CSDSA Scholarship Program

The Colorado Springs Down Syndrome Association has established a scholarship fund to assist members in providing needed services for family members with Down syndrome. Although the scholarship budget is limited and does not allow CSDSA to provide full funding in any one category, the goal is to provide funding for as many families as possible.

We have allocated all our scholarship funding for 2024 and as a result, we are no longer accepting scholarship applications for this year. We appreciate the tremendous interest and support from our community.

If you missed out this year, don't worry! We encourage you to check back in January when the application process for 2025 will open. We look forward to receiving your applications then.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to email us at scholarship@csdsa.org. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

EDUCATION

Up to $800 per family per individual with Down syndrome per year is available for assistance with educational items that benefit individuals with Down syndrome, such as seminars and conferences.

Special guidelines regarding education scholarships: Scholarship applications for educational items must include detailed information on the item(s) to be purchased or the conference or seminar to be attended. Payment for a conference or seminar will be made in the name of the sponsor and forwarded to the applicant, at which point the applicant will be responsible for sending in the money and registration. If the conference/seminar is canceled or the proceeds are otherwise refunded, the proceeds must be returned to CSDSA. Note that school tuition (including pre-school tuition) is not normally eligible for scholarship funding, except in the case of special circumstances, and will be considered by the Scholarship Committee on a case-by-case basis. 

Guidelines for Technology Grants: CSDSA provides funding for the purchase of computer hardware, including iPads and laptops, for individuals with Down syndrome.  Technology grants are limited to one per individual with Down syndrome and one approved grant every two years. Applicants for CSDSA Technology Grants must have been CSDSA members for at least one year.

MEDICAL

Up to $1000 per family per individual with Down syndrome per year is available for assistance with medical services and equipment for individuals with Down syndrome, such as medical treatment (i.e. MD, DO, DDS), therapy, private/home care (not respite), specialty foods, and medical equipment.

Special guidelines regarding medical scholarships: Funding is not available for the payment of insurance premiums. Upon request, documentation must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee explaining the type of treatment, care, or equipment being requested, and how it will benefit the individual with Down syndrome. Applicants may be requested to provide information to ascertain the type of insurance carried, type of payment required by the applicant, and whether the applicant is receiving funding from other sources. Music therapy is funded under the medical category, as are specialty foods such as gluten-free dietary items.

RECREATION

Up to $1000 per family per individual with Down syndrome per year is available for assistance with recreational services and equipment for individuals with Down syndrome, such as camps, athletic activities, swimming lessons, and recreational equipment. 

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Items not traditionally covered by CSDSA scholarship funds – The following items are not traditionally eligible for CSDSA scholarship funding: 1) general school supplies, 2) school tuition (unless justified by special circumstances), 3) trampolines, 4) home repairs, improvements or modifications, 5) fencing, 6) payment of insurance premiums, and 7) items that are considered for use by the entire family. Questions regarding eligibility should be forwarded to the CSDSA Scholarship Committee.

Scholarship Application Process – To qualify for scholarship funding, an applicant must be a current member of CSDSA and reside in southern Colorado. In order to make sure there is enough scholarship funds for all families that wish to use them during the year and to minimize the administrative burden, only one application may be submitted per quarter per family per individual with Down syndrome, and only one application per year may be submitted in each major scholarship category (medical, recreation, education). For this reason, families should request up to the category limit if they expect to spend the full amount during the year.  For all scholarship types, upon request documentation would need to be submitted to the scholarship committee providing information on the item to be purchased or the activity to be funded. Additionally, an explanation should be provided as to how the proposed funding would assist or benefit the applicant with Down syndrome.

All scholarship applications are reviewed by the CSDSA Scholarship Committee at the beginning of each month (applications must be submitted by the 25th of the month to be considered for the next month), and applicants will be notified after applications have been reviewed. Funding will be available on a first come first served basis, and is limited by the CSDSA budget. Once the scholarship budget has been exhausted, no additional funding will be available until the following year, contingent on available funding. Priority will be given to those applicants who have not applied and received funding earlier in the year. Consideration will also be given to whether an applicant is receiving funding from other sources for the particular request. No prepayment of funds will be allowed. Payment will be in the form of either reimbursement with proof of payment being submitted to the Scholarship Committee, or proceeds being forwarded directly to the provider of the item or service being purchased. All receipts for scholarships approved in the first three quarters must be submitted by October 31 for payment.

In situations where funding is requested in the same category for more than one individual with Down syndrome in the same family, receipts must identify which individual the expenses are for, the purpose, and the payee.

CSDSA is excited to provide scholarships for its members, however, scholarship funding is not guaranteed from year to year. Scholarship funding is limited by the CSDSA budget and may be restricted by the CSDSA Board of Directors at any time. Scholarship funding is intended to assist families in meeting the needs of individual family members with Down syndrome. We realize we cannot meet all of our members' funding needs, but we hope we can at least make a difference.

Please email (info@csdsa.org) or call CSDSA (719-633-1133) if you need a hard copy of the form mailed to you. 

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE FOR SELF-ADVOCATES!

CSDSA is proud to offer a new scholarship for CSDSA self-advocate members who are interested in attending or are already attending a university or community college. Self-advocates can request up to $1000 per school year. Please use this form (https://goo.gl/forms/hhvtySr47MMOfo542) to apply for the self-advocate scholarship.