Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs Scholarships

Formerly known as Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (or NBT), SparkForce is the charitable foundation of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association. While our name has changed, our mission has not. Our purpose is to inspire, attract, and support individuals in discovering an interest in manufacturing and to encourage their pursuit of a manufacturing career.

Community College, Trade School, or University

Open to eligible students pursuing degrees or certifications related to a career in manufacturing.

A student works at a computer.

Up to $2,000/semester

The U.K. Gupta & Family Scholarship

Preference given to students attending universities in north Texas.

A student works at a project on a workbench.

Up to $2,000/semester

The John Grossheim Memorial Scholarship

Preference to employees and their dependents of FMA member companies.

Funded through the Outside Processors Council (OPC) Endowment.

Application review and scholarship decisions will take place in May of each year for fall semester awards and in November for the following spring semester awards

Scholarship Eligibility

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must:

• Be pursuing a degree or certification in one of the approved fields of study.
• Be enrolled in or planning to enroll in a manufacturing-related program during the semester for which they are applying.
• Be a full-time student taking 12 or more credit hours, or a part-time student taking at least 6 credit hours if working while attending school.
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for community, trade, or technical college students, or 3.0 for university students.
• Submit an application and transcript* by the appropriate deadline.
• Transcripts must be from the school or educational institution where a full semester was most recently completed. Only transcripts received with the application or postmarked by the application deadline will be accepted.

Application Requirements

To apply for a SparkForce scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must be pursuing a degree or certification in one of the approved fields of study.
• Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a manufacturing-related program during the semester for which they are applying.
• Applicants must be full-time students taking 12 or more credit hours, or part-time students taking at least 6 credit hours while working.
• Minimum GPA is 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for community, trade, or technical college students, or 3.0 for university students.

Application Submission:

• Complete and submit an online application.
• Provide a high school or college transcript from the school where a full semester was most recently completed. Transcripts may be uploaded with the application, mailed, or sent electronically via services such as Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse. Only transcripts received with the application or postmarked by the deadline will be accepted.
• Mail transcripts to: SparkForce Foundation, 2135 Point Boulevard, Elgin, IL 60123

Ensure ample time for delivery.

Scholarship Award Recipients

If you are selected to receive a scholarship, you will be notified via email and required to:

• Sign and submit a scholarship award acceptance form.
• Submit a headshot photo and a signed photo release form.
• Activate a complimentary one-year Student membership with the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA), valued at $27, if not already a member
• Optionally, provide contact information for your local media outlet.

Scholarship Program Guidelines

• Annual award amounts and the number of scholarships are determined by the SparkForce Board of Directors. The board may also introduce new scholarship categories or revise the approved fields of study at its discretion.
• Eligible applications are reviewed and scored by a committee comprised of volunteer members, donors, and industry partners from the manufacturing sector.
• Scholarship funds will be sent directly to the financial aid department of the recipient’s school. Funds will not be mailed to applicants, their parents, or department faculty.
• Scholarship funds can be used to cover tuition, school fees, books purchased through the college store, and required tools or equipment such as PPE (if available for purchase through the college store). Funds cannot be used for housing, meals, or costs unrelated to the program.
• With written approval from SparkForce, funds may be held for future use beyond the school year in which it was awarded.
• Scholarship recipients must notify SparkForce of any changes to their mailing address, phone number, or email address. Updates can be sent to foundation@fmamfg.org or reported by calling (815) 399-8700.
• SparkForce will maintain records of all scholarship fund donations and disbursements.
• Staff, directors, and officers of FMA, FMAC, SparkForce, or members of SparkForce selection committees, as well as their immediate family members, are not eligible to apply.
• SparkForce reserves the right to investigate and recover funds in cases of suspected misuse.