CRN Rainbow Scholarship Constitution
Chapter I: Purpose
Chinese Rainbow Network (CRN), founded in 1996, is the largest overseas Chinese LGBTQIA+ organization, started by Chinese students studying in the United States. Our mission is to build a better Chinese LGBTQIA+ community. Based on this aspiration, the "CRN Rainbow Scholarship," initiated in 2016, was launched by passionate overseas Chinese to encourage Chinese LGBTQIA+ students facing difficult circumstances. It aims to support progressive and academically capable Chinese students worldwide who have a certain understanding of and reflection on their LGBTQIA+ identity, encouraging them to persevere, complete their studies, and serve society.
Chapter II: Sources and Use of Scholarship Funds
Section 2.1: Sources of Funds
All operating funds for the CRN Scholarship come from individual donations. As a non-political, non-religious, non-profit organization, CRN explicitly rejects any donations to the CRN Scholarship from government agencies, foundations, or religious organizations.
Before the end of January each year, the Scholarship Preparation Team submits a funding request to the CRN Executive Committee. The CRN Executive Committee approves the request before the end of February and determines the total scholarship fund for the year.
Section 2.2: Publicity of Scholarship Sources
The following details the background, donation amounts, and messages of individual donors for the 2026 CRN Rainbow Scholarship. All donations are voluntarily made by individuals without any political, religious, or commercial conditions. To protect personal privacy, some donors use pseudonyms, and relevant identity information is archived internally by CRN for verification purposes.
Ziqian, from Zhejiang, graduated with a bachelor's degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and later went to the United States to pursue a master's degree in computer science. He currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, working on artificial intelligence-related projects at Google. When he first arrived in the United States to study, he also experienced financial pressure, identity transitions, and confusion about his future direction. Therefore, he has always hoped to provide practical support for young people who are still studying. He donated 20,000 RMB.
Message to applicants: "Many times, we don't start moving forward only when we are fully ready. Instead, we slowly find our direction while dealing with uncertainty. I hope this scholarship can temporarily ease your worries about practical issues, allowing you to focus more energy on your studies, as well as on the people and things that truly matter. You don't need to prove yourself immediately; just being able to keep going is already remarkable."
Anran, from Sichuan, graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and later went to the United States to study human-computer interaction and product design. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, working on AI product and user experience design in the tech industry. She focuses on how technology can truly serve human needs and has long participated in public welfare activities in the Chinese community. She hopes applicants do not measure their self-worth solely by grades, schools, or careers. She donated 10,000 RMB.
Message to applicants: "Life does not have to unfold according to the path set by others. Allowing yourself to change direction, take a break, or get to know yourself anew does not mean failure. I hope this support gives you a little more space to complete your studies and slowly build a life that truly belongs to you."
Yuchen, from Guangdong, graduated with a bachelor's degree from Sun Yat-sen University and completed a master's degree in financial engineering at Columbia University. She currently lives in New York, working in financial data analysis. She has long been concerned with the inequality of educational resources and deeply understands the multiple pressures that many Chinese LGBTQIA+ students bear between family expectations, self-identity, and career choices. She donated 7,000 RMB.
Message to applicants: "When I was young, I was also very used to doing everything perfectly, as if I had to be outstanding enough to be eligible to choose the life I wanted. Only later did I slowly understand that people do not need to become perfect first to deserve understanding and support. I hope that while you work hard to complete your studies, you can also be a bit gentler with yourself."
Section 2.3: Use of Scholarship Funds
For funds specifically donated to the CRN Scholarship project, we do not charge any administrative fees, nor do we have salaried staff. Operation relies entirely on the selfless dedication of volunteers from overseas and within China.
Section 2.4: Awarding of Scholarships
To foster closer connections between donors and recipients, CRN as an organization does not directly execute the awarding of scholarships. We will match the list of recipients with donors based on donor backgrounds. The Scholarship Workgroup will assist in ensuring direct communication and award presentation between donors and recipients. We look forward to creating a one-on-one mentorship and cooperative support relationship with scholarship participants based on their Chinese LGBTQIA+ identity, encouraging and progressing together on the path of growth.
Chapter III: Scholarship Preparation and Management
Section 3.1: Scholarship Amount
The amount of the scholarship each year is adjusted according to CRN's financial plan for that year (see Chapter II). However, the number of recipients and the scholarship amount should be announced together when the application notice is released.
Section 3.2: Applicant Eligibility
Applicants for the CRN Scholarship must meet the following criteria:
The applicant must self-identify as a Chinese student with a minority gender identity/sexual orientation (LGBTQIA+), where "Chinese" refers to all individuals worldwide who self-identify as ethnically Chinese;
Applicants must be currently enrolled in or about to pursue an associate degree, undergraduate degree, or higher;
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale), an average score of 80% or above, or ranking in the top 30% of the class. Standards may be relaxed as appropriate in special circumstances.
Section 3.3: Application Material Requirements
Applicants for the CRN Scholarship must submit the following materials at the time of application:
CRN Scholarship Application Form (Protecting your privacy is our top priority. CRN will keep all your application information strictly confidential, and applicants may request to withdraw their application at any time).
Section 3.4: Scholarship Promotion
CRN will promote scholarship activities annually through CRN's public platforms.
Section 3.5: Scholarship Preparation Team
Members of the Scholarship Preparation Team include:
Team Leader – Leads the scholarship preparation team, responsible for formulating the CRN Scholarship Charter, managing the daily work of the preparation team, including work plans and execution progress, and reporting directly to the CRN President;
Execution Team Leader – Responsible for communication with scholarship applicants, answering applicants' questions, and organizing applicants' materials;
Head of Public Relations – Responsible for promoting the overall preparation and execution of the CRN Scholarship to the global LGBT community, as well as releasing scholarship selection results, reporting to the Team Leader;
Other staff members.
Chapter IV: Scholarship Selection
Section 4.1: Scholarship Selection Committee
The Scholarship Selection Committee consists of standing members and ad hoc members. Standing members include CRN project leaders. Ad hoc members of the Scholarship Selection Committee are individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Chinese community. For those with outstanding financial contributions, their donation amount must be $1,000 USD or more. Ad hoc members shall be designated by the CRN Executive Committee. In addition, CRN will also invite Chinese LGBTQIA+ individuals from various fields to join the selection process.
Chapter V: Charter Management
Section 5.1: Formulation of the Charter
This Charter is formulated by the CRN Scholarship Preparation Team, voted on by a majority, and reported to the CRN Executive Committee for approval.
Section 5.2: Adoption and Implementation of the Charter
The Charter must be approved by a majority vote of the CRN Executive Committee before it can officially take effect and be implemented. Once the CRN Scholarship Charter takes effect, the leader of the Scholarship Preparation Team shall be fully responsible for its execution.
Section 5.3: Supplement and Amendment to the Charter
The CRN Scholarship Preparation Team is responsible for supplementing and amending the Charter. The amended draft must be approved in accordance with the provisions of Sections 5.1 and 5.2 before it can be officially implemented.