FRIENDS OF 440 SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC

THE PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FINANCIALLY NEEDY DEPENDENTS OF WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND AS A RESULT HAVE RECEIVED WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS UNDER FLORIDA LAW AND WHO RESIDE, OR WHOSE WORK-RELATED INJURIES OCCURRED IN FLORIDA. IN ADDITION, SUCH SCHOLARSHIPS MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED TO FINANCIALLY NEEDY DEPENDENTS OF INDIVIDUALS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN THE OPERATION OR ADMINISTRATION OF FLORIDA'S WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAWS. THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED TO ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO LACK THE ECONOMIC ABILITY TO CONTINUE EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL OR TO FURTHER THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION WITHOUT GREAT FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND WHO BEST EMBODY THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: (I) GOOD CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP, (II) THE ACADEMIC ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE INDIVIDUAL'S CONTEMPLATED PROGRAM OF EDUCATION, AND, (III)EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, ETC. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT NO PART OF THE NET EARNINGS OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF ANY PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, INDIVIDUALS RELATED BY BLOOD OR MARRIAGE TO ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF FRIENDS OR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE ORGANIZATION. SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORMS AND PROCEDURES: THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRESCRIBED A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM. THE ORGANIZATION ANTICIPATES RECEIVING ALL SCHOLARSHIP REQUESTS BY FEBRUARY 28 PRECEDING THE ACADEMIC YEAR FOR WHICH THE SCHOLARSHIP IS TO BE AWARDED. IN SELECTING SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS, THE ORGANIZATION MAY REQUIRE A PERSONAL INTERVIEW AND WHATEVER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS DEEMS HELPFUL TO ITS DECISION. THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED NOT LATER THAN JUNE 15TH, PRECEDING THE ACADEMIC YEAR FOR WHICH THE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE TO BE AWARDED. THESE DEADLINES MAY BE EXTENDED OR MODIFIED IF NECESSARY. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNTS AND USES THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED TO FINANCE THE TUITION, FEES, BOOKS, AND LIVING EXPENSES OF A COURSE OF STUDY NOT TO EXCEED 6,000.00 PER INDIVIDUAL, PER ACADEMIC YEAR. THE AMOUNT AWARDED TO AN INDIVIDUAL WILL BE AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO DEFER THE ENTIRE COST OF TUITION, BOOKS, FEES, AND REASONABLE LIVING EXPENSES OF THE RECIPIENT, BUT WILL NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP ALLOWABLE. THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE GIFTS AND NOT LOANS. THE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS CAN BE APPLIED ONLY TO A FULL OR PART-TIME COURSE OF STUDY AT AN EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTION APPROVED BY THE ORGANIZATION AFTER INVESTIGATION OF THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND COURSES OF STUDY OFFERED BY SUCH INSTITUTION. THE FUNDS WILL BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE INSTITUTION FOR THE COST OF THE TUITION AND FEES AND, IF APPLICABLE, ROOM AND BOARD. THE INDIVIDUAL WILL ALSO BE REIMBURSED FOR BOOKS IF INVOICED BY THE INSTITUTION TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL PAYMENT FOR THE COST OF TUITION, FEES, BOOKS, AND LIVING EXPENSES EXCEED THE MAXIMUM SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT FOR ANY ACADEMIC YEAR. MONITORING OF SCHOLARSHIPS SINCE THE SCHOLARSHIP IS GENERALLY TO BE AWARDED ANNUALLY, INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR EACH ACADEMIC YEAR FOR WHICH A SCHOLARSHIP IS NEEDED AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO FURNISH ALL INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE ORGANIZATION WITH RESPECT TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S PERFORMANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP. PRIMARY CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO A FORMER RECIPIENT'S APPLICATION SO THAT THE FORMER RECIPIENT, IF STILL EVIDENCING INSUFFICIENCY OF FUNDS TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION WITHOUT FINANACIAL ASSISTANCE, WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE SELECTED COURSE OF STUDY. THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN ITS DISCRETION MAY AWARD FULL OR PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS, MAY INCREASE OR DECREASE THE MAXIMUM SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT FOR ONE OR MORE RECIPIENTS, AND MAY AWARD ONE OR MORE MULTI-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS TO ENABLE THE APPLICANT TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE COURSE OF STUDY WITHOUT REAPPLYING. THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE MONITORED. EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL THEREFORE BE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE ORGANIZAION INFORMED OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S ACADEMIC PROGRESS BY PROVIDING A TRANSCRIPT OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S ACADEMIC RECORDS AS AND WHEN AVAILABLE. AN INFORMATIONAL FORM MAY BE USED FOR THIS ACADEMIC PROGRESS AT ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE AWARD OF A SCHOLARSHIP. THE AMOUNT OF DURATION OF A SCHOLARSHIP MAY BE ADJUSTED DUE TO CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES. DISCONTINUANCE OF SCHOLARSHIP IF AN INDIVIDUAL DISCONTINUES THE COURSE OF STUDY FOR WHICH A SCHOLARSHIP WAS AWARDED OR OTHERWISE IS NOT MAKING SATISFACTORY PROGRESS TOWARDS COMPLETION OF SUCH COURSE OF STUDY, OR IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS ENGAGED IN CONDUCT INCONSISTENT WITH THE GOOD CITIZENSHIP CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD OF A SCHOLARSHIP, THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN ITS DISCRETION MAY TERMINATE THE SCHOLARSHIP AND CAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL TO RETURN ANY REFUNDABLE TUITION FEES AND OTHER UNEXPENDED EXPENSES FOR WHICH SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED. 21 INDIVIDUALS WERE GRANTED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2024.