Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards

The Helen Diller Family Foundation gives up to 15 Jewish teens a year $36,000 each for leading a volunteer project that repairs the world, the Jewish value of tikkun olam. Recipients may use the money for college or to grow their project. Applicants must be 15 to 19 years old by the deadline, live in the United States, be unpaid, and currently lead one project with measurable impact; projects may serve the Jewish community or the wider community, locally or globally. The online application describes the project, its impact and outreach; others can also nominate a teen. Reviewers score current leadership, commitment and impact, and semifinalists later provide project updates and three references. Applications open in August and close in early January, semifinalists hear in March or April, and awardees are notified in late May and attend a celebration weekend in San Francisco. Grades are not part of the review, so this rewards sustained service leadership rather than test scores.

Other deadlines near this one

• GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program
  Due January 7, 2027 · $10,000/yr x 4 years ($40,000 total)
• Grow PA Scholarship Grant
  Due January 7, 2027 · Up to $5,000/yr for up to 4 years
• Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship
  Due January 6, 2027 · $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000

How hard is the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
• Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
• More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
• ✓Ages 15 to 19

What the application takes

• Essay required.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is January 7, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around January 7 each year. Applications open August. The award looks at current leadership, so apply while the project is active rather than after it ends.

Semifinalist and finalist updates

March to April 2026

Applications and nominations open

August 2026

Nominations deadline

December 2026

Application deadline

January 7, 2027

Awardees notified

Late May 2027

Common questions about the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards

More identity & background

• Emily Lester Vermont Opportunity Scholarship
  $1,000 to $2,000 typical, up to $3,000 · due February 10, 2027
• Esperanza Education Fund Scholarship
  Up to $10,000 · due July 1, 2027
• Full Circle Scholarship
  $2,000 - $3,000 (average) · due May 31, 2027
• HSF Scholar Program
  $500 - $5,000 · due February 15, 2027
• Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
  Up to $4,000 (Gold/Silver/Bronze grants) · due November 1, 2026
• Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Scholars Program
  $1,000 to $5,000 per year, typically around $2,000 · due April 30, 2027

Lists this award appears on

• Scholarships With January Deadlines