The Kulpa Foundation, founded by Jason and Melissa Kulpa, opened its current application cycle for the Kulpa Health Innovations Scholarship, an award created to support students who are actively developing projects aimed at improving healthcare access and affordability.
Unlike a traditional needs-based scholarship, the Health Innovations award is built around a student’s project or idea. It offers up to $1,000, with the amount determined by the scope and potential impact of the applicant’s work, and pairs recipients with mentorship and strategic guidance from professionals in healthcare and business development.
What the Foundation Is Looking For
The scholarship is open to students enrolled at an accredited educational institution who are pursuing a degree or certificate in healthcare innovation. Eligible applicants should be actively engaged in a project addressing challenges such as:
- Medical debt and the cost of care
- Gaps in healthcare delivery
- The intersection of technology and health services
Applications are reviewed for innovation, feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with the foundation’s mission. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to pitch their project to a panel of healthcare and philanthropy experts before a final recipient is selected.
Why This Scholarship Exists
“Navigating the financial side of a health crisis is overwhelming for any family,” said Jason Kulpa, co-founder of the Kulpa Foundation. “We have seen up close how the system often fails people when they are at their most vulnerable. This scholarship is about backing the students who are building real solutions: the tools, ideas, and approaches that can make a difference for families facing those challenges.”
How to Apply
Students can apply for the current cycle directly in the official Reddit thread, where the foundation has posted full application instructions. Applicants should be prepared to describe their project and submit a required essay reflecting on how they have navigated health and financial challenges and how those experiences have shaped their goals.
The deadline for applications is August 31, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jason Kulpa?
Jason Kulpa is an entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Cohasset, Massachusetts. He founded UE.co, which was acquired by Digital Media Solutions in 2019, and co-founded the Kulpa Foundation in 2024 after his father’s death from cancer.
What is the Kulpa Health Innovations Scholarship?
It is a project-based award of up to $1,000, plus mentorship, from the Kulpa Foundation for students developing solutions to healthcare access and affordability.
How is it different from the foundation’s other programs?
The Future Leaders Scholarship is awarded based on hardship and leadership, while the Care Access Program provides short-term assistance. The Health Innovations Scholarship is judged primarily on the strength of the applicant’s project.
What is the deadline to apply?
August 31, 2026.
Is there a fee to apply?
No.
About Jason Kulpa
Jason Kulpa is an entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Cohasset, Massachusetts. He is the founder and former chief executive of UE.co, a San Diego technology company named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for four consecutive years and acquired by Digital Media Solutions in 2019. A two-time recipient of the San Diego Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO award and a graduate of Arizona State University, Jason Kulpa co-founded the Kulpa Foundation with his wife, Melissa Anderson Kulpa, in 2024 following his father’s death from cancer. The experience of managing his family’s medical bills during that illness is the direct origin of the foundation’s work.
About Melissa Anderson Kulpa
Melissa Anderson Kulpa is co-founder of the Kulpa Foundation and a former Division I lacrosse player at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Raised by a single mother, she directs the foundation’s work supporting young women in athletics and education.
About the Kulpa Foundation
The Kulpa Foundation, established by Jason and Melissa Kulpa, is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to alleviating the financial burden of medical debt. Through direct assistance, educational initiatives, and strategic partnerships, the foundation provides immediate support and long-term solutions to help families navigate the devastating economic impact of health crises. The Kulpas’ mission is to create a future where medical challenges are not compounded by financial strain, ensuring that every family has the resources and support they need to heal and move forward.
For more information, visit www.kulpafoundation.org.
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