STUDENT APPLICATION FAQ’s
Q. What is the Lightfoot Foundation?
A. The Lightfoot Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was established to provide financial assistance through scholarship, to post high school students who are looking to further their education. The Foundation also assists organizations, through grants, that preserve the environment and provide housing to the financially disadvantaged.
Q. Where does the Lightfoot Foundation get its funding?
A. The Lightfoot Foundation is a family foundation that is privately funded.
Q. How many scholarships does the Lightfoot Foundation award?
A. 500 Maximum
Q. How much are the scholarship amounts?
A. The scholarship amounts vary from year to year and will be different every year.
Q. How do I apply?
A. Under the Education Tab, you will see “Applications” and “My Account”, click on the applications link which will take you to a screen to enter in your username and password if you are a renewal applicant, if you are a first time applicant click on “New Applicant” under the username sign on and create a new username and password.
Once you start your application and save it, to access later, you will click on the “My Account” link back under the Education Tab. DO NOT click on “Application” again as it will make you start a new application. Your saved application is in the “My Account”.
ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE SUBMITTED DURING THE SCHOLARSHIP CYCLE. IT OPENS ON March 1 AND CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT MST ON April 15 ANNUALLY.
Q. What if I am a Renewal Applicant and I forgot my username and password from last year or I now have a different email address?
A. Click on the Education Tab, then click “Application” and under the sign on is “New Applicant”, click on that and create a new username and password.
Q. How often can I apply?
A. If you meet our requirements, you may apply every year that you are planning on attending an accredited institution as a full time student for your undergraduate program. Awards are limited to 4 years, as determined by the Committee. Graduate programs are NOT eligible for this award.
Q. Do I have to be a full time student in order to receive this award?
A. Yes. The amount awarded is based on a full academic year and a full time status of 12 credits or more per term/semester or quarter, depending on what your school runs on.
Q. What are the Lightfoot Foundation’s scholarship requirements?
- The Lightfoot Foundation requires you to have a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
- You must graduate high school (or received a GED) from one of the approved 58 towns or cities listed on website.
- You must be enrolled in 12 or more credits each term/semester/quarter.
- You must submit a COMPLETE online scholarship on or before 4/15 annually.
Q. Do I have to attend a secondary school in the Treasure Valley area?
A. No. You may attend any accredited institution you choose.
Q. Is the scholarship automatically renewed?
A. No. You must apply each year that you will be attending an accredited institution, up to 4 years.
Q. Can I submit my transcripts, federal taxes or W-2’s separate from my application?
A. No. We receive hundreds of applications. All attachments must be uploaded (as PDFs) before you submit the application online. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AND WILL BE DENIED.
Q. What tax information needs to be attached?
A. Attach tax information for you AND anyone that claims you on their tax return. If you are not claimed on another’s tax return but are provided 50% support (room and board, living expenses, etc.) from anyone (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, guardians, etc.) that person’s tax information must be attached. These attachments include pages 1 and 2 of the CURRENT year’s Federal form 1040 (or page 1 of the Federal 1040EZ), AND ALL W-2’s. The W-2’s must match the amount of the gross income provided on the tax return.
REQUIRED TAXES TO FILE FOR 2024/2025 = 2023 TAXES, 2023 W-2’S, 2023 SCHEDULE C (IF PARENTS ARE SELF-EMPLOYED) AND/OR 2023 K-1 SCHEDULE (BUSINESS TAX FORM-SCHEDULE F FORM), 2023 SCHEDULE F (IMCOME/LOSSES FROM FARMING)
2023 Taxes AND W-2’s are for wages/income earned in 2023 and filed in 2024.
Other answers to frequently asked tax information, is as follows:
- If your parents are divorced, attach the tax information of the parent who claims you.
- If you or your parents need to file an extension, attach a copy of the extension, the prior year’s tax return and W-2’s, and the CURRENT year’s W-2’s. YOU MUST CALL OR EMAIL 1ST TO GET PERMISSION TO UPLOAD THE EXTENSION AND PRIOR TAXES
- If you or your parents are self-employed, you may not have W-2’s to attach. ATTACH their SCHEDULE C in place of the W-2’s.
- If your parents have farm income, attach their SCHEDULE F.
- If your parents receive only Social Security or SSI and are not required to file a tax return, attach a copy of the 2024 statement from Social Security showing the monthly amount that is received along with a letter stating that no other income is received and no tax return is required. Upload the copy in both the tax section and W-2 section
- If you did not make enough income to file a tax return but you DID work, attach a copy of your current year’s W-2’s.
Q. If I am not living with my parents and am past the age that I can be claimed on another’s tax return, AND did not work in the prior year, what do I attach?
A. Because this award is income based, we must be able to verify your income. If no one supports you, and you did not work in the prior year, then you need to attach a letter addressing how you were able to live on no income. If you were living with a friend, then we will require their tax information.
Q. I am a first-time applicant and am/was home schooled. Are there any additional requirements for me?
A. No. Upload your transcript showing classes taken, credits, GPA, your name and signature of person certifying that you graduated or will graduate. You do, however must meet the town/city requirement (see website for list) of where you graduated high school.
Q. How do I scan more than one page of a document?
A. You will need to have access to a Xerox/photocopier machine and you will load all the pages of the document face up in the loader, hit scan. This will create one file of all the pages for you to attach. For example: You have your federal taxes and your parents federal taxes, a total of 4 pages, place all 4 pages face up, facing you and hit scan. This will scan all the pages into one document for you to attach.
Q. When will I be notified whether I received a scholarship or not?
A. Notification is sent in June/July, annually. It will be sent via email so ENSURE that you provide an email address that you will have access to all the time.
Q. If I receive an award, when are the funds sent to the schools?
A. Your award notification email will include a link for you to click on and accept the award prior to the acceptance deadline of 8/31. Upon receipt of the email your award will be mailed to your school.
Q. What happens if I do not return the acceptance form by the due date of 8/31?
A. You will forfeit your entire award. NO EXCEPTIONS
Q. What is the process if I change schools mid-year?
A. You must contact the Foundation VIA EMAIL and attach the following as PDF attachments:
- Proof of enrollment for your new school to include your new student ID #.
- The most recent transcript showing your GPA and credits taken and passed.
You will need to have the remaining scholarship balance sent back to the foundation. Upon receipt of the returned funds and proof of enrollment and transcript, a new check will be sent to your new school.
Q. If, after reading through these FAQ’s, I still have a question, who do I contact?
A. Send an e-mail to the Foundation (click here)