Tools for Success Scholarship

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Qualified applicants for the 2024-2025 academic year must be 

• school aged students in grades four (4) through college (age 26)
• carry at least a 2.5 GPA (cumulative) or equivalent
• reside in or stem from a single parent household in the following Maryland counties: Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Charles, Baltimore, Montgomery, and Baltimore City
• meet household income qualifications
•  submit a completed application

Scroll down to submit your application. 

 Applications open April 1, 2024. 

Application must be submitted no earlier than April 1, 2024 and no later than July 1, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee. The committee will verify eligibility and after reading each essay, the team will select and notify the top five (5) to 10 applicants by mail. If needed, this process will repeat until the committee has five (5) to 10 fully verified applicants.  

Once scholarship recipients are chosen, he or she will be awarded one-half of the grant prior to the start of school to be disbursed in the form of a check to the college, school supplies, uniforms, sports and academic club registration fees, or a combination of these award options unless the cost of the laptop equals the full amount of the award. In this case, there will be no second disbursement and letter of recommendation will not be required.

The second half of the scholarship will be disbursed once the Scholarship Committee receives required documentation that the student either maintained or exceeded the 2.5 GPA (cumulative) or equivalent requirement as well as submits the Letter of Recommendation. The disbursement will be in the same form of a check made payable to the college, school supplies, uniforms, sports and academic club registration fees, or a combination of these payout options, as applicable.

Therefore, each awardee is required to submit a copy of his or her report card, or official transcripts and cumulative GPA for college students, in addition to a recommendation (see FAQs below).

For fourth (4th) through 12th grade students, this information is due at the end of the second marking period once report cards have been distributed. For college students, this information is due at the end of the Fall semester. If this documentation is not provided or if the student fails to maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA, the remaining monies are forfeited. 

You may submit report cards, official transcripts, and Letters of Recommendation online here. If you choose to mail this information, you may do so to

IT TAKES TWO, INC
Attn: Scholarships
PO Box 787
Gambrills, MD 21054-0787

For the second disbursement, the report cards/official transcripts and Letters of Recommendation MUST be received by IT TAKES TWO, INC within 3 weeks of receipt from the school system/college or university.

Scholarship funding is strictly for educational purposes. Monies can be used to purchase school supplies, uniforms, books, and to pay for extracurricular activities such as sports and academic club fees. Laptops/tablets, tutoring and internet service were added in our responses to COVID-19. There will be a needs assessment that each family will undergo to determine the appropriate awards package. 

 Historically, awards range from $200-$500 depending on the grade level; however, the awards amount for 2024-2025 will vary due to recent changes to our awards package in response to COVID-19. We will base the awards on the student's needs. Please use the below figures as baseline amounts. 

Elementary school and middle school recipients receive between $200-$250

High school recipients receive between $250-$350

College recipients receive between $400-$500

When can I apply for the scholarship?

The scholarship season is April 1 - July 1 annually.

What is the deadline/postmark date to apply?

July 1 at 11:59 pm EST annually.

When will recipients be notified?

Announcements are made August 1 via email.

What is the recommendation that must be submitted for the second disbursement?

This is a letter of explanation from a professional academic source: teacher, principal, or guidance counselor. A recommendation from a sports head coach is acceptable, but must be accompanied by a recommendation from a professional academic source. The recommendation must detail why the student should receive the remaining scholarship award. 

Can I still submit an application for consideration after the submission deadline?

Once the submission deadline (July 1, 11:59 pm EST) has passed, no applications will be accepted until the next scholarship season (April 1 of the following year).

How often are scholarships awarded?

Scholarships are awarded once an academic year in two even disbursements, as applicable (this is contingent upon the student's needs assessment). The scholarship season is April 1 through July 1 of the current year. 

How is the award paid?

The disbursement will be in the form of a check made payable to the college/university, school supplies, uniforms, and direct payments for sports and academic club registration fees, direct purchase of goods, or a combination of these payout options. The dispersement is for the awarding year only. The award does not carry over into a new scholarship season or renew.