Local scholarships are increasingly easier to find for filling your financial aid portfolio. Community foundations use donations and bequests to form charitable funds that serve young adults in their geographic region. Across the United States, there are more than 750 foundations in urban and rural counties with assets ranging from $100,000 to $1.7 billion.
Searching for local scholarships is beneficial because your chances of winning are significantly higher. The funds are limited to much smaller applicant pools than their competitive, national counterparts. Students can generally apply for multiple scholarships with one application to reduce their invested time too.
Let’s traverse the country to highlight 25 local scholarships that will generously support tomorrow’s bright, productive citizens.
1. AAA South Jersey Scholarship Program
Deadline: March 31st
AAA South Jersey, a local affiliate of the country’s largest motor club, created a $2,500 college scholarship for graduating high school seniors. It’s open to New Jersey residents of Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties who will enter an accredited two- or four-year institution this Fall. Entering the program involves writing a 500-1,000 word essay discussing today’s most distracting features in automobiles that negatively impact traffic safety.
Contact
AAA South Jersey Scholarship Program
700 Laurel Oak Road
Voorhees, NJ 08043
(856) 783-4222
smensch@aaasj.com
2. Aimee Melissa Davis Scholarship
Deadline: April 7th
The Austin Community Foundation currently gifts over a half million through 400+ funds, including the Aimee Melissa Davis Scholarship. This $5,000 award supports college-bound high school seniors in Texas’ Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties who are living insulin dependent with Type 1 diabetes. Applications must include a physician’s diagnosis letter, two professional recommendations, and financial need statements. Locals can also consider funds like the Carson Starkey Memorial and Judy Swan Smith Scholarship.
Contact
Aimee Melissa Davis Scholarship
4315 Guadalupe Street Suite 300
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 220-1441
sbowman@austincf.org
3. Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
The Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Greensboro Chapter offers the Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 to honor the Grimsley High School graduate who tragically drowned at Ocean Isle Beach. Eligible recipients will be self-identified LGBT or straight ally students from North Carolina’s Guilford, Rockingham, Randolph, or Alamance counties who are entering undergraduate study. Writing a maximum 1,000-word essay about how you’ve improved the LGBT community is required.
Contact
Carter Stroupe Memorial Scholarship
P.O. Box 4153
Greensboro, NC 27404
(336) 541-6754
info@pflaggreensboro.org
4. Charlotte Gratz Kisseleff Scholarship
Deadline: March 30th
Worth $7,500, the Charlotte Gratz Kisseleff Scholarship is given by the Pittsburgh Foundation to Pennsylvanians from Allegheny County who are studying classical music at any certified U.S. higher learning institution. Qualified applicants must have graduated high school in the Greater Pittsburgh area, attained junior or senior status, maintained a minimum collegiate GPA of 2.0, submitted a faculty reference letter, and written a brief 200-word essay about their music career objectives.
Contact
Charlotte Gratz Kisseleff Scholarship
Five PPG Place Suite 250
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 391-5122
marinoj@pghfdn.org
5. David R. Woodling Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: June 9th
New Mexicans who’ve lived in the “Land of Enchantment” for 12+ months could qualify for the Albuquerque Community Foundation’s David R. Woodling Memorial Scholarship. This $4,600 award supports non-traditional students who are pursuing a certificate or associate degree in metals technology, including machining and welding. Eligibility criteria includes finishing a high school diploma or GED, presenting a cumulative GPA above 2.5, studying at least half-time, and exhibiting technical promise.
Contact
David R. Woodling Memorial Scholarship
624 Tijeras Ave NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 883-6240
foundation@albuquerquefoundation.org
6. Edna Fant McConnell Scholarship
Deadline: June 1st
Another local scholarship for non-traditional students is the Edna Fant McConnell Scholarship, which awards $2,000 from the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis to honor the women’s advocate and teacher at the Panoche School District. It’s available to single mothers over age 21 who need financial assistance to return to an accredited college for a bachelor’s degree with a minimum “B” average.” Applications are accepted from select counties in western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi.
