Foundation Announces That Over 13,000 Students Were Awarded Educational Assistance for 2026-2027 Academic Year
Total Since Inception is Nearly 86,000 Scholarships with a Goal of 100,000 For Next Year’s 20thAnniversary
OWASSO, Okla., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Folds of Honor, a foundation that provides academic scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders, announced today that it had distributed over 13,000 educational scholarships valued at nearly $60 million for the 2026-27 academic year. And while the awards set an all-time single-year record topping last year’s totals, the need remains great. Approximately 8,300 qualified applicants did not receive funding due to limited financial resources.
Since its founding in 2007, Folds has provided nearly 86,000 scholarships for nearly $400 million. Looking ahead, 2027 marks Folds of Honor’s 20th anniversary. To commemorate the milestone, a goal of 100,000 total scholarships has been established.
“I want to thank patriots nationwide for their unwavering support to our families who have sacrificed so much for our communities and country,” said Lt Col Dan Rooney, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. “While funds are important, these scholarships demonstrate that their loved ones have not been forgotten,” Rooney added. “What motivates us every day is the goal to provide scholarships to every qualified individual. We’re grateful for what we’ve accomplished, but we’re not done yet. It’s humbling to witness God’s power spreading the mission of Folds of Honor. His spirit continues to unite thousands of patriots in service of these heroic families. It’s an honor to meet their sacrifice with hope.”
The foundation experienced a 12 percent application growth from last year. First responders, which joined the mission in 2022, had a 670 percent growth in scholarships awarded since its first year.
Several of the leading states where students accepted scholarships are Texas (1,696), North Carolina (1,252), Florida (1,184), Virginia (867), and Georgia (795).
The milestones were reached through a combination of individual donors, corporate partners, numerous golf initiatives, including the third-year Folds of Honor Friday at select PGA TOUR-wide tournaments, other fundraising events, and the unwavering support of the 38 local Folds of Honor chapters across the country. Among corporate participation, Anheuser-Busch, Folds’ longest standing partner, continued its 16-year commitment and upped its philanthropic total of $37 million which supported 7,400 scholarships.
“With the help of individuals, corporate partners and our chapters, we want to eclipse 100,000 all-time scholarships for our 20th anniversary next year,” Rooney said. “It’s a lofty goal, but our supporters continue to demonstrate a steadfast commitment to the mission.”
For more information, to join the mission, or to donate, visit www.foldsofhonor.org.
Media contact: Glenn Greenspan at ggreenspan@foldsofhonor.org
About Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of US military service members and first responders who have fallen or been disabled while serving our country and communities. Our educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school and post-graduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate, or professional program. Funds for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also available. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 86,000 scholarships totaling nearly $400 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 44 percent are minorities and 59 percent female. A total of 91 percent of expenses fund our mission of providing educational scholarships to the families of our nation’s heroes. The foundation will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2027 and has established a goal of 100,000 total scholarships. It is rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on Candid. It was founded by Lt Col Dan Rooney, the only-ever F-16 fighter pilot (with three combat tours in Iraq) and PGA Professional. He is serving as Commander of Recruiting for the Oklahoma Air Guard. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship visit foldsofhonor.org.
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SOURCE Folds of Honor Foundation
