Application

Little Italy Lodge OSDIA #2286 Foundation, Inc.

La Famiglia Scholarship Program Application – 2024

The La Famiglia Scholarship Program provides financial support for educational purposes to Little Italy Lodge members, spouses of a member, children, grandchildren, stepchildren or step grandchildren or wards of a member (designated as legal guardian). The Lodge member applying for or sponsoring an applicant for a scholarship must have been a member in good standing as of January 1, 2023.  

The Program provides financial support to graduating high school seniors planning to continue their education on a full-time basis at an accredited two-or four-year college or university and to students who are currently enrolled full-time (at least 12 college credits per semester or a lesser course load as prescribed by The Americans with Disabilities Act). Scholarships are only offered for undergraduate studies. Each year, the Program will establish the number and amounts of awards to be made. All applicants may reapply in future years but a maximum of four awards can be made to the same individual.   

 2024 – Scholarship Application (PDF)           

 2024 – Scholarship Application (MS WORD)

Application Requirements and Evaluation Procedures

1. Applications are available online to download are available on this page (https://littleitalyfoundation.org/application/). Only electronically submitted forms (which includes submitting the essay) will be considered; printed applications will not be acknowledged. Link to Submission Form.
2. The application evaluation scoring procedures consist of three ratings obtained by consideration of 1.) the applicant’s academic achievement (Transcripts), 2.) the expected family contribution toward the cost of education, and 3.) the quality of an essay provided by the applicant. All award payments will be sent directly to the educational institution and may be applied only to the tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board for the 2024-2025 academic year.

La Famiglia Scholarship Program Application Packet        

This packet contains the forms needed for application to the La Famiglia Scholarship Program.  The following requirements and instructions are to be complied with:

1. Be sure to complete all items that pertain to the applicant and sponsor on the application. The sponsor must be a regular Lodge member, not a social member, in good standing and have been a member since January 1, 2023.
2. The applicant is responsible for arranging to have transcripts for a minimum of the last three semesters mailed directly to the Designated Recipient from the school(s) attended as indicated in this application. Transcripts must be received by May 20, 2024 (new date). Transcripts received after this date will not be considered.
3. Submit with your application a copy of the applicable portion of the Student Aid Report (SAR) obtained from filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) report with the U. S. Department of Education. The portion of the SAR received by the applicant that contains the name of the applicant and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) toward the cost of the applicant’s education must be submitted with the application. If the applicant and/or the applicant’s family choose not to file the FAFSA Form, the area of financial need will receive NO CREDIT for financial need, which is one of the three factors considered during the application evaluation process.
4. The application and all supporting information must be submitted no later than May 20, 2024 (new date). Please visit https://littleitalyfoundation.org/application/ for submission information and the on-line form. Early submission is strongly encouraged. Transcripts (directly from school) can be mailed or emailed to:

   Gary Molino, Designated Recipient
    La Famiglia Scholarship Program
   3 Covert Ct.
   Timonium, MD 21093-2016

   La Famiglia Scholarship Program
   e-mail: littleitalyfoundation@gmail.com

All identifying information will be deleted on copies of the original by the Designated Recipient, who is not part of the evaluation process. The Program will not know the names of the sponsors and applicants until all applications are evaluated and the recipients are selected.

Awards will be paid to the educational institution by September 1, 2024 upon the Program Treasurer’s receipt of an itemized bill from the applicant’s institution.

   Eligibility Requirements

1. The sponsor must have been a regular member, not a social member, in good standing of the Little Italy Lodge #2286 Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America as of January 1, 2023.
2. The applicant must be a member of the Little Italy Lodge, spouse of a member, child, grandchild, stepchild or step-grandchild or ward of a member who is designated as legal guardian.
3. The applicant must be a full-time student (defined as enrolled for at least 12 credits per semester or a lesser course load as prescribed by The Americans with Disabilities Act) in good standing with a grade point average (GPA) of a minimum of 2.5 on a grading scale of 4 (or equivalent). The applicant must have been accepted for enrollment at an accredited two (Junior or Community College) or four-year university or college located in the United States for the 2024-2025 academic year.
4. The applicant is encouraged to file the FAFSA Form. The EFC, derived from this filing, will be a factor in the Program’s evaluation process. The Scholarship Evaluation Committee will only see the EFC amount derived from the FAFSA Form. The applicant has the option of not filing the FAFSA Form. If the applicant and/or the applicant’s family choose not to file the FAFSA Form, the area of financial need will receive NO CREDIT for financial need, which is one of the three factors considered during the application evaluation process. Those not filing the FAFSA Form can skip that question on the on-line application form.
5. All awards are contingent on the verified accuracy of the information provided by the applicant and sponsor.

 Procedure for Applying for a Scholarship

1. The applicant must submit the approved online application form, which includes submitting the essay. Link to Submission Form.
2. The application packet must be submitted no later than May 20, 2024 (new date).
   High school or college/university transcripts covering the most recent past three semesters must be forwarded directly to the Designated Recipient from the respective school(s). Transcripts provided personally by the applicant will not be accepted and a minimum of three semesters of the latest high school or college transcripts must be submitted. The transcripts must be forwarded to the DESIGNATED RECIPIENT by MAY 20, 2024 (new date), at the following home or email address:

   Gary Molino, Designated Recipient
   La Famiglia Scholarship Program
   3 Covert Ct.
   Timonium, MD 21093-2016

   La Famiglia Scholarship Program
   e-mail: littleitalyfoundation@gmail.com

3. The applicant must write an essay, between 750 and 1000 words, addressing this year’s topic:

“With the changing demographics of our society, what unique challenges does your generation face in preserving and continuing the Italian traditions that your parents and grandparents cherish and have passed on to you?  How would you address those challenges?”

 The Essay Evaluators will judge each essay on (a) the basis of the author’s ability to logically develop his or her rationale for the response, with appropriate examples and support, (b) the logical organization of his or her arguments and other support for the position taken, (c) the quality and accuracy of the writing style, including word usage, syntax, spelling, grammar and, as appropriate, citations, and (d) overall readability and audience engagement. The 750-word minimum and the 1000-word maximum will be strictly enforced.

The Designated Recipient will delete all names and references on the corresponding documents that are copied from the original which identify the applicant, the sponsor or the applicant’s family before it is forwarded for evaluation.

If any questions arise while completing the application, please contact us at littleitalyfoundation@gmail.com

    Financial Award

1. The La Famiglia Scholarship Program will determine the amount of each financial award.
2. All awards payments will be forwarded directly to the institution the applicant will be attending no later than September 1, 2024, and can be applied only to tuition, fees and on-campus room and board.
3. Financial awards are for one year only. Applicants may reapply on an annual basis. Awards to the same individual are limited to a maximum of four years.

The award recipients will be notified by mail and are expected to attend a regularly scheduled monthly Lodge General Meeting to be introduced to the membership and to acknowledge receipt of the scholarship. Those not selected for an award will also receive notice by mail.

 2024 – Scholarship Application (PDF)           

 2024 – Scholarship Application (MS WORD)