How to Apply, Claim, or Renew
The Community Foundation administers more than 130 scholarship opportunities. Most of our scholarships are for college, graduate school, or vocational school, but some awards apply to private or parochial school or special opportunities like summer camp, music lessons, creative ventures, high school study-abroad programs, or loan repayment. If you have any questions about our scholarship program, email Scholarships@racf.org.
Eligibility
Each scholarship has a unique set of eligibility criteria established by the individuals, families, and organizations that created them. Most opportunities take into account the student’s area of interest, where they live or go to school, their individual circumstances, and/or where they want to pursue their education.
Searching for Scholarships
Our scholarship search page contains clear directions for starting your search by choosing county, student status, and area of study, or entering the scholarship name or a keyword. Many of our scholarships can be applied for through our online Consolidated Scholarship Application, while others use a paper or other application process coordinated through a local high school, college, organization, or other community partner.
Scholarship Summary
Each scholarship has a dedicated web page that outlines the details specific to that scholarship including, but not limited to, eligibility criteria, application period, award amount, application and selection processes, and award announcement and payment information. Be advised that the information about the Community Foundation’s scholarships is updated each year and only considered accurate on our website. We are not responsible for misinformation on other websites.
Timeline
Application Process
Each scholarship summary outlines the application process. In most cases, it is coordinated through a specific high school, college, or organization. Some scholarships use a nomination process, and others select recipients based on special criteria, often eliminating the need for an application. The remaining scholarships, coordinated by the Community Foundation, include a link to the online application.
As of 2021, more than 40 of our online applications for graduating high school seniors and vocational, undergraduate, and graduate students have been merged into one Consolidated Scholarship Application (see full list). This means that completing this one application automatically puts students in the running for any and all scholarships in this group for which they are eligible.
For support with an online application or using the online system, please see the Applying Online Instructions or email the Community Foundation’s scholarship office at Scholarships@racf.org.
Application Deadline
While most deadlines are between February and May, there are a variety of due dates throughout the year. Each scholarship has a dedicated web page with a summary specific to that scholarship (see the Search for Scholarships section). Some deadlines are not posted, and rather, direct students to contact the school, college, or organization for more information.
Checking your online application status: The Community Foundation does not send confirmation of documentation submission or award status; however, automated notifications are sent from our system at various stages of the process. Students are responsible for following up to ensure that all sections of the application are completed to 100% and that the requests were completed. Any Consolidated Scholarship Application or other online application not completed by February 1 will not be considered.
Notification of Award
All students awarded a scholarship will receive an initial email directing them to an online award packet explaining everything they need to know about their scholarship and the acceptance and payment release processes. An online account is required to accept and release scholarships. If a student applied to a scholarship online or had previously received a scholarship, they would use this same account. If not, the student will need to create an account before they can accept and release their scholarship.
Refer to the individual scholarship summary to learn more about the notification and payment release process.
Decline letters are sent only for scholarships that use the Community Foundation’s online application process.
Note: After a scholarship is awarded, any change in a student’s enrollment status, college/university, or major/program could result in the loss of all or part of the one-time or renewable award. Be sure to keep the Community Foundation informed of any changes to your contact information, address, and enrollment.
Accepting and Releasing Your Scholarship
All students awarded a scholarship will need to complete the scholarship acceptance process right away. Additional information to release the scholarship payment will be due by July 30 for Fall semester scholarships and scholarships split between the Fall and Spring semesters. Information to release Spring semester only payments is due by January 30. Follow-up information may be required after the scholarship is released. This will be indicated during the application acceptance process and the information will be collected within the same online form.
- Fall Semester: Awards specifically for the Fall or that are split between the Fall and Spring semesters must be released between July 1 and July 30.
- Spring Semester: Awards specifically for the Spring semester must be released between December 1 and January 30.
All scholarships are paid to the school and applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the scholarship summary or award notification. Additionally, most awards will be split between the Fall and Spring semesters unless otherwise specified.
Some scholarships require follow-up information that is due by February 15; however, providing follow-up information for the initial Bullis Family Scholarship disbursement by December 1 will ensure timely delivery of the student’s Spring semester payment.
To learn more about accepting and releasing your award, see the Accepting and Releasing Your Award tab, which contains information about required documentation, payout schedule, and processing information.
Renewing Your Award
Of the 130-plus scholarships administered by the Community Foundation, roughly 20 percent are renewable. These scholarships have specific criteria (e.g., proof of enrollment, program/major, minimum GPA, etc.) that must be met for continued eligibility. Each scholarship summary indicates whether a scholarship is renewable and outlines the renewal process. Should you have any questions or concerns about renewing your scholarship, email Scholarships@racf.org.
To learn more about renewing your scholarship, see the Renewal Process tab, which contains information about required documentation, payout schedule, and processing information.
Questions?
Email Scholarships@racf.org or call 585.341.4350 for assistance.
Accepting and releasing your scholarship is as easy as 1-2-3.
- Review and follow the instructions in the award notification email.
- Follow the link to back to your online application or to the Scholarship Acceptance or Renewal Form.
