On the first Friday of each month, a group of gay men meet for breakfast. Those men form the club that has become known as the First Friday Breakfast Club, which has become a non-profit corporation. These men meeting for breakfast once a month is not insignificant, as they have established the FFBC, or First Friday Breakfast Club Gay Scholarships program. While this gay scholarship fund was created to improve the image of gay men through education, it is not solely intended for gay students.
The First Friday Breakfast Club is based in Iowa, and is actually the largest breakfast club in the state. The member list of the club is kept private, and the purpose of the club scholarships program is to further the education of future leaders to improve the image of gay men everywhere. The scholarship is funded almost completely by donations from members as well as non-members of the group, but fundraisers are held throughout the year for the fund as well. The organization feels that education is the biggest key to ending racism, discrimination, and intolerance for all people.
The First Friday Breakfast Club is awarded in the amount of $2500, and is available to high school seniors. It is not limited to gay teenagers at all, however. Instead, it is available to any person, male or female, who can show that they have actually worked in the efforts to increase awareness and tolerance for the gay and lesbian community. Your race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, creed, or marital status plays no role in the selection process for this gay scholarship. While your GPA does matter, your involvement in activities and organizations that work towards equality and tolerance for all seems to be what matters the most to the selection committee for these gay and lesbian scholarships.
Aside from this requirement, the applicant must also reside in Iowa, but the winner is free to attend any college or university, including trade schools, in the World. It is important to realize that the scholarship information does not state that you must attend a school in the United States, but the school must offer post-secondary level education, and it must be accredited by a governing agency. It also does not state that you have to be a citizen of the United States – only that you must reside in Iowa.
The deadline for applying for the FFBC gay and lesbian scholarships is March 31st of each year, and no application materials will be accepted after that date. The Award is made on May 1st of each year. If funds allow, more than one $2500 gay scholarship will be awarded each year, but this is not guaranteed, as it depends on how much the First Friday Breakfast Club Scholarship committee is able to collect through fundraisers and donations throughout the year.
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- Gay Scholarships for LGBT Community (scholarshipsgrants.us)