Crown Roots Foundation

Financial Aid Resources

Videos, scholarship guides, and everything Pocono Mountain families need to navigate college costs — starting with free money most families never find.

About this series: The Financial Aid Trilogy covers the three things every Pocono family needs to understand before a student applies anywhere — what sticker price actually means, how to unlock federal and state grant money, and how scholarships stack on top of everything else. Watch in order.

Financial Aid Trilogy

3 videos · Watch in order
Part 1 — Elite Schools Cost Too Much
Part 1 of 3

Elite Schools Cost Too Much

Princeton’s real cost for families earning under $150K is $0. Here’s why sticker price is the number almost nobody pays.

Part 2 — The One Form That Unlocks Everything
Part 2 of 3

The One Form That Unlocks Everything

FAFSA, Pell Grant, PA State Grant, Grow PA — one free form triggers all of it. 40% of eligible students never file.

Part 3 — Scholar Pathway Coming Soon
Part 3 of 3

Scholar Pathway

Scholarships stack on top of grants. QuestBridge, Gates, Posse, Raise.me — programs with clear criteria and defined timelines.

The Gap & The Opportunity Gap

2 videos · The data behind the mission
The Gap
The Gap

The Gap

What separates Pocono students from opportunity — and why it’s not about talent or work ethic.

The Opportunity Gap
The Opportunity Gap

The Opportunity Gap

The numbers that define why Crown Roots Foundation exists — and what closing the gap actually looks like.

Scholarship Guide

Pocono families leave thousands in scholarships unclaimed every year — not because they don’t qualify, but because they don’t know where to look.

Time-Sensitive — PA Families: Pennsylvania’s State Grant through PHEAA must be triggered by filing your FAFSA by May 1. The grant is portable — it can be used at approved out-of-state schools, not only Pennsylvania colleges. Filing late significantly reduces eligibility. Learn more at PHEAA.org →

Start Here — Highest Return, Lowest Effort

Start in 9th Grade

Raise.me

Earn micro-scholarships for what you’re already doing — grades, clubs, sports, community work. 330+ partner colleges each set their own award amounts. Crown Hub participation qualifies. Every student 9th grade and up should have a portfolio.

Build your portfolio →
For Top Achievers

QuestBridge

Full scholarships at 50+ elite colleges for high-achieving students in families earning under $65,000. Over 90% of selected scholars come from households under $65K. The most powerful tool for the top of the class.

Learn about QuestBridge →
US Dept of Labor

CareerOneStop

A government database of 9,500+ scholarships most students have never seen. Filter by Pennsylvania, field of study, grade level. No profile required. Awards range from $1,000 to $65,000+.

Search scholarships →

See the full scholarship guide — all tiers, PA-specific programs, no-essay options →