FY26 PFund Foundation Scholarship Application

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Applications are due February 23, 2026 by 5pm central time!

About the scholarships      

As the regional lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, Two-Spirit and allied grassroots community foundation serving the upper Midwest, PFund Foundation recognizes that dedicated, connected, and supported generations of LGBTQ+ leaders are central to the resilience and health of our communities. Our scholars embody both courage and commitment to advancing change. 

Our scholarship program awards LGBTQIA individuals for their commitment and leadership within LGBTQ+ communities. Scholarships support post-secondary academic programs as well as non-scholastic leadership development opportunities. PFund Foundation’s scholarships range from $1,000 to $12,000. The scholarship must be used within a year unless it is a multiyear scholarship. 

Non-scholastic leadership opportunities include leadership development, community activism or organizing, or to attending conferences and workshops that enhance leadership skills. Examples include, but are not limited to: Wellstone Action, Creating Change, or the Rockwood Leadership Institute. Leadership development opportunities can be located anywhere, but the applicants' work in LGBTQ+ communities must be based in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and/or the Native Nations that share the same geography.  

At PFund Foundation, we understand that sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex are often lumped together; albeit not the same. We utilize the acronym LGBTQ+ as an umbrella term in order to encompass the multitude of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions—acknowledging that expressions and identities are ever-evolving. We honor all identities by offering space on this application for you to share what language you use in expressing your authentic self.

Application Process:          

Our scholarship application process has two parts:

  1. Eligibility screening & descriptive profile: Available at the bottom of this page, if eligible you will be directed to the next part. 
  2. Full application form including expanded descriptive and demographic questions, short answer and essay questions.

Eligibility

To apply for a PFund scholarship, individuals must:

  • Be 17 years of age or older by June 1, 2026.
  • Be either from or currently attending school in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or Native Nations therein. 
  • Identify as LGBTQ+.
  • Be currently enrolled in or admitted to a GED program, community college, four-year college, university, graduate school, trade school, professional certificate program, study abroad program, or apprenticeship program for the 2026-2027 academic year.
  • Please note: All scholarship payments made directly to the student will require the student to submit a IRS Form W9 which requires a social security number or other tax ID number.

Preferences          

The following lists preferences that PFund Foundation has for scholarship applicants:

  • Applicants with a strong vision for making a social or political impact in LGBTQIA communities
  • Applicants serving, leading and working for culture change in communities around LGBTQIA issues, recognizing that access to leadership opportunities can vary
  • Applicants of diverse backgrounds, particularly those from traditionally under-represented communities and demographic groups including but not limited to:
  1. Indigenous, Black, People of Color; first generation, immigrant, and new Americans;
  2. Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming people, and; 
  3. LGBTQIA Individuals from rural communities across the upper Midwest. 

Support

We will host a webinar to walk through the application process, how to use the Submittable application portal, and discuss any questions about the process on Tuesday, January 13th at 12:00 PM Central Time. After the webinar, a recording of the session will be posted to our website. 

Register via Zoom using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/B2zXwsrVQMmPbJ8kWZhZQA

Key Dates

  • The deadline for all application materials February 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM
  • Awards will be announced by June 1, 2026 and payments distributed by July 1, 2026 
We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.
Apply