Our economy depends on small businesses and entrepreneurship. Creative, hardworking individuals are the backbone of our society, and we need more people who are driven to build businesses, fill niches, and grow profitability. At First Coast Home Pros, we know the importance of entrepreneurship first-hand. After many other entrepreneurial endeavors growing up (and just a few years after college), Joshua Kennedy founded The First Coast Home Pros Family of Companies. The level of commitment and drive it takes to start a business is not for the faint of heart! It’s a struggle, but that’s why we created a leg up for young college students with big goals and a desire to innovate.

Welcome to the annual $2,500 First Coast Home Pros Young Entrepreneur Scholarship!

Why a Scholarship for Entrepreneurs?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported by Investopedia, a fifth of all new businesses fall apart within two years. There are many reasons this is true, but a lot of it has to do with the undue stress we put on young entrepreneurs. It’s costly to get an education, create new ideas, and learn how to put those ideas into practice.

For us, giving back to the community is not just a good thing to do: it’s crucial for the development of our society and the marketplace in general. We want to provide a driven entrepreneur with the funds they need to get the education to enable their dreams. Below, check out the requirements for the scholarship and get started on your entry.

How to Apply

Please write a pitch of the business you started or are developing, including information such as your mission, vision, values, and business plan. Please tell us what you do, how you market yourself, and how your business is doing its successes and struggles. The most compelling pitch will win the scholarship, so give us your best “Shark Tank” proposal!

Send in your application by December 30, 2024, to be considered.

Who Can Apply?

This scholarship is open to current undergraduate and graduate students and incoming freshmen who have started or plan to start their own business. Also, applicants must:

  • Be enrolled in an institution of higher education.
  • Be in good academic standing.
  • Submit a transcript from either their current college/university/graduate school or their final year of high school.
  • Submit proof of enrollment or acceptance to an accredited college/university/graduate school.

Terms and Conditions

Upon receiving applications, First Coast Home Pros will form a committee to evaluate applications. Within 60 days of the application deadline (December 30, 2024), this committee will announce the winner. All decisions by the FCHP selection committee are final. The decision process may take longer depending on the number of applications received.

Claims made in an application regarding existing businesses and credentials will be subject to verification. Any errors or factual inconsistencies may disqualify the applicant from consideration.

First Coast Home Pros is not responsible for any technical issues that affect an applicant’s ability to apply on time.

Privacy and Security

Anyone who meets the following conditions is NOT eligible to apply:

  1. Employees or children of employees of First Coast Home Pros
  2. Past recipients of the Young Entrepreneur Scholarship
  3. Applicants who are unable/unwilling to be interviewed by a representative of First Coast Home Pros if he/she were to be awarded the scholarship.
  4. Applicants who submit the same essay for multiple scholarships or for multiple years in a row.

Personal information, such as names, contact information, and academic data submitted to the First Coast Home Pros selection committee will not be made public or shared, copied, distributed, sold, or shared with any third party organization outside the selection committee.

Private or personal information will be used to determine scholarship eligibility and not be retained by First Coast Home Pros.

The only exception to this is the announcement of the winner of the scholarship. The winner’s name and winning entry may be released on the First Coast Home Pros website and additional media/publicity outlets.

Announcement of Winner

The deadline for applying is December 30, 2024. Any applications received after this date will be discarded and will not be considered for the $2,500 Young Entrepreneur Scholarship.

After the close of the application window, the FCHP selection committee will process applications and decide on a winner. The winner will be announced and notified within 60 days of the scholarship submission deadline.

First Coast Home Pros and its selection committee are not required to notify individual applicants of their status. The announcement of the winner shall be considered sufficient notification of the status of all other applicants.

Non-Discrimination Policy

First Coast Home Pros and its selection committee will not discriminate against any applicant based on their race, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, veteran status, disability, country of origin, or any other protected category.

The sole factors that will determine an applicant’s eligibility consist of adherence to the entry requirements, including:

  • Status as a current or income college/university/graduate school student
  • Current good standing in academics
  • Factual information regarding their current or prospective business

Additionally, the sole criteria used to evaluate and determine the scholarship winner will be the quality and feasibility of the application and business pitch.

About First Coast Home Pros

First Coast Home Pros began when our founder, Joshua Kennedy, moved to Jacksonville with his family. A veteran project manager for one of the best window-cleaning companies in the country, he immediately started his own window-cleaning business in his new location.

What happened next was astonishing. Not only did the business thrive as customers showed appreciation for Josh’s dedication to cleaning innovation and customer satisfaction, but clients started asking for additional services. Recognizing the niche and the need, Josh gradually built up a business with a much wider cleaning repertoire: windows, yes, but also carpets, tile and grout, gutters, rugs, upholstery, exterior pressure washing, and much more.

We regret that, for legal reasons, we are unable to accept calls, emails, or other communication regarding the scholarship, or answer any questions, other than those submitted here. All the necessary details about this scholarship can be found above. We will make sure to contact you in case we need any further information.

Any applications received after the deadline will not be taken into consideration.

Previous Winners

Announcements about the previous winners of our scholarship can be found by clicking one of the links below:

  1. 2021 Winner: Simon Barn
  2. 2022 Winner: Nicholas Huffman
  3. 2023 Winner: Bronson Andrus

    Scholarship Application Form



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