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National FFA Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.7M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.0M
Decision Time
4mo
Success Rate
15%

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $20+ million raised annually; $2.5-2.8 million in scholarships
  • Success Rate: ~15% for scholarships (1,178 of 7,761 applicants in 2024-25)
  • Decision Time: 3-5 months for scholarships; 1-6 weeks for grants
  • Grant Range: $500 - $10,000 (scholarships); $500 - $5,000 (chapter grants)
  • Geographic Focus: United States (all 50 states)

Contact Details

Website: www.ffa.org/national-ffa-foundation

Phone: 317-802-6060 or 1-888-332-2668 (toll-free)

Email: foundation@ffa.org

Scholarship Support: Help@mykaleidoscope.com

Address: 6060 FFA Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46278

Overview

The National FFA Foundation (EIN: 54-6044662), established to support the National FFA Organization, is a separately-registered nonprofit that has earned Charity Navigator's highest Four-Star rating with a 100% score. The Foundation raises more than $20 million annually, with approximately 82% of every dollar supporting FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. Its mission is to further education and development of FFA members with emphasis in all segments of the agriculture industry in America. The Foundation provides scholarships to individual students, grants to FFA chapters and state associations, and support to the National FFA Organization and other agricultural education-related organizations. Since the scholarship program began in 1984 with just 16 scholarships, it has grown to award more than $47 million to members overall, with recent years seeing approximately $2.5-2.8 million awarded annually to over 1,100 students.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

National FFA Scholarships: $1,000 - $10,000 per award

  • $2.5-2.8 million distributed annually to 1,100+ recipients
  • Single application for 120+ scholarship opportunities through Kaleidoscope portal
  • Application: November 1 - January 15
  • Notification: April 23

SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) Grants: $1,000 - $9,000

  • Standard grants: $1,000
  • Continuing project grants: $5,000 and $9,000
  • Application: October - November 15
  • Notification: Mid-December

Living to Serve Grants: $500 - $3,000

  • Yearlong Grants: Up to $3,000 (Application: April 15 - June 17)
  • Semester Grants: Up to $1,200 (Fall & Spring cycles)
  • Day of Service Mini-Grants: Up to $500
  • Sponsored by Cargill and Tractor Supply Company

Give Back to Your Roots Grants: Up to $5,000

  • Funded by Nutrien Ag Solutions ($100,000 program total)
  • Three annual deadlines: March 1, June 1, September 1
  • Supports chapter fees, plant science education, or program supplies

Growing for Good Program: Up to $5,000

  • For middle and high school FFA chapters
  • Supports project-based or experiential learning
  • Sponsored by Tractor Supply Company

Priority Areas

  • Academic performance, leadership skills, FFA involvement for individual scholarships
  • Community service-learning projects (safety, hunger/health, environmental responsibility)
  • Agricultural education program enhancement
  • All Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career pathways
  • Plant science-based educational opportunities

What They Don't Fund

Programs restricted to:

  • FFA members in good standing (individual scholarships and SAE grants)
  • Official FFA chapters and state FFA associations/foundations (chapter grants)
  • Agricultural education focus required for all programs

Governance and Leadership

The National FFA Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of volunteers from business and industry, education, FFA alumni and supporters, and individual donors. Board members include Dr. Travis Park, Matt Winkle, Cheryl Zimmerman, and others representing diverse agricultural sectors. Scott Stump serves as CEO of the National FFA Organization.

National FFA President Amara Jackson emphasized the organization's impact: "If one person feels like they're impacted, then I know I've done my job."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Scholarships: Single online application through Kaleidoscope platform (apply.mykaleidoscope.com) automatically considers applicants for all eligible opportunities among 120+ scholarships.

SAE Grants: Online application through National FFA website requiring current FFA membership (grades 7-12) and crucial advisor statement establishing financial need.

Chapter Grants: Applications through FFA website or partner platforms (RadiateGiveback.com for Give Back to Your Roots) with varying deadlines throughout the year.

Decision Timeline

  • Scholarships: ~3.5 months (January 15 deadline → April 23 notification)
  • SAE Grants: ~1 month (November 15 deadline → Mid-December notification)
  • Living to Serve: 2.5-6 weeks depending on grant type
  • Member Assistance: ~2 weeks for most programs

Success Rates

National FFA Scholarships (2024-25): 15.2% success rate (1,178 awards from 7,761 applications)

SAE Grants described as "highly competitive" with awards based "primarily on demonstrated financial need."

Reapplication Policy

Annual scholarship cycles allow students to reapply each year while eligible. High school seniors can continue applying as college students if they remain FFA alumni. No explicit prohibition on reapplication mentioned.

Application Success Factors

Critical for Scholarship Success:

  • Complete single application for automatic consideration for 120+ opportunities
  • Write compelling essays that differentiate you from 7 other applicants competing for each award
  • Demonstrate merit across academics, leadership, FFA involvement, and community service
  • Submit well before January 15 deadline to avoid technical issues

SAE Grant Requirements:

  • Advisor statement is "crucially important in establishing financial need and eligibility"
  • Clearly articulate why funding is necessary for your agricultural project
  • Ensure project aligns with Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Pathways
  • Submit early due to high competition

Chapter Grant Strategies:

  • Identify specific community needs for Living to Serve grants in four focus areas
  • Demonstrate how funding enhances agricultural education programming
  • Show plant science focus for Give Back to Your Roots grants
  • Provide detailed, realistic budgets with clear justification

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Highly competitive scholarships require exceptional applications across all merit criteria with only 15% success rate
  • Single application strategy through Kaleidoscope maximizes opportunities but requires understanding individual donor criteria
  • Advisor partnership essential for SAE grants - their statement is described as "crucially important" for establishing need
  • Financial need prioritized for SAE grants unlike merit-based scholarships
  • Multiple deadlines throughout year allow strategic timing for chapter grants (quarterly for Give Back to Your Roots, semester-based for Living to Serve)
  • 82% program efficiency and Four-Star Charity Navigator rating demonstrate strong stewardship
  • Service-learning focus required for Living to Serve grants combining community service with structured educational experiences

References

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