Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation Youth Scholarship

About This Scholarship

Sawnee EMC is an electric cooperative serving a seven-county area north of Atlanta, centered on Forsyth County. Its foundation runs a youth scholarship program for high school seniors whose homes get power from Sawnee, and in 2026 it gave out twenty $5,000 scholarships. Since it began, the program has awarded more than $1.45 million to 332 seniors.

The scholarships are paid for with abandoned patronage capital, which is money the co-op owed former members who could not be located. That pool is kept separate from the Operation Round Up donations members make to the foundation.

The GPA floor is low at 2.0, and judges who are retired educators weigh grades, character, leadership, volunteer service, goals and any personal circumstances that raise a student's need. Finalists must sit for an in-person interview, and the money is paid directly to a two-year or four-year accredited school.

Eligibility

• Must be a high school senior
• Permanent residence must receive electric service from Sawnee EMC
• Must have a projected graduating GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Must attend a two-year or four-year accredited institution
• Close relatives of Sawnee EMC employees, directors, Foundation trustees and CATF members are not eligible
• Finalists must attend a formal interview

How To Apply

• Download the Youth Scholarship Application Form and the Criteria and Conditions from the Sawnee scholarship page
• Complete the application and gather all required documents
• Email the packet to [email protected] or mail it to Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation, Attn: Marketing Department - Youth Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 1174, Cumming, GA 30028
• Make sure it arrives by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 8, 2027

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