2026 Student Essay Contests
Funding Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Grant Type
foundation
Overview
2026 Student Essay Contests
Funder: Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc (Madison, WI)
Geographic Scope: United States
Focus Areas: Freethought; separation of church and state
Eligibility: High school and college students
Program Overview:
Since 1979, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has conducted annual essay competitions to bestow cash scholarships on freethinking high school and college students. The Foundation recognizes outstanding activism for freethought or the separation of church and state.
Specific Named Scholarships
The Foundation offers multiple endowed student awards:
- Al Luneman Student Activist Award - $1,000
- Cliff Richards Memorial Award
- Lorraine Hansberry Humanist Scholarship Award
- Out of God's Closet
- Diane and Stephen Uhl Memorial Award
- Percy Bysshe Shelley Award
- Richard and Beverly Hermsen Award
- Robert G. Ingersoll Award
- Strong Backbone Award
- Catherine Fahringer Student Memorial Award - $1,000 (endowed since 2009)
- Thomas Jefferson Youth Activist Award - $1,000 (endowed by an Oregon couple)
Additional funding: Other freethought donors have periodically contributed to expand awards. Late donor Alan Snyder endowed two years of awards designated for students.
Award History
From 1997-2007, Board Member Richard Mole endowed an additional annual Student Activist Award in memory of Ruth ("Dixie") Jokinen. Activist students were honored at several national conventions in the 1990s.
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