Youth Activities Scholarship

The United Way of the Brown County Area Youth Activities Scholarship Program provides scholarships to young people from the age 3 to 18 whose family income is insufficient to meet the activity and equipment fees, and who are unable to get assistance through other scholarships and grants. Applicants are approved, subject to the availability of funds.

The ultimate goal of the United Way Youth Scholarship Program is to ensure that any student in Brown County who desires to enroll in activities will not be denied the opportunity due to a lack of funds. A committee of the United Way of the Brown County Area, made up of United Way board members and community members, shall administer the United Way Youth Activities Scholarship Program.  

Guidelines for Participants

• Applications must be the newest version.
• Youth must be 3 - 18 years of age, reside within Brown County, or attend a Brown County school. Applications for scholarship activities post-graduation are ineligible.
• Acceptable Organizations - All youth activities that provide positive role models, build self-esteem, and skill development will be eligible for participants to receive scholarships. Examples include, but are not limited to, sports, arts, and education. However, exclusions apply to programs that currently offer a scholarship or to schools that currently waive fees.
• Non-Acceptable Organizations– Religious education classes or equipment, and drivers’ education classes or equipment. The United Way of the Brown County Area will not fund the purchase of guns or other weapons.
• Amount of Scholarships - Maximum amount given per year (August 1 to July 31) will be $200 per child, up to 80% of the activity fee. The family and/or organization must take responsibility for the remaining 20% and/or the balance of any fees above $200. More information will follow upon approval of a scholarship on how the scholarship will be administered. *Scholarships will be given for registration fees only.  Equipment costs are the responsibility of the parent or guardian.  No scholarship funds can be used for equipment costs.  
• Semi-annual Payment – Approved scholarships for annual activities will be allocated semi-annually, August – December and January - July. Eligibility for the second payment is based on verification of continuous enrollment in the activity.
• Involvement in Youth Organization – It is expected that scholarship families fully understand and contribute to the volunteer and fundraising expectations of the organization. United Way will not pay any portion of activity fees that include buy-out of volunteer time or fundraisers such as raffle tickets, pancake breakfast tickets or fish fry tickets.
• Application Deadline -Completed applications must be submitted to the United Way of the Brown County Area no later than the close of business on the second Friday of each month.  The Scholarship committee reviews applications on the third Tuesday of each month, and applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

Instructions for Completing the Alternate Application for Educational Benefits

• Complete the Alternate Application for Educational Benefits for school year 2026-2027 if any of the following apply:
• Any household member currently participates in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), or
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or
• One or more children in the household are foster children (a welfare agency or court has legal responsibility for the child), or
• Total household income (gross earnings, not take-home pay) is within these guidelines:
• If your family does not meet the income limits, but special circumstances prevent your family from being able to afford the fees, please attach to the Scholarship Application a brief description of your financial situation.

Note:  Your child’s school will assist you with completing the Educational Benefits form if necessary. 

Apply for educational benefits to qualify for additional opportunities!

Any household member currently participates in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or Although qualifying for educational benefits is not necessary to receive free meals, it is still very important to complete the educational benefits application as soon as possible! Qualifying for educational benefits also qualifies students for Youth Activities Scholarships with the United Way of the Brown County Area.

You should apply if:

• Your family qualified for benefits last year – a new application MUST BE SUBMITTED EACH YEAR.
• Your family applied last year but did not meet income guidelines. The guidelines change a little each year, and you may now qualify for benefits.
• Your household income has been affected by unemployment, health crisis, death or other circumstances.

To apply for a United Way of the Brown County Area Youth Activities Scholarship, you MUST apply for Educational Benefits with the school district that your child attends and allow the school district to share your eligibility with the United Way. The only information that will be shared with the United Way would be your final eligibility determination. No other private data will be shared with the United Way.

Complete the Application for Educational Benefits form for school year 2026-27 if any of the following applies to your household:

• The household includes one or more foster children (a welfare agency or court has legal responsibility for the child) or 
• The total income of household members is within the guidelines shown below (gross earnings before deductions, not take-home pay). Do not include as income: foster care payments, federal education benefits, MFIP payments, or value of assistance received from SNAP, WIC, or FDPIR. Military: Do not include combat pay or assistance from the Military Privatized Housing Initiative. The income guidelines are effective from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.