2026 SMART Scholarship Program!

Our SMART Scholarship Program is now open for 2026! Neighbors Credit Union is excited to once again to award up to five $2,000 scholarships to eligible SMART members who are graduating high school seniors and continuing their education.

Scholarship Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be the primary owner of a Neighbors Credit Union SMART Savings Account
  • Be a graduating high school senior (Spring 2026)
  • Be accepted for first-time enrollment in Fall 2026 at an accredited college, university, trade, vocational, or technical school, certification program, apprenticeship, or fellowship

Application Process

Students may apply online using the official Neighbors Credit Union SMART Scholarship Application. Application materials may also be submitted by mail; the full list of needed materials is included in the application. All applications must be received or postmarked by March 31, 2026. Scholarship recipients will be announced in April 2026.

Essay/Video Topic

As part of the application, students will submit either a written essay (3 pages, double-spaced) or a short video (2 – 3 minutes in length) responding to the prompt below:

At Neighbors Credit Union, our vision is to be the best neighbor we can be, putting our members and community first in all we do.  We are a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution, dedicated to “people helping people”.  As Martin Luther King, Jr. has famously quoted, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” In this application essay, please share your thoughts on elevating community, how you have shared your time and talents within the community throughout high school, and how you plan to contribute to your collegiate/technical/trade school community throughout the next several years.

 

Block Out Hunger!

We’re proud to once again partner with the St. Louis Billikens Men's and Women's Basketball Teams and Operation Food Search for the 2025–2026 season. Last season, 199 blocks on the court turned into a $3,980 donation to Operation Food Search...helping fight hunger right here in our community. We can’t wait to see the impact we’ll make together this season!

Block Out Hunger turns every defensive play into real impact off the court. For every block made by the St. Louis Billikens Basketball teams, $20 is donated to Operation Food Search, helping provide nutritious meals to families facing food insecurity in the St. Louis metro area.

Click here to learn how you can help!