The Chosen Family Fund Scholarship
The Chosen Family Fund is a scholarship that invests in queer-identifying or trans-identifying students from the Bay Area. Created to illuminate queer and trans excellence, this scholarship exists to support bright students as you pursue what’s next through education, wherever your journey takes you, no straight lines required.
Each of us learns from the worlds and circles we move through: the people who’ve supported us, the situations that have challenged us, and the moments we’ve had to figure it out on our own. For some, that could mean a place within a vibrant queer community, connecting with peers and mentors who’ve helped you grow. For others, it means building resilience and self-awareness by navigating spaces that are difficult to show up as your full self. The Chosen Family Fund honors both, and every flavor in between.
Life’s a journey. We want to hear how your experiences and identity have shaped your aspirations, and how you plan to carry your voice forward. Where do you see yourself going next? What’s motivating you?
To apply, please respond to both essay questions below. It won’t be counted against you if you don’t yet know what higher education program/institution you’ll attend.
Evaluation criteria:
-Authenticity: Clear sense of individual self-awareness, vulnerability, confidence, and genuine voice. ChatGPT need not apply.
-Drive: demonstrated curiosity and imagination, in any field.
-Financial need is not required, but may be considered.
Please provide your responses to the questions below:
Question 1: (500 words max) How has your queer identity shaped how you see the world? Use a specific moment, challenge, or experience from your life to illustrate. Help us understand how it felt or what it taught you.
Question 2: (200 words max) Very succinctly, what do you hope to achieve through your academic pursuits? (Optional) If you already know, what higher education program/institution do you plan to attend next year?
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FAQ
The application deadline is Mar 23, 2026. Winners will be announced on Jun 3, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Jun 3, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
