Scholarship Policy Update Vote 2025

Title

Scholarship Policy Update Vote 2025

Sponsor

[Sponsor handle] ([Sponsor real name])

Co-Sponsors

[Co-sponsor 1 handle] ([Co-sponsor 1 real name]) [Co-sponsor 2 handle] ([Co-sponsor 2 real name]) [Add additional co-sponsors as needed]

Vote Results

 Quorum:[ ]
 Yea Votes: [ ]  
 Nay Votes: [ ]
 Present or Abstain: [ ] 

Definition of "Language"

"The wording of a legal document." [tfd.com/language]

Schedule

Proposal Date

Date this proposal was posted to the membership and a request for a vote date was sent to the Board.

[DATE]

Member Input

Does the Sponsor choose to open the language of the vote for changes due to member input? (optional and can be modified at any time)

[ ] YES [ ] NO

Vote Announcement and Beginning Date of the Discussion Period

The announcement date of the vote proposal is the beginning date of the seven-day (minimum) posting and Member discussion period. (Certain exceptional vote types have longer discussion periods. Check the Bylaws if you are unsure.) If the Sponsor has chosen to include member input, suggested edits can be made in a shared document or other collaborative vehicle until the language is locked. The sponsor can stop taking suggestions at any time.

[DATE]

Language Lock Date and Start of Voting

Five days prior to the Day of the Vote, the vote language is locked, all edits are frozen, and the language of the vote is converted to a pdf file. Ballots that include the pdf are sent to the Membership, and electronic voting begins. Note that the minimum discussion period of seven days leaves only two days for changes before the lock takes place.

[DATE]

Day of the Vote

Date the Board has assigned for the vote. The Day of the Vote is the day the vote closes.

[DATE]

Background

In the current Scholarship Policy, scholarships are awarded only during limited selection windows each year. This makes it harder to respond to changes in membership, financial need, and interest in the space. It also limits how quickly new members who rely on financial assistance can get involved.

This proposal revises the Scholarship Policy to:

• Award scholarships on a **monthly** basis instead of only twice a year.
• Standardize scholarships as **six-month terms**.
• Scale the number of scholarships to current membership levels.
• Allow scholarship recipients to request a single **six-month extension** from the Board based on their activity and contributions.
• Use a clear, equity-minded application and rubric that centers alignment with PS:1’s purpose, creativity, and demonstrated interest.

Synopsis

This vote replaces the existing Scholarship Policy with a new, monthly scholarship model. Scholarships will be granted for six-month terms, with a limited number of slots each month based on a percentage of current membership. Applicants who are not selected in a given month can reapply, and continued interest will be factored into selection.

The new policy also allows scholarship recipients, in the final month of their term, to petition the Board for a one-time six-month extension, based on a short presentation of what they have done and what they plan to do next.

The detailed policy, including the application questions and scoring rubric, is defined on the page Scholarship Policy (2025 Revision Proposal), which will become the active Scholarship Policy if this vote passes.

Language of the Vote

Upon passage of this vote:

1. The current Scholarship Policy is repealed and replaced in full by the policy described on the page Scholarship Policy (2025 Revision Proposal). That page shall become the official Scholarship Policy of PS:1.
2. Scholarships shall be awarded on a **monthly** basis, for **six-month terms**, in accordance with the provisions of the Scholarship Policy.
3. The number of scholarships that begin in any given month shall be determined using the membership-scaled formula defined in the Scholarship Policy.
4. Scholarship recipients in the final month of their term may request a **six-month extension** by presenting their work and plans at a Board meeting, after which the Board will vote to approve or deny the extension, as described in the Scholarship Policy.
5. The Scholarship Committee (or another committee designated by the Board) shall administer applications, scoring, recommendations, and record-keeping as defined in the Scholarship Policy.
6. The Scholarship Committee may modify the scholarship application questions and scoring rubric at any time, provided that:
   1. Any changes are announced via PS:1’s official communication channels (for example, mailing list, forums, and/or Discord as appropriate), and
   2. The Scholarship Policy (2025 Revision Proposal) page is updated to reflect the current application and rubric.

This vote takes effect immediately upon passage, and the revised Scholarship Policy shall apply to all scholarships awarded after the effective date of this vote.