Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) is currently accepting scholarship applications to place 2,000 K-8th graders from low-income Philadelphia families in private, parochial and tuition-based community schools throughout the area.
The four-year scholarships for the 2014-15 school year are need-based and awarded by random lottery. Applications are available digitally at the CSFP website and physically at all branches of The Free Library of Philadelphia, YMCAs, Police Athletic League and Philadelphia Park and Recreation centers. Completed applications must be received by CSFP no later than March 1, 2014. Only the first 10,000 applications received will be processed and entered into the lottery. Scholarship award selections (by lottery) will be made in mid-March.
CSFP, the state's largest provider of scholarship support for grades K-8, is a privately funded program that provides financial access for students from low-income Philly families — a salient mission in light of the severe budget cuts and rampant school closings plaguing the Philadelphia School District. Currently, CSFP funds about 4,500 in 185-plus participating private and parochial schools; each student receives an average of $1,600 per year.
