The Modera Wealth Management, LLC CFP® Certification Diversity Scholarship

About the Scholarship

The Modera Wealth Management, LLC CFP® Certification Diversity Scholarship aims to advance diversity in the financial planning profession by providing financial assistance to qualified individuals from the East Coast region, who are from underrepresented populations in the profession and who strive to obtain the CFP® certification.

Modera is a fee-only registered investment advisor, managing more than $13 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024. Modera has 17 offices along the East Coast and provides investment management, financial planning, tax planning, trust services and business retirement services to more than 5,500 families and businesses across the country. Modera has partnered with the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning to offer this unique scholarship as an extension of one of the firm’s fundamental values; to give back to the communities in which they serve.

The scholarship awards up to $5,000 to qualified students from East Coast states seeking to complete the education coursework at an undergraduate or certificate-level CFP Board Registered Program that qualifies the student to sit for the CFP® exam.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must not be a prior recipient of a CFP Board Center for Financial Planning scholarship;
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
• Must be from an underrepresented population within the financial planning profession AND must have a demonstrated financial need, as explained in an essay to be submitted during the application process;
• To receive the award, must be enrolled in an undergraduate or certificate-level CFP Board Registered Program at a college or university located in any of the following states: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine OR must be a resident of one of the aforementioned states. Click here for a list of eligible programs.
  • If not enrolled at the time of applying, scholarship awardees will have up to 3 months to enroll or forfeit the award;
  • If applying for an undergraduate-level scholarship, must not be in the final semester at the time of the application;
  • If applying for a certificate-level scholarship, must possess an undergraduate degree and must not have completed 6 or more courses in the certificate-level program at the time of the application.
• Must provide documentation of enrollment in an eligible program and costs prior to receiving the award;
• Must demonstrate commitment to the financial planning profession, as explained in an essay to be submitted during the application process; and
• Applicants will be required to pass a background check conducted by CFP Board, and must enhance and maintain the profession’s public image.

Submission Requirements

Applications will only be accepted through the application portal. Please do not attempt to submit application materials via mail, fax or email.

When submitting application essays and materials, please pay close attention to spelling, grammar and presentation, as that will be factored into the grading process.

Award Process

Scholarship awards will be disbursed in two equal installments. To receive the first installment, recipients must demonstrate proof of enrollment in an eligible undergraduate or certificate-level CFP Board Registered Program. If not currently enrolled in a program, recipients will have up to 3 months to enroll after being notified of the award. The second installment will be awarded either upon completing the program (if the awardee has already started coursework), or when the awardee is halfway through the program (if the awardee has not yet started coursework).

Application Deadline

The application window will be open in late August 2025.