- Complete the acceptance requirements and disbursement form.
As a part of the acceptance and disbursement process, you will review the scholarship awarded and scholarship terms, upload the required documentation including a class schedule, unofficial transcript, and tuition bill, and provide a thank-you letter to the donor(s) who created the scholarship. Should you have any questions about this process, or if you did not receive your award notification, email Scholarships@racf.org for information.
Be advised, you will need to log in to your existing account or create an account (if you do not have one) to accept or renew your scholarship. Also, because the Scholarship Acceptance and Renewal Form shares a platform with our online application system, you will need to click “Apply” to begin and “Submit” upon completion.
For information specific to renewing a scholarship, view the Renewal Process section and the Scholarship Terms (PDF). Note: The Acceptance and Payout Schedule are the same for all scholarships.
Change in Enrollment
After a scholarship is awarded, any change in a student’s enrollment status, college/university, or major/program could result in a partial or total loss of the one-time or renewable award. Communicate any changes (listed above) and direct any other questions or concerns regarding the award to the Community Foundation’s scholarship office at Scholarships@racf.org. See the Scholarship Terms (PDF) for more information.
Check the Status of Your Award
The Community Foundation does not send confirmation of documentation submission or award status; however, automated notifications are sent from our system at various stages of the process. Students are responsible for following up to ensure that acceptance, disbursement, and/or renewal documentation was received. Please see the payment schedule below for processing information and check the status of your award by logging in to your account or by emailing Scholarships@racf.org.
IMPORTANT: Every school has a different timeline and process for applying scholarships to student accounts. This makes it difficult to determine how long it will take the school to apply the scholarship to your account or how the funds will be dispersed. If there is a discrepancy between the expected award and the amount applied to the account, or if the scholarship has not been applied after 30 days from the date it was processed and mailed, please contact your school’s account services or bursar’s office before contacting the Community Foundation. If it is determined that the school has not received your scholarship, please email Scholarships@racf.org to begin the research process.
Award Processing
All scholarships will be paid in the Fall semester unless they are specifically designated for the Spring semester per the scholarship summary or terms, or an alternative agreement between you and the Community Foundation has been agreed upon.
- Fall Semester: Awards specifically for the Fall or that are split between the Fall and Spring semesters must be released between July 1 and August 15.
- Spring Semester: Awards specifically for the Spring semester must be released between January 1 and February 15.
All scholarships are paid to the school and applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the scholarship summary or award notification. Additionally, most awards will be split between the Fall and Spring semester unless otherwise specified.
Some scholarships require follow-up information that is due by February 15; however, providing follow-up information for the initial Bullis Family Scholarship disbursement by December 1 will ensure timely delivery of the student’s Spring semester payment.
Scholarships not claimed within these timelines are considered abandoned and will be forfeited. Payments for Fall and Spring will be released according to the schedules below.
Most scholarships require proof of enrollment in the form of an un/official transcript before the scholarship can be released. All scholarship payments will be mailed to the school and applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the award letter or scholarship description.
Scholarships with an allocated or preferred payment for the Fall will be processed according to the following schedule:
DOCUMENTS DUE | PAYOUT |
|---|---|
July 1 | July 20 |
July 15 | August 1 |
August 1 | August 15 |
August 15 | September 1 |
If documentation for the Fall semester is received outside of the schedule above, it will be processed within 10 to 15 business days. NOTE: Scholarships for the Fall semester will not be released before July 1.
Documentation to release payment for the Fall semester will not be accepted after August 15 unless specifically designated for the Spring semester or there are extenuating circumstances. Please email Scholarships@racf.org right away with any questions or concerns.
Scholarships with an allocated or preferred payment for the Spring will be processed according to the following schedule:
DOCUMENTS DUE | PAYOUT |
|---|---|
January 1 | January 20 |
January 15 | February 1 |
February 1 | February 15 |
February 15 | March 1 |
If documentation for the Spring semester is received outside of the schedule above, it will be processed within 10 to 15 business days. NOTE: Scholarships for the Spring semester will not be released before January 1.
Documentation specifically for Spring semester payments AND all other scholarship payments for the given academic year will not be accepted after February 15. They will be considered abandoned and then forfeited.
Sharing Your Story
The Community Foundation and our scholarship donors love to hear about the positive impact that scholarships have on the lives of our award recipients and to receive updates about our recipients as they progress through school and beyond. There are opportunities for students to provide thank-you notes and updates during the acceptance and renewal process; however, students can share their story anytime by emailing Scholarships@racf.org.
Thank-You Note
Scholarships are provided by generous individuals, families, companies, organizations, and associations. As part of the award acceptance process, students will thank those who made the award possible by submitting a thank-you letter (along with the documentation to release their scholarship) through the online acceptance and renewal process. Find the link to the acceptance process in your award notification or email Scholarships@racf.org for information.
Questions?
Email Scholarships@racf.org or call 585.341.4350 for assistance.
Award packets from the Community Foundation contain everything students need to know to claim renewable scholarships. Renewal instructions can also be found in the Award Process and Payment and Renewable sections of the scholarship description. To find the scholarship description, search the scholarship database by using the keyword search.
