PINC (Poverty Is Not a Choice) Scholarship

Graduating senior or graduate of a public, private, or home school in Lancaster County, Nebraska, majoring in arts or music and demonstrating extreme financial need (e.g. SAI below 10,000). Preference for home-schooled students and previous PINC recipients who maintain 2.5+ college GPA. Named after the documentary Poverty Is Not a Choice.

1. Apply via Lincoln Community Foundation AcademicWorks portal.
2. Answer supplemental questions on financial need and arts/music goals.
3. Submit essays explaining how the award supports college arts study and future career.
4. Submit by March 15.

• LCF scholarship application
• Essays on arts/music college goals
• Financial need/SAI information
• Transcript
• Prior recipient status if reapplying

The PINC Scholarship is awarded in recognition that Poverty Is Not a Choice. It is named after a documentary of the same name which received the Mayor's Choice Award at the Lincoln Mayor's Arts Awards in June 2016. This documentary, made by 9 high school and college students and aired on NET TV, related several stories about children's day-to-day realities with living in poverty. It is the donor's hope that this award will be received by someone who has been directly affected by poverty who could not otherwise attend college but who would benefit from specialized study in their chosen art or music field. To be eligible to apply, you must be a senior or graduate of public or private Lancaster Co high school, or a home-schooled senior, who is majoring in the arts. There is a preference for home school students. The applicant must demonstrate extreme financial need – only applicants with an EFC (expected family contribution from FAFSA report) under $5,000 will be accepted. The applicant must demonstrate a record of participation in music or the arts. Previous recipients will be eligible if they maintain 2.5 GPA or above in college. First preference will go to previous PINC Scholarship recipients who re-apply, meet stated criteria, and have maintained a college GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Lancaster County arts/music students; announced by Lincoln Community Foundation