Use your imagination to write a 500-to-1,000-word essay OR create a 30-60 seconds video on one of the following topics:
- Inspire individuals to save lives as a blood donor
- How to have a successful blood drive
- Encourage diverse donations from young donors after they graduate high school/college
Winning submissions will be selected by an internal panel of judges on the criteria of content, creativity, and accuracy of information. Educational resources may be found at giveblood.org
Guidelines:
- Video submissions should be 30-60 seconds.
- One entry per student; entries may not be shared.
- Each entry will be evaluated on quality, content, creativity, accuracy and persuasiveness.
- Videos should be posted to YouTube and include #CFL2026Scholarship in the description.
- All videos must adhere to YouTube Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.
To Qualify:
- Your School must host a minimum of 2 blood drives this academic school year
- The student must be enrolled in an institution of higher education or trade school in the Summer/Fall following the award of the scholarship.
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To be eligible for the $5,000 and $10,000 level scholarships, in addition to the essay or video submission, applicants must be an active member of their blood drive team and include a letter of recommendation from their blood drive sponsor regarding their advocacy for blood donations at their school.
Blood Drive sponsors can send letters of recommendation to scholarship@giveblood.org and include student and school names.
Please note: All submissions must be made by March 16, 2026.
The scholarship will be awarded in the spring. The check will be made payable directly to the institution of the student’s choice.
Official Rules:
Dates: the Commit for Life scholarship program opens at the beginning of the school year and closes on March 16, 2026.
What it takes: Use your imagination and creativity to submit a 30-60 second video commercial or a 500-to-1,000-word essay that will educate and inspire individuals to save lives as a Commit for Life blood donor.
Videos should be posted to YouTube and include #CFL2026Scholarship in the description. All submissions must be made by March 16, 2026. The student must attend an institution of higher learning in the summer or fall semester following the award of the scholarship.
