Community foundation scholarships
A community foundation is a charity that manages scholarship funds set up by local families, businesses and groups, often for students from one county or region. Use this to understand how those funds are held, how the shared application works and when the money is paid, so you can plan around the foundation's calendar.
Who holds the money
Each fund inside a community foundation was created by a donor who set its rules in writing, such as which high school, which field of study or which town. The foundation keeps the money invested, follows the donor's terms and pays awards each year from what the fund earns. A single foundation can hold a long list of these funds, some created decades ago in memory of a teacher or a local business owner.
Because the rules come from the donor, they can be narrow. One fund may be limited to graduates of a single school, another to students studying agriculture, another to students returning to college after work or family. The foundation's staff cannot change those terms, so read each fund's description before deciding where you fit.
How the shared application works
Many community foundations use one online application that covers all of their funds. You fill in your school, intended field, activities, finances and an essay once, and the staff or the software sorts your file into the funds whose terms you appear to meet. Some funds still ask for an extra essay or a letter, which shows up as a separate task in your account.
The application usually opens in winter and closes in late winter or spring, before most high school graduations. Volunteer committees, often made up of local residents, read the files and score them. Some foundations ask for a copy of the FAFSA Submission Summary or your college's aid offer to judge financial need, so file the FAFSA early enough to have those papers ready.
The foundation's staff cannot change those terms, so read each fund's description before deciding where you fit.
When and how the money arrives
Awards are announced in spring, sometimes at a local ceremony or a school awards night. The foundation then waits for proof that you have enrolled, often a letter from the registrar or a class schedule, before it pays. Most foundations send the payment straight to the college for the fall term, and some split it between fall and spring.
Some funds renew each year if you stay enrolled and keep a set grade average, while others pay once. Renewal often requires a short form and a transcript sent to the foundation by a summer date. Tell your college's aid office about every award you accept, because the office has to count it alongside your other aid.
Steps to take this week
- Search for the community foundation that serves your county
- Note the shared application's opening and closing dates
- List the funds whose terms describe you
- Ask your counselor which local funds recent graduates received
Who decides
Your local community foundation's scholarship staff
One application to your community foundation can put you in front of many local funds, each with rules its donor set.
