Supporting Postsecondary Education for Vermonters in Need
What We Fund
The Curtis Fund provides scholarships for Vermont students pursuing a two-year or four-year degree program and scholarships for students pursuing a Credentials of Value (CoV) training program.
Degree Scholarships
This program offers scholarships to Vermont students pursuing two-year or four-year degrees.
Awards are $3400 per year and are automatically renewed for the duration of a student’s postsecondary education - so recipients don’t have to reapply annually (as long as they continue to meet the criteria). Students are also allowed to take breaks, and their scholarship resumes when they return to complete their education.
Each year approximately 600-700 students receive a Degree Scholarship. Aid is granted regardless of career goals or where a student plans to attend college. Notably, our scholars’ graduation rate is 87%, significantly above the national average of 64%.
Schools Attended by Percentage of Scholarship Recipients
Credentials of Value (COV) Scholarships
This program provides scholarship funding for Vermont students enrolled in short-term, career-focused certificate and training programs.
Credentials of Value are industry-recognized qualifications that prepare students for high-demand, high wage careers that don’t require a college degree. Fields include healthcare, bookkeeping, coding, advanced manufacturing, diesel mechanics, and more. COV scholarships typically range from $50-$3000.
💡 CoVs are ‘stackable’ so if you decide you want to pursue an associate or bachelor’s degree you are already on your way!
Our Awarding Model
The Curtis Fund partners with VSAC’s Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) programs to identify scholarship recipients.
About half of our scholarships are awarded to high school seniors participating in Talent Search, a middle & high school program that supports first-generation and/or low-income students with career and college planning services. Students receive counseling, academic advising, assistance with college applications, fee waivers for standardized tests and college applications, support completing financial aid forms, as well as college visits and family informational sessions.
The other half of our scholarships are awarded to adults through VSAC’s EOC program. The scholarships guidelines for adults are the same as for students enrolling immediately after high school.
VSAC counselors use the McClure Foundation’s Most Promising Jobs Report to guide students who want to continue their education but haven’t yet identified a clear career path.