Koshland Young Leader Awards Grant

The Koshland Young Leader Awards, established in 1999 by Dr. Daniel Koshland Jr., recognize young leaders facing significant challenges while demonstrating academic excellence and community leadership. Each year, 11 juniors from the San Francisco Unified School District receive $10,000 for educational expenses. This program has awarded nearly $1 million to over 170 students, empowering them to pursue higher education despite adversities such as economic hardship and family responsibilities.

In 1999, Dr. Daniel Koshland Jr., the son of our foundation’s founding chairman, established the Koshland Young Leader Awards (KYLA), an awards program that recognizes young leaders who balance extraordinary challenges, yet continue to show academic promise and community leadership.
Candidates embrace a commitment to strengthening their families and communities despite facing formidable life challenges, such as economic and family responsibilities. Each year, 11 outstanding San Francisco Unified School District juniors are provided $10,000 each to fund tuition and/or education-related expenses. To date, the awards program has awarded nearly $1 million to more than 170 young leaders to give them a jump start as they enter college.

Eligibility

Competitive candidates must:

• be a junior in a San Francisco Unified School District High School
• have demonstrated academic excellence (at least a 3.4 GPA) and be college/junior college–bound.

have demonstrated significant leadership in their community, school, work, and/or home including active participation in school clubs, sports, volunteer work, paid work, religious community, college prep programming, family responsibilities, etc.
have overcome significant hardship (e.g., unstable housing, non-native English speaker, economic insecurity, health or mental health issues, immigrant story, family situation, etc.)
have a recommendation from a teacher, counselor, school administrator, or college prep program staff who can speak to their qualifications. The recommendation should not be from a relative.