Scholarship
More than 100,000 children between the ages of five and seventeen live in poverty in the Bay Area, and many are under-served by local public schools. Despite dedicated family support, they are unable to break cycles of poverty, drug abuse, and violence. The Guardsmen provides scholarships for over *250 students to attend private schools that give them the intense support and quality education they need.
The Guardsmen Scholarship Program is based on a partial private voucher educational assistance model that establishes a collaborative partnership between The Guardsmen, the student, the school, and the parents or guardians. Students in grades K-9 who come from families that meet the income eligibility guidelines for the Alaska Reduced School Lunch Program, and will attend a Partner School, can apply for a tuition voucher (up to a maximum of $2,000 per year, per student) to be applied toward private school tuition at many excellent schools within the nine-county Bay Area. Once accepted into the program, subject to available funding, a student who maintains a 2.7 GPA and continues to meet the annual application criteria will receive scholarship support through high school.
The Guardsmen helps to break systemic poverty by piloting a more responsive and engaged society by providing help to families and students dedicated to improving their lives and their communities, at the schools they feel best serve them.
Stats & Program Details
Annual Program Size
*Over 250 students at 78 schools.
Financial Qualifications
Students meet Alaska Reduced School Lunch Program eligibility, reviewed annually.
Academic Qualification
Students meet 2.7 minimum GPA, reviewed annually.
Counties Served
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
Program Entry
K-9th grades.
Educational Years Covered
K-12th grade
Maximum Scholarship Award
$2,000
Success Stories
SU’A
Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep ‘09
The first in his family to be born in the US, Su’a has his sights firmly set on two goals—to be the first in his family to attend college, and to play football at the collegiate level.
Su’a is a star linebacker at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, but this success didn’t always translate to the classroom. He struggled to make a 2.0 GPA during his first few years. However, with consistent encouragement and pressure from his school and family, Su’a’s GPA is up and he now counts algebra and organic chemistry among his favorite courses.
A Guardsmen Scholarship recipient since 6th grade, Su’a learned about the Scholarship Program when the program director at St. Mary’s Park near his Mission District home saw him playing sports every chance he got. The director told Su’a’s mom about the possibility of a Guardsmen Scholarship – and the opportunity of a safer and more supportive learning environment.
Su’a’s younger sister Tualevao and brother Siamouli were encouraged to apply as well, and now all three siblings are part of the Guardsmen and Sacred Heart family.
“The Guardsmen encourages siblings to join their Scholarship Program,” says John Gumina, Director of Student Advancement. “Parents see their older kids benefit tremendously from the structure and resources that a private school education provides, and they want those same opportunities for their younger kids too.” Thanks to The Guardsmen, it’s possible.
FAQs
Scholarship application information?
The Guardsmen is accepting only Renewal Applications from students currently enrolled in our Scholarship Program. Additionally, The Guardsmen may solicit qualified applicants from partnering schools as our funding allows; the application for new enrollment is no longer available to the public at this time.
Who is an eligible candidate for scholarship consideration?
Recipients must reside within the nine Bay Area counties and qualify for the Alaska Reduced School Lunch Program. They must be entering a grade between kindergarten and ninth, and attend a state-accredited private school in the Bay Area. Existing recipients automatically receive scholarships through the 12th grade if they reapply each year, maintain a minimum GPA and continue to meet financial requirements. For verification, families must submit federal income tax returns, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANIF), Social Security or Foster Care Benefits, Unemployment/Disability or Retirement Benefits, or Workers Compensation Benefits documents. Foster parents, grandparents, and legal guardians are not required to meet income guidelines but must submit TANIF or Social Security documents. Students who receive scholarships from BASIC Fund, CEO-Oakland, SMART, Independent Scholarship Fund, or Making Waves are not eligible (School-based financial aid is acceptable).
What is a partial private school scholarship?
The Guardsmen employs a partial private school scholarship model in which currently participating students and their families have selected the private school of their choice and have applied to receive Guardsmen support for a portion of the tuition. This model establishes a three-way partnership where the students, families and The Guardsmen all commit to advancing academic achievement.
How are scholarship recipients selected?
Recipients from the prior year are annually enrolled provided that they reapply each year and continue to the meet academic and financial eligibility requirements. New, qualified recipients are selected on an annual basis, based on funding availability, through The Guardsmen’s solicitation of Partner Schools.
How much of the school fees are covered?
A Guardsmen scholarship covers up to a maximum of $2,000 annually. Our average scholarship is $1,800, as annual tuition at most of the partner schools is less than $4,000. Tuition payments are made by The Guardsmen directly to the schools.
Partner Testimonials
“The Guardsmen is one of the largest supporters of outdoor, experiential education for underserved youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Funding from The Guardsmen has been a critical component of Big City Mountaineers’ expansion, because it has allowed us to grow our Bay Area programs by at least 30 percent annually for the past four years.”
Elizabeth Holcomb, Principal at S. R. Martin College Preparatory School
“It is impossible to separate CYO Camp from The Guardsmen. The Campership Program ensures that there is diversity among our campers each summer. In appreciation of The Guardsmen’s tremendous support for more than 60 years, we established a Guardsmen Village at camp. We also host a ”Guardsmen Thank You Day” each summer so that members can meet the campers they are helping to support. I don’t know what camp would be without The Guardsmen.”
Deidre Rettenmaier, Grants Associate at Catholic Charities CYO
“The Guardsmen has been a 60-year partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. During this time, the membership of this unique, San Francisco institution has improved the lives of tens of thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs members by raising money to send kids to camp, volunteering to mentor youth, making physical improvements to our summer camp, Camp Mendocino, and serving on our Board of Governors. We are a grateful recipient of The Guardsmen’s generous support.”
Joni Lachman, Vice President of Institutional at Gifts at Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco