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Cumulative GPA and related minimum-level academic requirements

Foundations receive so many applications that their first or final cut is often based on GPA because most applicants have fabulous resumes.
After GPA, it is a matter of deciding whose resume is more fabulous.
Resume = community involvement, leadership, initiative, enterprise, and the like.

Conversely, to make the grade and be considered, a high GPA is just the starting point, the entry-level requirement.
So it is "what more" you bring to the competition that counts.
How that is judged depends on each fellowship's emphasis and the mission of the foundation that makes the investment in its fellows.

Latitude is sometimes applied to students majoring in the hard sciences and math, the belief being that it is harder to score high marks in the hard sciences.
Also, hard science applicants are rarer in some fellowship competitions and therefore are more sought-after by foundations seeking a good mix of disciplines.

Ultimately it is about your apparent potential to contribute to society as a future leader in the broadest sense of leadership.
An innovator, for instance, can be a leader, as can a columnist.
Noble character, not intellectualism alone, can count as much as grade level.

Nevertheless, foundations do seek the best and brightest, and the bottom-line cumulative GPA average and related minimum-level academic requirements that the foundations advertise for the various fellowships are as follows with one campus caveat, which is that the entry-level required by Smith to apply through the college may be higher than that published by the foundation because, realistically, to win some fellowships, a much higher GPA is required to stand a reasonable chance of success:

Beinecke 3.8 plus superior academics

Boren 3.5, suitably relevant background

Daad 3.6 minimum, high academic caliber, virtual German fluency

Fulbright

• Minimum GPA is 3.4, maybe 3.3 for Teaching in some countries. For other countries an even higher GPA is needed, e.g., U.K. (3.9).
• More important are the courses taken related to your major interest and as background preparation for your project proposal.
• Very strong in your favor is community involvement and contributions to society.
• Command of foreign language.

Gates "On track to gain a first-class or high second-class with honours bachelors degree.
A high-enough GPA to gain admission to a top graduate school in the United States." = 3.8 minimum.

Luce 3.8, outstanding academic achievement in major

Marshall minimum 3.8 (A-), service.

Mitchell 3.8 minimum, intellectual distinction

Rhodes 3.8 minimum, intellectual distinction, leadership

Truman

• 3.8-plus, top 25% of class
• 2 years in 2 public-service arenas.
• Sustained participation in two or more of the following: Campus activities, Community activities, Partisan politics and campaigns, Government internships or employment, Public or nonprofit board or commission
  
• Typically, sustained participation is demonstrated by a two-year commitment, although not necessarily as a member of one organization, as it could be sustained commitment to a particular cause. It is not a strict eligibility issue but rather how compelling a candidate's case is, how confident the selection committee is that this person has demonstrated leadership, service, and a commitment to a career in public service.

Udall 3.8 minimum to survive first cut