The Southwest Florida Community Foundation established its first scholarship fund in 1980 and now administers 59 individual scholarship funds with a total of 156 scholarships eligible to be awarded.

Scholarship eligibility requirements vary according to the specific wishes of each scholarship fund’s donor. Please look at each scholarship for information regarding specific eligibility requirements, scholarship dollar amount and whether the scholarship is for one year or four years of higher education.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Coming soon! The Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s scholarship applications are going online! With our new E-Apply feature, the scholarship application process will be greatly streamlined, as students will now be able to complete and submit their applications electronically, upload attachments, and track the status of their submissions to the Community Foundation. We are confident that you will enjoy our new E-Apply feature and will be welcoming your comments.

THE DETERMINATION PROCESS

Scholarship recipients are selected based upon the specific criteria made by each fund’s donor. Each scholarship application is reviewed for completion of all required elements.

Every application is reviewed by a member of the Community Foundation’s volunteer Scholarship Reading Committee. Some scholarships also require a personal interview (applicants applying for those scholarships will be notified and an appointment will be scheduled).

In the case of scholarships which are determined by financial need, applicants may be contacted either by letter or telephone and asked to provide additional information to the Foundation on other grants or loans awarded by schools and other funding sources. This data will be used in determining the amount of certain awards. This information will be kept confidential.

After all applications are reviewed and interviews completed, the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees will review all recommendations and approve the scholarship awards.

NOTIFICATION OF AWARDS

Recipients of each scholarship will be notified by the Community Foundation in May. If a student has not been notified, it means he/she was not awarded a scholarship this year.

PAYMENT OF AWARDS

Payments are mailed directly to the school’s financial aid office before the beginning of each school year. Checks are made payable to the school and not to the individual recipient. To collect your scholarship award please send your student ID number, school bill/invoice and the address of the school to Kathryn Cintron at the above address.