Contact
Edna Fant McConnell Scholarship
1900 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 722-0032
vlangston@cfgm.org
7. Elena Albano Maka’alohilohi Scholarship
Deadline: February 15th
The Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF) bestows the Elena Albano Maka’alohilohi Scholarship for $2,000 yearly to local residents of Maui County who are recovering from a mental health, behavioral, or psychological disability. Interested applicants must pursue traditional or vocational education at a nonprofit U.S. college, have Hawaiian ancestry, study full-time with a 2.7 GPA or higher, exhibit unmet financial need, and attach a counselor’s letter of recommendation. Also consider the Ida M. Pope Memorial Scholarship.
Contact
Elena Albano Maka’alohilohi Scholarship
827 Fort Street Mall
Honolulu, HI 96813
(888) 731-3863
scholarships@hcf-hawaii.org
8. Frederick K. Kilian Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: April 28th
Named after the founder of Kilian Manufacturing Corp. in Syracuse, the Frederick K. Kilian Memorial Scholarship grants $2,625 from the Community Foundation of Central New York. One graduating male and female high school senior from Onondaga or Madison county is selected annually. Qualified candidates will be matriculating full-time in an accredited NYS college with a minimum 3.2 GPA overall to earn bachelor’s degrees in engineering, science, manufacturing, or teaching.
Contact
Frederick K. Kilian Memorial Scholarship
431 E. Fayette Street Suite 100
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 422-9538
info@cnycf.org
9. Ganelle Hargrove Cook Scholarship
Deadline: March 20th
Established in 1999 by the Community Foundation of Central Blue Ridge, the Ganelle Hargrove Cook Scholarship offers $1,000 per year for $4,000 total to Virginians from Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta counties. Appropriate applicants will be graduating high school this Spring, enrolling at accredited colleges in the continental U.S., exemplifying the character qualities of respect and responsibility, and lacking financial means. Preference is given to rural Appalachians of Hispanic heritage.
Contact
Ganelle Hargrove Cook Scholarship
117 South Lewis Street
Staunton, VA 24401
(540) 213-2150
info@communityfoundationcbr.org
10. Gladys D. Goodson Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
The Gladys D. Goodson Scholarship confers $2,500 annually to four future nurses through the Lincoln Community Foundation. To qualify, aspiring RNs must be pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing full-time, have graduated from a Nebraska high school, attend an accredited school in-state, possess a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better, and have low expected family contribution. The LCF has 63 other local scholarships, including the Lincoln AMA Fund.
Contact
Gladys D. Goodson Scholarship
215 Centennial Mall South Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 474-2345
robertm@lcf.org
11. Helen and L.S. Wong Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: February 24th
Valued at $2,500 to $6,000, the Helen and L.S. Wong Memorial Scholarship is presented yearly by the Asian Pacific Fund for one to four local high school seniors in California’s Fairfield-Suisun community. Eligible entrants must have at least 50 percent Asian heritage, be U.S. citizens or legal residents, enroll as incoming freshmen at two- or four-year colleges, hold a minimum unweighted GPA of 2.8, and demonstrate financial need.
Contact
Helen and L.S. Wong Memorial Scholarship
465 California Street Suite 809
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 395-9985
scholarship@asianpacificfund.org
12. Jennifer Thoma Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: January 30th
The Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County initiated the Jennifer Thoma Memorial Scholarship to award $2,500 to local dancers between 12 and 19 years old who are pursuing summer intensive ballet training institutes. Eligible performers must currently attend high school or college full-time, have U.S. citizenship or legal residency, show commitment to academics with a minimum 2.0 GPA, display ballet aptitude, and be recommended by a dance instructor.
Contact
Jennifer Thoma Memorial Scholarship
550 Dana Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 543-2323
angela@sloccf.org
13. Jim and Fran Foss Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
Based on merit and need, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation awards the Jim and Fran Foss Scholarship for $4,250 to four local seniors graduating from Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Washington high school. Interested South Dakotans must be accepted at an accredited two- or four-year college, present a minimum 3.0 GPA on their transcript, and submit a Student Aid Report (SAR). Another profitable scholarship in Minnehaha County is the $4,250 Herman and LaVerne Griller Scholarship.
