Scholarships

Scholarship Recipient Guidelines

1. ​All applicants must be a paid member for at least one year at the time of the drawing.
2. Membership must be current at the time they take a class.
3. Must be at least 18 years of age.
4. Must attend at least four monthly meetings in the year preceding the drawing.
5. Scholarship must be used within the calendar year following the drawing, unless an extension is approved by the Scholarship Committee. 
6. Must give a two-hour demonstration detailing techniques and methods learned in the scholarship class.
7. Must provide a how-to article for the newsletter detailing the techniques learned in the scholarship class.
8. Must provide an auction piece made from information learned during the class. Auction piece must be presented to the Scholarship Committee for approval. Auction piece should have a minimum value of $100. 
9. Must present Scholarship Committee with requested class within six months of the scholarship drawing or the scholarship goes to the selected alternate.
10. Classes must be approved by the Scholarship Committee. If the requested class is not from a recognized school, for example, from an individual, it will be evaluated on a case by case basis. 
11. No more than half of the scholarship amount will be paid until completion of all scholarship obligations. Once the class is approved by the Scholarship Committee, recipient can request 1/2 of the scholarship money before attending the school. The second half will be paid upon completion of ALL scholarship obligations.
12. After completion of the class, the scholarship recipient has six months to comply with the scholarship obligations. If the obligations are not fulfilled, the money prepaid by OBG is to be refunded back to the Guild. Those in arrears will not be able to hold office in the Guild or participate in future scholarships. 

(For full guidance on qualification and obligation Criteria reference the OBG Scholarship Guidelines below)

Mail applications to:
                                OBG c/o Dauset Trails 
                                PO Box 1246 
                                Jackson, GA 30233

OBG Scholarship Application

OBG Scholarship Guidelines
​for 2025

OBG Scholarship Application
File Size:	54 kb
File Type:	pdf

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OBG Scholarship Guidelines for 2025
File Size:	69 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Scholarships Offered

Terry Ellerbee Scholarship

• One $1,500.00 Scholarship toward any bladesmithing course. This will be the actual amount spent up to $1,500.00. Amount can include meals, room and board and school supplied material expenses. Does not include transportation. Requests for reimbursement must be accompanied with a sales receipt, no exceptions.
• Classes must be approved by the Scholarship Committee.

Judd Nelson Scholarship

• One $1,500.00 Scholarship toward any blacksmithing course. This will be the actual amount spent up to $1,500.00. Amount can include meals, room and board and school supplied material expenses. Does not include transportation. Requests for reimbursement must be accompanied with a sales receipt, no exceptions. 
• Classes must be approved by the Scholarship Committee.

John Kirbo Weekend Blacksmithing Scholarship

• One $750.00 Scholarship toward any blacksmithing course. This will be the actual amount spent up to $750.00. Amount can include meals, room and board and school supplied material expenses. Does not include transportation. Requests for reimbursement must be accompanied with a sales receipt, no exceptions.
• Classes must be approved by the Scholarship Committee.

Complimentary Craft Weekend Scholarship

• One $750.00 Scholarship toward any non-blacksmithing craft course for select crafts commonly associated with blacksmithing (i.e. leather crafting, nonferrous metal-smithing, and other select specialty courses as authorized by the scholarship committee). This will be the actual amount spent up to $750.00. Amount can include meals, room and board and school supplied material expenses. Does not include transportation. Requests for reimbursement must be accompanied with a sales receipt, no exceptions. 
• Classes must be approved by the Scholarship Committee.​

Note: Any member applying for this scholarship will be disqualified from applying for the Bladesmithing, Blacksmithing, and Blacksmith Week-End Scholarships. 

Alternates

One alternate will be drawn for each scholarship offered to fill in if the member awarded the scholarship cannot attend or does not present a class for approval to the Scholarship Committee within 6 months.