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Scholarships

Robert H. Short Scholars Program - How to Apply

Robert H. Short Scholars Program - How to Apply

Students can apply for the Robert H. Short Scholarship through Cumberland Community Foundation’s Online Scholarship Portal.  Applicants first answer the eligibility questions.  If eligible to apply, complete and submit the application. 

1. Gather required materials

a. FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) – FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opened October 1, 2022 – and completion is required to apply for the Robert H. Short Scholarship.  Go to www.fafsa.gov.  You are required to upload a PDF of the FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) into your application.

b. High School transcript – Must be in PDF format.  If your transcript is provided in a sealed envelope, please remove it from the envelope, scan it and upload it as part of your online application.

c. Résumé of school activities, volunteer and community service experiences. 

d. References – Names and email addresses of those who will write letters of recommendation for you.  No relatives can be used. Please check the application to see the specific people needed for this scholarship.  The reference information must be uploaded by the application deadline.

e. Email Account

2. Set up your Student Account

a. Visit to begin applying - Scholarship Online Portal – Robert H. Short Scholarship application will open November 3, 2020. 

b. There are videos on the registration page regarding registration, applying and the dashboard.

c. Create a New Account.  You will need to create a new account using an active email address.  All questions marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed.

d. After completing the required fields, click NEXT and create a password of your choice. Your password must be at least six characters and may contain capital or lowercase letters, numbers or any of the following special characters: !@#$%&*()_.  Once finished, click Create Account to finish your registration.

e. An automatic email will be sent to your email address to confirm your account was created successfully.  If you do not see an email from Cumberland Community Foundation (admin@grantinterface.com), be sure to look in your junk or spam folder.  This email address is how we will primarily communicate with you regarding the status of your scholarship applications.

f. Click Apply Now to complete the eligibility questions for the Robert H. Short Scholarship.  If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be sent to the application. If you do not meet the criteria to apply for the Short Scholarship, retain your login information and check back in February 2024 to apply for scholarships in our Community Scholarship Program.

3.  Applying for the Short Scholarship

a. Complete the application.  This scholarship opportunity requires additional information (essays, series of questions, etc.).  

b. Our Online Scholarship Portal will autosave your work after every 100 characters you type or when you begin a new question.  You can save your scholarship application at any time by clicking Save Application at the bottom of the application.  Our Online Scholarship Portal will automatically log you out after 90 minutes of inactivity.

c. When filling out the scholarship application, keep in mind:
     i. Questions – All questions marked with asterisk (*) must be completed. 

    ii. Character Limits – Pay close attention to character limits.  You will need to shorten your response to fit within the character limit before you can successfully submit your application.

   iii. Uploading Documents – File upload questions will only accept one document per question and a file size limit will be noted.  If you upload a file that is too large or an unaccepted file type, a warning message will appear and your file will not be saved.  You cannot upload a picture of your transcript or your FAFSA.

   iv. Letters of Recommendation – The Short Scholarship opportunity requires 2 letters of recommendation, as well as a questionnaire to be completed by the supervisor of your community service or work.

       1.  Enter the email address of the individual from whom you are requesting a letter of recommendation and click Compose Email.  We strongly suggest you confirm that the individual has agreed to write your letter.

       2.  Compose a brief email to the individual asking them to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.  Be sure to include your full name in the email.

       3.  Click Send.

       4.  The person you are requesting a recommendation from will receive your email and an automatic email from Cumberland Community Foundation.

       5.  Check with your references to be sure they received the emails. This is very important because emails can be blocked by spam filters  especially those used by school systems.

       6.  You may submit your application(s) before the letters of recommendation have been uploaded, however in order for your application(s) to be complete, your letters of recommendation must be received by the application deadline.

       7.  The date and time the letter of recommendation is uploaded to your application will appear on your application below the Compose Email question.  You may also check to see if recommendations have been uploaded to your application by going to your Applicant Dashboard.

d. Once completed, submit your application by clicking Submit Application.  If you have not completed all required questions, the Online Scholarship Portal will let you know which questions you missed.  All required questions must be completed to submit the application.  

After submitting an application, you can view it, but you are unable to go back and make any changes or upload additional information.