Foundation News

NFFF Awards More Than $500,000 in Scholarships to Fallen Firefighters’ Families; Total Scholarship Support Nears $8 Million

Backed by Motorola Solutions Foundation and other NFFF partners, 67 recipients will receive financial assistance to pursue higher education in 2026-2027 academic year

NFFF
October 26, 2026
8:30 am

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) announced today that it has awarded 67 scholarships totaling $548,148 to the spouses, children, and stepchildren of fallen firefighters for the 2026-2027 academic year. This year’s recipients include 34 returning scholars and 33 first-time recipients.

The NFFF has a nearly 30-year history of providing educational support to families of firefighters who have died in the line of duty, with at least $7.94 million in tuition assistance awarded to more than 1,800 students across the country since the inception of its Scholarship Program. By easing the financial burden of higher education, the program ensures the legacies of fallen firefighters live on through the accomplishments of their families.

Scholarships are awarded based on applicants’ financial need and academic performance, with a special consideration for those working toward degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and public safety fields.

“Supporting the families of our nation’s fallen firefighters has always been at the heart of the NFFF,” said Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “Through these scholarships, we can help erase some financial pressures and give students from our Fire Hero Families a chance to focus on their futures. Thanks to the generosity of our partners, we’re ensuring their aspirations stay in reach while honoring the lasting legacies of their loved ones.”

The NFFF scholarship program is made possible through its partners, including Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, which has supported the NFFF’s mission for more than 20 years.

Among the scholarship programs Motorola Solutions Foundation supports is the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Scholarship, which provides financial support for college tuition, books and other education-related expenses. The scholarship honors the longtime Maryland senator, whose advocacy helped lead to the creation of NFFF and whose legacy of support the fire service continues through the program’s support of families of fallen firefighters.

Motorola Solutions Foundation expanded its partnership with NFFF’s scholarship program in 2020 with the launch of the Enhanced Scholarship Initiative (ESI), a which provides larger scholarship funds to individuals pursuing degrees in STEM or public safety. ESI has now provided 16 full-tuition scholarships totaling nearly $450,000.

We are honored to continue our partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and support the families of our nation’s fallen firefighters in this meaningful and tangible way,” said Wesley Barden Touhy, Executive Director, Motorola Solutions Foundation. “Scholarships provide students with greater opportunity to pursue higher education, follow their dreams, and create a future filled with possibility without financial concerns standing in the way.”

This academic year, 59 of the 67 scholarship recipients received funding through Motorola Solutions Foundation, including 27 students pursuing degrees in STEM, with one recipient in their final year of premedical studies.

“I am drawn to medicine because it combines scientific problem-solving with meaningful human connection, particularly during times of crisis and uncertainty,” said Brianna Marshall, a Motorola Enhanced Scholarship Initiative recipient. “My father, Rehoboth Fire Department Firefighter Kenneth D. Marshall, suffered a fatal heart attack while preparing to respond to an emergency call when I was just six years old. As a firefighter and EMT, he instilled in me the values of service, responsibility, and compassion. His legacy continues to inspire my pursuit of a career rooted in service, empathy, and resilience. I am deeply grateful to the donors whose generosity honors fallen firefighters and supports students striving to carry their legacy forward.”

In addition to the support of the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the NFFF Scholarship Program is made possible through the generosity of the following scholarship partners and donors: