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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The following is being distributed by JKCS Committee Chair Tracy Soforenko.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p>Have you always wanted to attend an NFB annual convention but have not done so because of the lack of funds? The Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund invites you to make an application for a scholarship grant. Perhaps this July you too can be in the J W Marriot Austin enjoying the many pleasures and learning opportunities at the largest and most important yearly convention of blind people in the world.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The three biggest ticket items you need to cover when attending an NFB national convention are the roundtrip transportation, the hotel room for a week, and the food (which tends to be higher priced than at home). We attempt to award additional funds to families, but, whether a family or an individual is granted a scholarship, this fund can only help; it won’t pay all the costs. In recent years, the grants have been $700 for individuals and $1,100 for families.<o:p></o:p></p><p>We recommend that you find an NFB member as your personal convention mentor, someone who has been to many national conventions and is able to share money-saving tips with you and tips on navigating the extensive agenda in the big hotel. Your mentor will help you get the most out of the amazing experience that is convention week.<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>Who is eligible?</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>Active NFB members blind or sighted who have not yet attended an in-person NFB national convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply. If you have attended a convention virtually but have never attended an in-person convention, you are still eligible to apply.<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>How do I apply for funding assistance?</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>This year we will be accepting applications online. Since applications must be completed in a single session online, we strongly recommend you prepare your responses in a document and then cut and paste your responses into the application form. The application form does not support complex formatting, so we recommend avoiding formatting such as bullet points and fonts/styles.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Effective January 1, 2026, the application form can be found at the following link: <a href="https://nfb.org/form/convention-scholarship"><span style='color:#467886'>https://nfb.org/form/convention-scholarship</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The application will ask for the following information:<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Are you applying as an individual or a family?<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Contact information: Include your full name and both your primary phone where you can be contacted by your state president and your mobile phone you might use at convention, if available.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Please include your mailing address and, if you have one, your email address. If you don’t have an email address, please consider if there is a friend or chapter member who might be able to assist with email correspondence.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> State affiliate/chapter information: Include your state affiliate, your state president, chapter, and chapter president, if you attend a chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Mentor information: Include your personal convention mentor and provide that person’s phone number.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Funding request: Include your specific request and explain how much money you need from this fund to make this trip possible for you. We suggest you consult with other members to make a rough budget for yourself.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Essay questions to explain why this is a good investment for the NFB:<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>o </span> How do you currently participate in the Federation?<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>o </span> Why do you want to attend a national convention?<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>o </span> What would you receive?<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>o </span> What can you share or give?<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'>o </span> Any special circumstances you hope the committee will take into consideration.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Please note that applicants must be 18 years of age by the time of the convention or must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.<o:p></o:p></p><p>If you cannot apply online, you can still apply by writing a letter to your state affiliate president answering the above questions. This letter should be emailed to your state affiliate president. Once you have decided you will apply, please contact your state president in person or by phone to request his or her help in obtaining funding. Be sure to tell the state affiliate president when to expect that your application will be submitted and mention the deadline.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Once your application has been submitted, your application will be provided to your state president via email. It is still your responsibility to contact your affiliate president. He or she must email a president’s recommendation directly to the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship Fund Committee at <a href="mailto:kjscholarships@nfb.org"><span style='color:#467886'>kjscholarships@nfb.org</span></a>. Your president must email the recommendation no later than the deadline of April 15, 2026. If you have applied outside of the online form, the state affiliate president must email both the recommendation and the application letter.<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>Notification of Award</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>If you are chosen to receive this scholarship, you will receive a letter with convention details that should answer most of your questions. The committee makes every effort to notify winners by May 15, but you must do several things before that to be prepared to attend if you are chosen:<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Make your own hotel reservation. If something prevents you from attending, you can cancel the reservation. (Yes, you may arrange for roommates of your own to reduce the cost.)<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Register online for the entire convention, including the banquet, by May 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> Find someone in your chapter or affiliate who has been to many conventions and can answer your questions as a friend and mentor.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>?</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span> If you do not hear from the committee by May 15, then you did not win a scholarship this year.<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>Receiving the Award</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>At the convention, you will be given a debit card or credit card loaded with the amount of your award. The times and locations to pick up your card will be listed in the letter we send you. The committee is not able to provide funds before the convention, so work with your chapter and state affiliate to assist you by obtaining an agreement to advance funds if you win a scholarship, and to pay your treasury back after you receive your debit or credit card.<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>More Information</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For additional information, please contact the chairman of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund Committee, Tracy Soforenko, at <a href="mailto:kjscholarships@nfb.org"><span style='color:#467886'>kjscholarships@nfb.org</span></a> or 410-659-9314, extension 2020.<br>Above all, please use this opportunity to attend your first convention on the national level and join several thousand active Federationists in the most important meeting of the blind in the world. We hope to see you in Austin.<span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shannon Cook<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The greatest investment you can make in this world is kindness.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>