Bright Futures will offer a second application window for financial awards in Weld County starting next month.
As a workforce development program, Bright Futures provides money to high school graduates, GED recipients and honorably discharged veterans who plan to attend college or earn a trade certificate, according to a news release from the program.
Bright Futures has historically offered one application deadline in May for the fall and spring academic year. For the first time, the program will open a second window from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1.
To apply, students can go to brightfuturesco.com/for-students.
“We are working to be more responsive to the needs of students in this community,” Bright Futures CEO Jeff Carlson said in the release. “Typically, if a student missed the deadline for any reason, they could not receive any funding until the next school year. For GED recipients and honorably discharged veterans in particular, that could place them at a disadvantage for going to school and starting on their career path.”
Bright Futures awards up to $14,000 over eight semesters to qualifying applicants in Weld County, the release said. A student who attends school outside of Weld County in the state or Colorado’s seven bordering states — Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona or Utah — can receive up to $8,000 over eight semesters.
For first-time qualifying students, the program has no academic or income requirements. Returning applicants, however, must maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA.
Qualifying applicants for the second window include GED recipients, honorably discharged veterans and students who may not have qualified during the application process last May. This application window will provide funding for the spring and summer 2025 semesters.
Students who did qualify under the May deadline for the current fall and spring semesters do not need to reapply in October. The fall and spring 2025-26 school year application will be on May 15.
“The Bright Futures program was created to build a stronger workforce for Weld County by helping students with college, trade school or career training,” Carlson said. “The second application is a natural next step in helping these students attend schooling in a timely manner to become a valued member of the Weld County workforce.”
Bright Futures has supported more than 5,875 students and invested over $21 million toward Weld County’s workforce since 2015, the release said. To learn more about the program, go to brightfuturesco.com.
