by Aug. 1 of the application year.
Financial Aid Requirements
Yes, you need to apply for federal financial aid (or equivalent for undocumented students) to qualify for the Ford Scholars, Ford Transfer Scholars and Ford Opportunity Scholars Programs. You are not required to complete a financial aid application to apply for the Ford Sons and Daughters Program, but we encourage you to do so for other financial aid opportunities.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to receive any federal financial aid (such as the Pell Grant, State Grant, Stafford Loan, etc.) and to qualify for many scholarships.
- Undocumented students may complete an alternative financial aid application: Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
Key Dates and Deadlines
Applications open annually on December 1 and close on March 2, 2026. Submit your application by March 2, 2026 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Application Process for Ford Family Foundation Scholarships
- Application Limit: Only one application per student is accepted and reviewed.
- Incomplete Applications: Applications that have missing parts will not be considered.
- Required Documents: You will be required to upload a PDF of your academic transcript (high school or college).
- Financial Aid Submission Summary: Additionally, once your financial aid application has been processed, you will receive a Submission Summary, which will display your Student Aid Index (SAI) for the 2026-27 academic year. The Submission Summary with SAI will need to be uploaded to your application.
- SAT/ACT Scores: No, SAT/ACT scores are not required. We do not consider them in the selection process.
- Advanced Courses: Yes, however students without access to these types of courses are not penalized.
- Letters of Recommendation: No, you will not need a reference or letter of recommendation for our scholarship application.
- AI Usage: Upholding the fairness and authenticity of the scholarship application process is important to us. Therefore, we encourage you to be sure that your responses are authentic and written in your own voice.
Additional Guidelines
- Enrollment: No, you must enroll in the fall of the year you are awarded the scholarship.
- Full-Time Enrollment: Yes, you must enroll full time with a minimum of 12 credit hours per term/semester.
- Eligible College: For the Ford Scholars, Ford Transfer Scholars and Ford Opportunity Scholarship Programs, an eligible college is defined as a federally financial aid-eligible public or private (nonprofit) college or university. The college or university must be based in your state of residence (Oregon or California).
Ford Philanthropy Scholarship
The Ford Philanthropy Scholarship is a program for two-year and four-year college students pursuing careers in STEM fields connected to the automotive and mobility industries. It also assists students participating in apprenticeship programs within these sectors. The scholarships will cover a range of costs associated with cost of attendance (COA), including tuition and fees, room and board, textbooks, supplies, and equipment. The Ford Philanthropy Scholarship program is open.
Ford Foundation Fellowships for Graduate Students
The Ford Foundation provides two major fellowships for graduate students who are committed to college or university teaching careers and will use diversity as a resource to enrich students’ education.
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
The Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship provides 3 years of stipend support for Ph.D. or Sc.D. students who are relatively early in their programs (at least 3 years remaining in program by the funding start date).
Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship provides a stipend for your final dissertation completion year in an eligible Ph.D. or Sc.D.
Eligibility Requirements
Must be pursuing a Ph.D. or Sc.D. Education-related Ph.D. programs (research-based with a dissertation) can be eligible; please contact the Ford Fellowships program to confirm your specific graduate program's eligibility. (Ed.D.
Wilbur and Florence Ford Scholarship
This scholarship, established by grandchildren of Wilbur and Florence Ford, honors Wilbur and Florence's deep commitments to their community through support for organizations, volunteering, and creating opportunities for future generations. The descendants of the Fords have carried on this legacy of community support and are providing a full tuition, four-year scholarship for a student of any Wabash County high school who has been actively involved in the betterment of Wabash County through extracurricular activities, volunteer service, and participation in community events.
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