Renewing Your Award is as easy as 1-2-3.
- Find the scholarship description in our database.
- Follow the instructions under the Award Announcement and Payment section.
- Upload the required documentation to the online Scholarship Documentation Collection Portal (NEW). Here you will also be able to provide a thank-you letter to the donor(s) who created the scholarship. Find the link to the Scholarship Documentation Collection Portal in your award letter or email Scholarships@racf.org for information.
Be advised, you will need to log in to your existing account or create an account (if you do not have one) in order to access the portal. Also, because the portal shares a platform with our online application system, you will need to click “Apply” to begin and “Submit” upon completion.
Payments will be released according to the schedules below. All scholarship awards will be mailed to the school to be applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the award letter or scholarship description.
Renewal Requirements
Each renewable scholarship has separate and distinct renewal instructions, criteria, and forms located in the Award Announcement and Payment and Renewal sections of the scholarship description page. To find the scholarship description page, search the scholarship database by using the keyword search.
Progress Report or Student Update
Scholarships are provided by generous individuals, families, companies, organizations, and associations in this community. Some scholarships require recipients to share their progress via the paper or electronic scholarship renewal form as part of the renewal process. Others are encouraged to share their story by emailing Scholarships@racf.org.
Change in Enrollment
After a scholarship is awarded, any change in a student’s enrollment status, college/university, or major/program could result in the loss of the one-time or renewable award. Communicate any changes and direct any other questions or concerns regarding the award to the Community Foundation’s scholarship office at Scholarships@racf.org. See the Scholarship Terms (PDF) for more information.
Check the Status of Your Renewed Award
The Community Foundation does not send confirmation of documentation submission or award status; however, automated notifications are sent from our system at various stages of the process. Students are responsible for following up to ensure that acceptance, disbursement, and/or renewal documentation was received. Please see the payment schedule below for processing information and check the status of your award by logging in to your account or by emailing Scholarships@racf.org..
IMPORTANT: Every school has a different timeline and process for applying scholarships to student accounts. This makes it difficult to determine how long it will take the school to apply the scholarship to your account or how the funds will be dispersed. If there is a discrepancy between the expected award and the amount applied to the account, or if the scholarship has not been applied after 30 days from the date it was processed and mailed, please contact your school’s account services or bursar’s office before contacting the Community Foundation. If it is determined that the school has not received your scholarship, please email Scholarships@racf.org to begin the research process.
Scholarship Award Processing
Scholarship awards must be claimed between July 1 and February 15 of the academic year in which they are intended, unless otherwise directed in the scholarship award letter, scholarship description, or alternative agreement between you and the the Community Foundation.
- Fall Semester: Awards specifically for the Fall may be claimed between July 1 and August 15.
- Spring Semester: Awards specifically for the Spring may be claimed between January 1 and February 15.
Scholarships not claimed within these timelines may be forfeited. Payments for Fall and Spring will be released according to the schedules below.
Most scholarships require proof of enrollment in the form of an un/official transcript before the scholarship can be released. All scholarship payments will be mailed to the school and applied to the student’s account unless otherwise noted in the award letter or scholarship description.
Scholarships with an allocated or preferred payment for the Fall will be processed according to the following schedule:
DOCUMENTS DUE | PAYOUT |
|---|---|
July 1 | July 20 |
July 15 | August 1 |
August 1 | August 15 |
August 15 | September 1 |
If documentation for the Fall semester is received outside of the schedule above, it will be processed within 10 to 15 business days. NOTE: Scholarships for the Fall semester will not be released before July 1.
Documentation to release payment for the Fall semester will not be accepted after September 1 and will be forfeited; however, one-time awards that are payable throughout the year will be able to be applied toward the Spring semester (see below).
Scholarships with an allocated or preferred payment for the Spring will be processed according to the following schedule:
DOCUMENTS DUE | PAYOUT |
|---|---|
January 1 | January 20 |
January 15 | February 1 |
February 1 | February 15 |
February 15 | March 1 |
If documentation for the Spring semester is received outside of the schedule above, it will be processed within 10-15 business days. NOTE: Scholarships for the Spring semester will not be released before January 1.
Documentation specifically for Spring semester payments AND all other scholarship payments for the given academic year will not be accepted after February 15. They will be considered abandoned and then forfeited.
Sharing Your Story
The Community Foundation and our scholarship donors love to hear about the positive impact that scholarships have on the lives of our award recipients and to receive updates about our recipients as they progress through school and beyond. There are opportunities for students to provide thank-you notes and updates during the acceptance and renewal process; however, students can share their story anytime by emailing Scholarships@racf.org.
Thank-You Note
Scholarships are provided by generous individuals, families, companies, organizations, and associations. As part of the award acceptance process, students will thank those who made the award possible by submitting a thank-you letter (along with the documentation to release their scholarship) through the online acceptance and renewal process. Find the link to the acceptance process in your award notification or email Scholarships@racf.org for information.
Questions?
Email Scholarships@racf.org or call 585.341.4350 for assistance.