The application window for 2026 is now closed. Applications for 2026 graduating seniors are currently being reviewed. All applicants will be notified by the end of March if they have been selected to receive a scholarship administered by the Foundation.

 

Scholarships Description List: Please download and review before beginning application

 

Essay Prompt:

All scholarship applicants must write an original and personal essay based on the following prompt. Essays should be not more than 500 words, typed in 10- or 12-pt serif font. Be ready to upload this essay as an attachment before you begin filling out your application.

“Choose one meaningful artifact from your high school years—such as a handwritten note, a journal entry, a project you created, a photograph you took, or an object you’ve kept. Describe its origin and why you held onto it. Explain how this artifact reflects a specific challenge or turning point in your life. Include at least one detail that could only be understood by someone who was directly involved or present.”

If you are awarded a Scholarship from the Community Foundation, you will need to download the following documents and submit them back to the Foundation in order to receive funding:

Progress Report
Scholarship Agreement
Financial Aid Form

Contact the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester if you have any questions at (248) 608-2804.

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” Audrey Hepburn

For additional scholarship opportunities for Rochester Community Schools students, go to the RCS Foundation website:

RCS Foundation Scholarships

For additional scholarship opportunities for Avondale students, go to the Avondale College & Career Resources database:

Avondale Scholarship Database

For students who have received scholarships from the Foundation in previous seasons, please download and fill out this Progress Report:

Progress Report