The 2026 Affiliate Conference will be October 5-8 in Atlanta, Georgia. Applications for HFHI conference scholarships are now available. Please review the scholarship descriptions and criteria below. When you’re ready, you can access the application at the end of this information. Applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-serve basis and awarded based on how well the preference criteria are met until funds run out. Affiliates may apply for both travel and registration scholarships. Each type of scholarship is limited to two per organization. Questions about scholarships can be sent to conferencescholarships@habitat.org.

Travel scholarships
Travel scholarship funds are specifically for affiliate representatives with limited resources to attend to help cover travel expenses (airfare, ground transportation and hotel) for the affiliate conference.

Scholarships of up to $1,000 will be provided to reimburse the affiliate for airfare, ground transportation, and hotel costs. Limit two travel scholarships per affiliate. Affiliates may use the funds to bring staff, board members, key volunteers, or homeowners to the conference. Scholarship applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis and awarded based on how well the preference criteria are met until funds run out.

Preference will be given to affiliates with two or more of the following criteria: 
Affiliates in a geographic service area (GSA) with a population of 99,999 or less.
Affiliates in a rural HUD service area. (To see if your affiliate qualifies, go to the HUD website and reference their interactive Rural Beneficiary Mapping Tool: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/section-4-capacity-building/)
Affiliates recently affected by a disaster
Affiliate representative is a first-time attendee to the conference.
Scholarship is being designated for an affiliate board member.
Scholarship is for a representative that is presenting a conference session.
To qualify your affiliate must meet the following criteria:
Be in good standing with HFHI at the time the scholarship is awarded and when requesting reimbursement.
Have a federal Unique Entity ID (UEI) number at the time of the request or verification of application for one by June 30, 2026. (Learn how to obtain one at https://sam.gov/)

Notes:
The travel scholarship funds are reimbursement funds. Affiliate awardees will need to pay and attend the conference, then submit receipts afterwards to be paid for the costs. All reimbursements will be paid to the affiliate not to attendees.

Registration scholarships
Scholarships of up to $625 will be awarded to cover the cost of registration and will be prioritized for affiliates with smaller GSAs, however, all affiliates are encouraged to apply.   Limit two registration scholarships per affiliate/ASO.  Scholarship applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis and awarded based on how well the preference criteria are met until funds run out.

The intent of the scholarship is to assist affiliates and ASO leaders who have limited resources to attend with conference registration costs. The scholarship is to be designated for an affiliate or ASO representative (staff, board members, key volunteers, homeowners).

All affiliates and ASOs that apply must be in Good Standing at the time the scholarship is awarded. Preference will be given for an affiliate or ASO representative that is a first-time attendee to the conference as well as affiliates that are in smaller GSAs.