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DCF Opens 2025-2026 Scholarship Applications

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Scholarship applications open at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) on December 15 for funds to be awarded for the 2025-2026 school year. Scholarships are available for college students, including those who demonstrate financial need, maintain a record of academic excellence and students from certain racial or ethnic backgrounds. There are also scholarships available for students pursuing fields such as arts, pre-med or economics.

“Many of our donors care deeply about education and realize that inflated costs prohibit some students from pursuing degrees in higher education,” said Kelly Sheridan, Grant & Scholarship Coordinator at Delaware Community Foundation. “Our scholarships are designed to assist rising college students as well as those currently enrolled reduce financial burden, sometimes substantially.”

Students are often eligible for multiple awards and encouraged to apply using the general application. Madison Johnson, who graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Delaware, won three different awards from the DCF: The FCA Foundation Scholarship, the J.D. O’Connor Scholarship and the Philip Bartlett Scholarship.

“During my time at the University of Delaware, I co-founded the Competitive Robotics Club and served as its co-president for two years,” said Johnson. “I worked in the Pearson Hall Makerspace for two years and completed numerous engineering projects for my courses. These included a musical toy, a wooden bike, a monoblock pill bottle filling machine, and a reusable sharps container opening and decanting system.”

Last year, the DCF awarded $652,000 to 191 different students from 67 scholarship funds. Total awards ranged from $500 to $23,000. More than 400 students applied in 2024 through the online portal, Foundant. This year, students can apply for 70 scholarships, available to review in the 2025-2026 Scholarship Compendium.

To apply for scholarships, students can visit the DCF scholarship page at delcf.org/scholarships and follow the link to the application. First time applicants need to create an account in Foundant. Students who submit the general application are considered for all eligible scholarships. The completed application, including all required documents and recommendations, must be submitted by March 15, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For more information about scholarships, including how to open a scholarship fund at the DCF, contact Kelly Sheridan, Grant & Scholarship Coordinator at [email protected].