Main header image
BPI Scholars Program
Deadline to apply: April 21, 2025 3:00 pm CT

The Bates Philanthropic Initiative (BPI) is deeply committed to making a meaningful impact in our community by supporting Colorado’s under-resourced graduating high school students. We understand the challenges these students face and firmly believe that everyone deserves access to a quality education and viable career opportunities. Our focus on career and technical education (CTE) is essential in today’s workforce, where skilled trades are not just vital but increasingly in demand.

To help bridge the gap, we’ve launched the BPI Scholars program specifically designed for in-need graduating seniors from the Denver Front Range Community. This initiative aims to empower these young individuals by providing them with the financial resources they need to enroll full-time at a two-year community college or technical college in Colorado. By pursuing education in skilled trades, BPI Scholars can secure stable and rewarding careers that offer a living wage.

We envision a future where no young person falls through the cracks—where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Our commitment goes beyond just financial assistance. We aim to inspire a sense of purpose and ambition in our scholarship recipients, ensuring they have the tools and support to succeed in their chosen fields. The pathway to success should be accessible to all, and BPI is here to help make that a reality for the next generation of skilled workers in our community.

The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

Applicants for the Bates Scholars Program must meet the following criteria:

  • Preference will be given to graduating high school seniors within Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Weld, and Jefferson counties.  Others welcome to apply.
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)
  •  Plan to enroll full-time (min 12 credit hours) at a two-year community college or accredited technical school within the state of Colorado for the upcoming academic year
  • Pursuing a *certification or degree in any of the fields featured in the Colorado Career Cluster Model . This scholarship is not eligible for the Business, Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Public Administration Career Cluster.
    *Certification programs must be through an accredited institution and must run on a standard academic calendar. Certification programs must be a minimum of one semester/term in length and recipients must be enrolled at the time awards are disbursed. Prerequisite courses are ineligible.

Awards

If selected as a BPI Scholar, the student will receive up to a $5,000 award dependent upon the cost of the program they are enrolled in. Payments will be made payable to the institution where the student is enrolled and mailed to the recipient’s home address. A minimum of six awards will be granted. Awards are not renewable, but students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

Recipients may also be eligible for additional student support and/or mentorship from the Sponsor.

Awards are for qualified education-related expenses only (tuition, fees, books, and required supplies/equipment).

Notification

All applicants will be notified in late July.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of BPI. Payments will be available until December.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:

  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience
  • A statement of educational and career goals and objectives
  • Unusual personal or family circumstances
  • An online recommendation

Financial need, as calculated by Scholarship America, must be demonstrated for the student to receive an award. Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

As part of your application, you must upload the following:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
    • Student name
    • School name
    • Grades
    • Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
  • (Optional) Copy of the first two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040 used for the Financial Information section of the application. Please black out all social security numbers and bank account information.

One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than April 24, 2025 3:00 pm Central Time.

Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.

BPI has partnered with Scholarship America. Selecting the button below will redirect you to the Scholarship America Student Hub!

Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.