Kiita Foundation Scholarship for Arizona Foster Youth
Financial aid for students pursuing community college
ABOUT THE KIITA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
The Kiita Foundation was formed in 2000 by Jim and Jo-Ann Armstrong and is named after the Inuit word meaning “get up and go”. Its primary focus is to provide scholarships, educational and service-centered experiences, and programmatic support to independent students who either grew up in the foster care system or have extenuating family circumstances. With programs in Arizona, Colorado, and Montana, they support nearly 100 students a year.
The Kiita Scholarship at AFFCF is designed to support at least 20 students pursuing community college every year, and represents about 80% of AFFCF’s historic annual higher education funding for current and former foster youth. Students who apply for this scholarship will also be program participants in the nonprofit’s Post-Secondary Program, and the scholarship includes dollars for each student’s Focus Forward Fund, which is emergency financial assistance for those students.
Students will be identified through the AFFCF scholarship application when they specify they are attending a community college. Eligible students are:
- Those who reached (or will be reaching) age 18 as wards of the state of Arizona or in tribal foster care in Arizona
- Those who are under the age of 25
- Full-time or part-time enrollment (at least 6 credits/semester) in a community college in Arizona
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement
DREAM IT. LEARN IT. DO IT.
Whether you are currently in foster care, were in foster care, have aged out of foster care, or are someone who works with youth in foster care, this education guide will provide information about the resources that are available to help young adults reach their educational goals. Click on the image to the left or the button below to access our Post-Secondary Education Resource Guide!
FIRST-TIME APPLICANTS
Complete the Post-Secondary Scholarship Application and include the following:
- One letter of recommendation: personal or academic. An academic letter of recommendation (from a teacher/professor who had the student in class or a tutor who worked with the student) is preferred.
- Student’s most recent transcript (A GED certificate is acceptable instead of a transcript for a student who passed the GED.)
- FAFSA Submission Summary
- Student’s upcoming class schedule (minimum enrollment of six credit hours required)
Fall 2026 Semester Application Period: April 1 – April 30, 2026
RENEWAL STUDENTS
Each semester, renewal students (who have already been accepted into the AFFCF Scholarship program) must provide AFFCF with the following to be eligible to renew their scholarship.
- Student’s unofficial transcript displaying grades from most recent semester and cumulative GPA
- Student’s upcoming class schedule (minimum enrollment of six credit hours required)
Fall 2026 Semester Renewal Period: May 1 – May 30, 2026
Arizona Friends Of Foster Children Foundation
LOCATION
360 E Coronado Rd
Suite 190
Phoenix, AZ, 85004
Get Directions
PHONE
Call Us: 602.252.9445
HOURS
Mon-Fri: 8am – 4pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
