GreaterChattanooga

Together We Can Scholarship

Beginning in 1991, the Community Foundation Board and staff set out to create a scholarship fund that would provide financial aid for college to any City of Chattanooga high school student who had sufficient financial need. The Together We Can Scholarship Fund began in 1992 with the City of Chattanooga as a partner. Since 1992, over 600 area students have been awarded a Together We Can Scholarship.

The Together We Can Scholarship Fund targets youth typically overlooked by traditional scholarships based primarily on academics. To be eligible for funding, students must be a City of Chattanooga resident, attend Hamilton County public schools for grades 6-12 and have at least a cumulative GPA of 2.5. In addition, the student's family income must be under $35,000 per year.

The goal is to give a helping hand and hope for the future to every child who wants to attend college.

Each high school dropout costs this county more than $400,000 in welfare, rent subsidies, food stamps, Medicare, unemployment, police protection, jails and prison. The Together We Can Scholarship provides an alternative for our community to direct its resources toward hope rather than remediation.

Together We Can Scholarship Guidelines

The Together We Can scholarship program is a joint effort of the City of Chattanooga, the Citizens of Chattanooga, the Hamilton County Public Schools, and the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.

The goal of the Together We Can scholarship program is to provide financial assistance and access to higher education to the city's most economically disadvantaged students. Students may attend any regional accredited two-year technical or community college or a four-year college or university.

Graduating high school seniors must meet the following requirements:

• Must have attended Hamilton County public schools from 6th grade to 12th grade.
• Must reside in the City of Chattanooga during the 6th grade to 12th grade.
• Must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or above.
• Family income from all sources must be $35,000 or less.
• Must plan to attend an accredited two or four-year institution.
• Must complete and mail a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit a copy of the resulting Student Aid Report (SAR) to the Community Foundation.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of financial need to the extent of funding available.

* There is a 5-year limit on scholarship awards (10 semesters) at a 4-year college or university and a 3-year limit (6 semesters) at a 2-year school.

Scholarship recipients are required to:

• Attend school on a full-time basis carrying at least twelve (12) hours per semester.
• Submit a copy of their grade report at the end of each academic session.
• Submit an original official transcript at the end of each school year.
• Maintain a minimum of 2.0 GPA, be in good academic standing and be making satisfactory progress toward a degree.
• Notify the Community Foundation of any changes such as school attendance, school transfer, change of personal information (home address, phone number, etc).

The deadline for this application has passed.

Application packet must be received (not postmarked) in the office of the following address no later than

4:30 p.m. EST Friday, March 26, 2010.

Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Inc.
Attention: Rebecca Smith, Director of Scholarships
1270 Market Street
Chattanooga , TN 37402

If you have any additional questions about this scholarship, you may contact the Scholarship Department of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Inc. at 423-265-0586 x11.