Patron Member Scholarship Program • NSSF

$60,000 in Education Scholarships

Employees of Patron Member Companies Invited to Apply for $50,000 in Education Scholarships

Employees of companies that support NSSF^®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, at the highest level may apply for education aid through the NSSF Patron Member Scholarship Program. NSSF has made a total of $50,000 in scholarship funding available for a maximum of 20 winning entries.

NSSF is accepting applications in the Patron Member Scholarship Program
through 5 p.m. PST on Friday, May 23, 2025.

Scholarships are available only to employees and their family members of Patron Member companies of NSSF. (For specific eligibility, refer to the official guidelines.) The scholarship program is one of many benefits that Patron Member companies receive from NSSF.

Applicants must be enrolled in, or have been accepted and plan to attend, a college, university or vocational school during the fall 2025 school year. Scholarships are limited to candidates seeking an undergraduate or vocational degree only.

The NSSF Patron Member Scholarship requires an essay on one of the following topics:

Colonial militias at Concord and Lexington pushed back British regulars in April of 1775, marking the start of the American Revolutionary War. In this 250th anniversary year of the “shot heard round the world,” discuss the importance of keeping and bearing arms to American history.
Elaborate on the intrinsic connection between the First and Second Amendments.
Discuss the difference between a Right and a Privilege and how it impacts our understanding of the Bill of Rights and our Constitutional Amendments.
Reflect on a personal experience or story that shaped your view on responsible gun ownership. How has this influenced your perspective on safety, rights, or advocacy in the firearms community?

Essays must be in English and submitted along with the online application.

Twenty applicants with the highest overall scores will be selected as scholarship prizewinners. The applicant with the highest scored essay will earn the grand prize $8,000 scholarship. One first-place prizewinner with the second-highest scored essay will receive a scholarship of $5,000. One second-place prizewinner with the third-highest scored essay will receive a scholarship of $3,000. The remaining 17 runner-up prizewinners will each receive a scholarship of $2,000. NSSF will notify the winners by email and then list the recipients on its website after their acceptance.

Patron Member Scholarship Form

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

First Middle Last

Age*

Permanent Mailing Address*

Street Address City State ZIP Code

Phone*

Email*

In the fall 2024, I will be attending a higher education institution as a:*

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

I plan to attend:*

College, University or Vocational/Technical School

With a major in:*

*Prizes will be mailed directly to winners but made payable to their designated College, University or Vocational School.

My eligibility to apply for this scholarship is based on the employment of:

Name of Employee*

Relationship to Applicant*

NSSF Patron Member Company:*

Phone Number*

Email*

Essays

Essays must be in English, between 500-5000 characters. Applicant’s name should not appear on the essay. Essays must be unpublished, original work written by applicant. Please choose one:

Topic*

Colonial militias at Concord and Lexington pushed back British regulars in April of 1775, marking the start of the American Revolutionary War. In this 250th anniversary year of the “shot heard round the world,” discuss the importance of keeping and bearing arms to American history.

Elaborate on the intrinsic connection between the First and Second Amendments.

Discuss the difference between a Right and a Privilege and how it impacts our understanding of the Bill of Rights and our Constitutional Amendments.

Reflect on a personal experience or story that shaped your view on responsible gun ownership. How has this influenced your perspective on safety, rights, or advocacy in the firearms community?

Essay*

(maximum 5000 characters)

Digital Signature

Please enter your full name as your digital signature.

Please enter your full name as your digital signature*

Applicant

If under 18, please have parent or legal guardian enter full name as their digital signature

Parent/Legal Guardian of Applicant

For more information about the NSSF Patron Member Scholarship Program please contact Tammy McIntyre, Manager, Member Services [email protected].