AFSCME Affiliate Scholarship Programs
Many AFSCME affiliates have special scholarship programs designed to help their members pursue educational opportunities to advance on the job and/or enrich their daily lives. Public Employee surveyed AFSCME affiliates about such programs, and we list their responses below. Many individual local unions also have educational support programs for their members.
If you are interested in continuing your education, ask your local’s officers what union-supported options are available. The union also works with employers to provide educational opportunities and funding for employee advancement. Check the choices through your human resources/personnel office.
Alaska State Employees Association/AFSCME Local 52
Anchorage chapter: scholarships for its members only.
Hawaii Government Employees Association/AFSCME Local 152
Charles Kendall Scholarship Fund: scholarships and educational programs for members.
Illinois Council 31
Larry Marquardt Scholarship Awards: two $1,000 scholarships per year for full-time study — open to members or their children.
Minnesota Council 6
Robert Norberg Scholarship: one $250 scholarship annually for members.
Minnesota Council 65
Duke Skorich Memorial Scholarship: one $250 scholarship annually for members.
New Jersey AFSCME Women’s Committee
$500 scholarships for committee members, their children and grandchildren.
New Jersey Council 52
Four $500 scholarships for undergraduate study and one $1,000 scholarship for post-graduate study — open to members or their children.
New York, Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 1000
LEAP Program (Labor Education Action Program): higher education tuition benefits for state workers. Another LEAP component advises local government employees on making career decisions and seeking financial aid.
Northern New England Council 93
M. Michael Botelho Scholarship: $1,000 annually — open to members, their spouses, children, stepchildren, grandchildren or legal dependents.
Ohio Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 11
Les Best Scholarship: eight to 12 scholarships annually totaling $12,000 — for members, spouses and children.
Pat Callanan-Castro Memorial Book Scholarship for Members: Two $150 book scholarships will be awarded to eligible members. The judges evaluating the Les Best applications will at the same time be considering potential recipients for this new Memorial Book Scholarship.
Pennsylvania Council 13
Scholarship Program Only For Members: offers 48 $500 scholarships for undergraduate study; four of them will receive an additional $1,000. There is also one $500 scholarship for graduate study.
Washington Council 2
Four $500 continuing education awards for members and one scholarship to the Summer School for Trade Union Women.
Washington Federation of State Employees/Council 28
Norm Schut Scholarships — three $1,000 awards annually (one for members; two for members, spouses and children). Parr, Younglove Scholarship — one $1,500 prize, open to members and members’ families. Neville B. Crippen Grant-in-Aid — quarterly grants help members advance their education or improve skills. Two $500 scholarships to attend the Summer School for Union Women.
Wisconsin Council 24
Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship: one $2,000 renewable scholarship (up to four years); one $1,000, one $750 and two $500 awards — available to members and/or their IRS-defined dependents.
Wisconsin Council 40
Memorial Scholarship Program: one $1,000 scholarship renewable for two years, plus four at $1,000 and two at $500; in addition, two $500 special scholarships for members, their spouses and children.