Community Foundation scholarship application period now open

By Jami Edwards, grants assistant, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

What does the number 1,589 mean to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta? It is the total number of students who received a scholarship administered by the Foundation in fall, 2017. It is the total number of career goals and dreams being pursued with the financial support from scholarships established by our generous donors that we administer.

Our current scholarship application window is now open for the 2018 – 2019 academic year. Most scholarship applications are due by Thursday, February 15 and interested students can apply on the Foundation’s website here.

The Community Foundation’s scholarships were established by philanthropic donors with a specific focus toward helping students pursue the dream of higher education. During fall 2017 alone, these scholarships provided over $3.3 million in funds for students in the region. Awards are available for students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Our scholarship options are a mix of unrestricted and restricted, for the general student population or for specific students or interests. Some are restricted for use at designated colleges and universities or are exclusively for students pursuing a specialized field of study. Others are for students affiliated with specific corporations or who live in targeted regions. All have the same goal – helping students achieve their dreams of a post-secondary education.

Each scholarship has different eligibility criteria and award amounts, reflecting the interests and values of the individual or family that established the scholarship fund. Most scholarships offer awards to multiple students annually and many are renewable as long as students maintain eligibility per individual scholarship requirements.

A complete list of scholarships, eligibility criteria, the application form and scholarship webinar can be found here. In addition to the scholarships established by our philanthropic donors, the Community Foundation is also a partner of Achieve Atlanta that provides scholarships to students in the Atlanta Public School system. The deadline for these is in May, more details can be found here.

Note: This piece originally appeared in the Saporta Report.