Contact
Jim and Fran Foss Scholarship
200 N. Cherapa Place
Sioux Falls, SD 5710
(605) 336-7055
apatterson@sfacf.org
14. Lamont S. Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
Since 2012, the Lamont S. Johnson Memorial Scholarship has gifted $1,000 from the Cleveland Foundation to honor the Glenville High School graduate whose career in Ohio MRDD spanned nearly three decades. It’s designed for African American males with immigrant parents who are enrolled as sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Cleveland State University or transferring from Cuyahoga Community College to finish the bachelor’s in speech-language pathology with a 2.8 GPA or greater.
Contact
Lamont S. Johnson Memorial Scholarship
1422 Euclid Avenue, Suite 1300
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 861-3810
TCFScholarships@CleveFdn.org
15. Mary & Donn Random Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: March 6th
Organized in 1920, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Sacramento Branch offers Northern California residents the $2,000 Mary & Donn Random Memorial Scholarship. This fund supports females aged 25 or over who are studying at American River College, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento City College, Folsom Lake College, or CSU-Sacramento. Eligible ladies must hold 12+ college credits, pursue their first bachelor’s degree, and uphold a minimum “B” average.
Contact
Mary & Donn Random Memorial Scholarship
69 43rd Street
Sacramento, CA 95819
susana.mullen@gmail.com
Scholarship Link
16. Mathew W. Placzek Law Scholarship
Deadline: March 10th
Devoted to “Connecting Passion to Purpose,” the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) awards over $1 million in local scholarships like the Mathew W. Placzek Law Scholarship. This $2,000 fund seeks Missourians who graduated high school in Greene County, including Ash Grove, Springfield, Strafford, and Willard, or attended Drury University and Missouri State University-Springfield. Funding only applies to tuition at ABA-accredited law schools for Juris Doctorate candidates.
Contact
Mathew W. Placzek Law Scholarship
425 E. Trafficway
Springfield, MO 65801
(417) 864-6199
cfo@cfozarks.org
17. Nancy Penn Lyons Scholarship
Deadline: February 15th
The Nancy Penn Lyons Scholarship is one of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s 16 local scholarship opportunities that’s giving $5,000 annually for up to four years. Legal Georgia residents must be graduating from Atlanta Metro high schools, intend to enroll at selective private or out-of-state college, achieve a 3.0 GPA or better, score at least 1000 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT, have a community service record, and need financial assistance.
Contact
Nancy Penn Lyons Scholarship
191 Peachtree Street NE Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 688-5525
nbattle@cfgreateratlanta.org
18. Paul B. and Aline Flynn Scholarship
Deadline: March 3rd
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation boasts $67 million in scholarship funding, such as the Paul B. and Aline Flynn Scholarship. This $1,000 program selects three high school seniors in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties who are entering accredited Florida colleges to study communications or journalism with a 3.0 overall GPA or better. Other merit-based local scholarships include the George E. Judd Scholarship and Judge William J. Nelson Scholarship.
Contact
Paul B. and Aline Flynn Scholarship
8771 College Parkway Suite 201
Fort Myers, FL 33919
(239) 274-5900
askalecki@floridacommunity.com
19. Perlita Liwanag Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults provides the Perlita Liwanag Memorial Scholarship to remember the vibrant Filipino immigrant who worked as a chemist for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) before succumbing to pancreatic cancer. Her legacy lives on with this $2,500 local scholarship for Washington, DC Metro residents who have battled cancer and/or witnessed cancer’s impact on a parent or sibling. Applicants must be aged 15 to 39 and seeking U.S. higher education.
