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Grants and Scholarships

The National Fluid Power Association offers scholarships and grants to support fluid power education.

Apply for a Scholarship

Fluid Power Scholarship

NFPA offers multiple $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors, and students enrolled at community colleges, technical colleges, and universities. The Fluid Power Scholarship aims to help students pursue their interests in fluid power. The money awarded is used toward tuition to study at any accredited technical college or university in the United States.

A completed, eligible application will be evaluated on the following:

  • Submission of an Online Kaleidoscope Application

  • Declaration of a Fluid Power Related Degree Program*

  • A 400-500 Word Essay that Addresses the Following Prompts:

    • Describe your career goals and aspirations. In your response, discuss why you are interested in learning about our technology and how you believe it can support your future success.

    • What experience do you have with fluid power technologies? This could include prior experience, projects you look forward to, or applications of hydraulics or pneumatics that inspire you.

  • A 200 Word Essay that Address the Following Prompt:

    • Please describe your extracurricular activities, community involvement, leadership roles, work or internship experience, and any awards or honors you have received.

  • Minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 Scale

  • Enrollment Verification Document

  • Transcript

  • Letter of Recommendation

*The applicant does not have to be enrolled in a dedicated fluid power degree program but must be enrolled in a relevant program where fluid power is taught. Students enrolled in the following degree programs are welcome to apply (this list is not exhaustive, contact hnemeth@nfpa.com to confirm your eligibility):

  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Agricultural Systems Technology
  • Automation Robotics, Engineering Technology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • CNC Engineering Technician Certificate
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electro-Mechanical Engineering
  • Engineering Design and Mechatronics
  • Engineering Technology
  • Fluid Power Technology
  • Hydraulic Engineering Technician
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial Maintenance Technician
  • Industrial Technology
  • Manufacturing Equipment Technician Certificate
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Mechatronics Certificate
  • Pneumatic Engineering Technician

Past scholarship recipients and applicants are eligible to apply again.
College seniors/graduating applicants: Students graduating in Spring of the 2025-26 academic year are not eligible for a scholarship.
Students enrolled in a Master's or PhD degree program are not eligible for this scholarship.

Please contact Haley Nemeth at hnemeth@nfpa.com with any questions. 

Funding for the Fluid Power Scholarship comes, in part, from donors to the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund. Please consider making a donation.

2026 Scholarship Winners

Alexander Allen cropped-1
TOUCH
Alexander Allen Penn State University, Lehigh Valley Campus
Alexander AllenPenn State University, Lehigh Valley CampusCenter Valley, PA
Anna Westenhofer
TOUCH
Anna Westenhofer University of Alabama at Birmingham
Anna WestenhoferUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL

Bashara Sherif
TOUCH
Bashara Sherif University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bashara Sherif University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL

Drew Autry
TOUCH
Drew Autry Dartmouth College
Drew AutryDartmouth College

Hanover, NH

Evan Tan
TOUCH
Evan Tan University of Arkansas
Evan TanUniversity of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR

Robotics Challenge Scholarship Winner

Jack Crowe
TOUCH
Jack Crowe Michigan Technological University
Jack CroweMichigan Technological University

Houghton, MI

 

Jake Druley
TOUCH
Jake Druley South Dakota State University
Jake DruleySouth Dakota State University

Brookings, SD

Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Awardee

Jayden Joseph
TOUCH
Jayden Joseph Georgia Institute of Technology
Jayden JosephGeorgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

Jessica Dennehy
TOUCH
Jessica Dennehy Carnegie Mellon University
Jessica DennehyCarnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

John Holland
TOUCH
John Holland Purdue University
John HollandPurdue University

West Lafayette, IN

 

Kacie Cheng
TOUCH
Kacie Cheng Johns Hopkins University
Kacie ChengJohns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Raymond Hanley Memorial Award

Kenny Nguyen
TOUCH
Kenny Nguyen Coastline Community College
Kenny NguyenCoastline Community College

Fountain Valley, CA

 

Logan Lackey
TOUCH
Logan Lackey Kansas State University
Logan LackeyKansas State University

 Manhattan, KS 

Lucas Hoobler
TOUCH
Lucas Hoobler University of Southern California
Lucas HooblerUniversity of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Awardee

Mahek Parvez cropped
TOUCH
Mahek Parvez Purdue University 
Mahek ParvezPurdue University 

West Lafayette, IN

 

Maryn Shank
TOUCH
Maryn Shank Northeastern University
Maryn ShankNortheastern University

Boston, MA

Maxwell Mamishev
TOUCH
Maxwell Mamishev University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Maxwell MamishevUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL

Megan-Tian-300x300
TOUCH
Megan Tian Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Megan TianMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

Robotics Challenge Scholarship Winner

Sarah Campbell
TOUCH
Sarah Campbell Maine Maritime Academy
Sarah CampbellMaine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME

Trevor Werdel
TOUCH
Trevor Werdel South Dakota State University
Trevor WerdelSouth Dakota State University

Brookings, SD

 

Winston Lin
TOUCH
Winston Lin Georgia Institute of Technology
Winston LinGeorgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Awardee

 

Zachary Been
TOUCH
Zachary Been California State University, Fresno
Zachary BeenCalifornia State University, Fresno

Fresno, CA

Robert Mackey Memorial Award

Apply for a Grant

Fluid Power Grant

NFPA understands the importance of identifying opportunity costs and funding for educational programs. This is why the NFPA Fluid Power Grant was created and can help middle schools, high schools, and community organizations bring fluid power education to students.

Grants up to $500 are available to the schools and community organizations who want help students learn about fluid power through Fluid Power Action Challenge events, the purchase of hands-on fluid power kits, or otherwise enhancing the educational experience involving fluid power.     

The 2026-27 Fluid Power Grant Application is for approved purchases, events, and activities completed between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. 

If you intend to host or organize a Fluid Power Action Challenge event, please visit our Cost Estimator Example on the Getting Started page. 

University Grants

The NFPA Education and Technology Foundation is committed to supporting university-level fluid power education and programs that train the next generation of the fluid power workforce. To help get more university graduates educated in fluid power, the University Fluid Power Grant is designed to provide funding to faculty to add more fluid power curricula to their undergraduate engineering programs.

The University Fluid Power Grant Program is looking for projects that develop curriculum for the General Electrical/Electronic, Data Acquisition, and Controls Competencies identified by our industry as critical to fluid power education. Materials developed under this grant will be shared freely on the NFPA Foundation website for use by other schools.

We will work with applicants to determine funding needed to add curriculum that covers missing competencies. NFPA’s funding year is July 1-June 30. Grants will be awarded until funds are depleted.

The University Grant Program is not accepting applications at this time. 

Robotics Outreach

The NFPA Robotics Challenge helps encourage high school students to use fluid power in real-world applications while also connecting them to resources that support their pursuit of higher education and fluid power careers.

One way we do this is by bringing an awareness of pneumatic applications in robotics to high school students and to stimulate increased use of fluid power products in these competitions. Teams incorporating pneumatic technology into their competition robot are eligible to apply to NFPA's $500 grant program. 

Do you plan to incorporate pneumatics into your 2026 competition robot? Are you interested in learning more about fluid power from an industry professional?

There are many high school robotics organizations that support the use of pneumatic technology in competitions. Are you looking to get started? Check out their pneumatics resources.