Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans

The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, that was founded in 1947 to promote and ensure the American Dream for future generations, honor the achievements of outstanding Americans who have succeeded in spite of adversity, and to emphasize the importance of higher education. The Association is committed to raising awareness about the power of promise of the American Dream and the boundless opportunities for success within the American free-enterprise system. The Association is named for the stories by author Horatio Alger, a 19th-century author of hundreds of dime novels in the "rags-to-riches" genre who extolled the importance of perseverance and hard work.

The association gives the annual Horatio Alger Award to exemplars of its ideals. It also grants scholarships and describes itself as the largest provider of need-based scholarships in the United States. All scholarships are funded by the members of the Horatio Alger Association. As of 2024, the association had given "more than $265 million in college scholarships to roughly 37,000 students".

In addition to its scholarships, the Association provides numerous services to prepare Scholars for post-secondary education and enable them to launch successful careers. With a focus on a whole-Scholar approach, the Horatio Alger Association provides academic support, personal and wellness support and professional support.

According to its website, the Association's mission is to "induct as lifetime Members contemporary role models whose experiences exemplify that opportunities for a successful life are available to all who are dedicated to … integrity, hard work, perseverance and compassion for others". It also provides college scholarships and support services to young people who demonstrate integrity, determination in overcoming adversity and academic potential to make a unique contribution to society.

The organization also seeks to "spread the message that America's free enterprise system provides the greatest opportunities in the world" and to "motivate and educate our nation's young people to the economic and personal opportunities afforded them by the promise of the American free enterprise system".

The Horatio Alger Association is one of the largest, privately funded, need-based college scholarship providers in the United States and supports promising under-resourced students with undergraduate, graduate, and career & technical education scholarships. Since the establishment of its scholarship programs in 1984, the Association has awarded more than $265 million in college scholarships to 37,000 students.

The National Scholars Program was created in 1984 to help American high school students who have overcome adversity attend college. Over time, the Horatio Alger Association has expanded the program. Every year, the Association awards more than 100 need-based scholarships to high school juniors from every U.S. state and the District of Columbia. Grants received by these National Scholars are valued at $25,000 each.

The Association also operates a State Scholars program that gives scholarships to students in every state. Award amounts range from $2,500 to $10,000.