Contact
Perlita Liwanag Memorial Scholarship
1215 East Fort Avenue Suite 104
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 964-0202
info@ulmanfund.org
20. Phi Beta Kappa Chicagoland Scholarship
Deadline: March 2nd
Since 2005, the Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Association has granted the $5,000 Chicagoland Scholarship annually to outstanding seniors in the Chicago Public Schools who will enroll full-time at accredited post-secondary institutions. Eligible Northern Illinois residents must be U.S. citizens or legal residents, graduate this Spring, attain a weighted GPA over 3.0, and present a composite ACT score of 27 or better. Recent recipients have attended Amherst, Columbia, Yale, UIUC, and more.
Contact
Phi Beta Kappa Chicagoland Scholarship
P.O. Box 641121
Chicago, IL 60664
(312) 409-1937
jstrausslipkin@gmail.com
21. Ralph Waning and Albert Faust Scholarship
Deadline: May 15th
The Maine Community Foundation (MCF) helps hundreds of locals with over $2 million in financial aid, such as the Ralph Waning and Albert Faust Scholarship. Mainers who’ve lived in Kennebec and Waldo counties for at least 24 months could qualify for the $1,000. Other eligibility criteria includes finishing the freshman year, majoring in forestry or agriculture, attending an accredited U.S. college, sustaining a “C” average or better, and advocating for natural conservation.
Contact
Ralph Waning and Albert Faust Scholarship
245 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
(207) 667-9735
efickett@mainecf.org
22. Richard W. Pippenger Scholarship
Deadline: March 1st
Valued at $2,000 yearly, the Richard W. Pippenger Scholarship is awarded by the Western Colorado Community Foundation (WC-CF) to support firefighters from Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Ouray, Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Moffat counties. Qualified candidates must be between 21 and 40 years old, be active fire department members in Colorado, attend college to study majors like fire science or public safety, take 6+ credits per term, and excel with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Contact
Richard W. Pippenger Scholarship
225 North 5th Street Suite 505
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 243-3767
awenzel@wc-cf.org
23. Sven and Lorraine Eriksson Scholarship
Deadline: April 28th
Each Spring, the Alaska Community Foundation opens the Sven and Lorraine Eriksson Scholarship to provide $2,500 annually for up to $10,000 total. Locals from “America’s Last Frontier” who are enrolling full-time at any University of Alaska campus to study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, or music could apply. The committee looks for a cumulative GPA above 2.5, strong leadership capacity, unmet financial need, and motivation for professional success.
Contact
Sven and Lorraine Eriksson Scholarship
3201 C Street Suite 110
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 334-6700
grants@alaskacf.org
24. SWE DelMar Peninsula Scholarship
Deadline: December 5th
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) DelMar Peninsula Section offers a $1,000 scholarship for at least five female incoming freshmen who will study engineering, engineering technology, or related scientific disciplines at ABET-accredited colleges nationwide. Eligible recipients must permanently reside in Delaware or Maryland, hold a minimum “B” average, score at least 600 on the SAT Math or 29 on the ACT Math, and attach two teacher recommendations.
Contact
SWE DelMar Peninsula Scholarship
401 Eagle Run Road
Newark, DE 19714
(302) 454-4374
lynn.srivastava@pepcoholdings.com
25. UNCF Twin Cities Hope Scholarship
Deadline: October 14th
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) offers the Twin Cities Hope Scholarship locally for $7,500 to help African American men and women afford college. Living in Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, McLeod, Ramsey, Scott, Sherman, Stearns, Washington, or Wright counties is required. Eligible Minnesotans should also be attending accredited four-year U.S. colleges full-time with a cumulative GPA above 3.0. Don’t forget to write a 500-word statement about your career aspirations.
Contact
UNCF Twin Cities Hope Scholarship
1201 Marquette Avenue Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 338-5742
David.ray@uncf.org
Conducting a local scholarship search can be most effective for finding funding that aligns with your area’s typical tuition rates. For instance, 24/7 Wall St. reported that the least affordable state for college is New Hampshire with mean tuition at $14,655. Yet Wyoming is the most inexpensive state with tuition at $4,404 on average. Although they’re not as prestigious as national scholarships, local programs are often tailored to regional differences. If your city or county isn’t listed above, contact your nearest community foundation for more local scholarships.
