Transforming Lives Since 2001
Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has helped thousands of students pursue higher education, honoring its commitment to families whose lives were forever changed by September 11th.
Measuring 25 Years of Impact
Explore the extraordinary generosity, resilience and opportunity that have shaped the fund's lasting legacy.
Every scholarship represents more than financial support. It represents a student pursuing higher education, a family finding hope during an unimaginable time and a future made possible through the generosity of countless donors and partners.
As we enter the final years of the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund before sunsetting in 2030, we are grateful for donations that will support the remaining children of victims.
“A college education is one of the best ways to improve someone’s future, but that doesn’t mean it is easy to pay for it. Financial assistance from the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund is one small way we can help members of the 9/11 community who have gone through so much. Please find out if your family is eligible, and if so, register; it can help change your life.” — Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City Mayor
Twenty-five years later, impacts from 9/11 are still reverberating. The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has continued to evolve so we can offer a beacon of hope to every family who lost loved ones and livelihoods. — Mike Nylund, President & CEO of Scholarship America
How the Fund Began: A Reflection From Our Former President
Rev. Dr. William C. Nelsen led Scholarship America from 1986 to 2004. In his own words, he recounts how a Minnesota organization launched the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund within six days of September 11, 2001, and how more than 20,000 donors around the world helped raise $125 million in the first year alone.
His reflection follows the fund from a single phone call in September 2001 to the promise that will carry eligible students through 2030.
A Legacy of Opportunity
For more than two decades, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has helped thousands of students pursue higher education and brighter futures.
These milestones reflect the extraordinary generosity, enduring commitment and lasting impact that have defined the fund since 2001.
$190M
3,877
$108M
2030
Tell the Families of Freedom Story
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Get to know the students building a legacy.
