Community foundations are civil society organizations that dedicate their efforts to the social improvement in their area of activity and are also among the most important providers of funding for members of minorities – minority community scholarship programs provide financial help regionally, from donations made by distinguished members of the community, and are great opportunities for members of local minorities to obtain the free money they need to achieve their educational goals.

The money available to minority members in the form of scholarships comes from donors who decide to create funds for various reasons. Some of them want to express their gratitude to the community that helped them become successful, others wish to help people pursue the career they have or they create memorial funds to commemorate and honor their ancestors or a notable member of their family.

Community scholarships are awarded locally, so the easiest way to find them is to conduct a research online, by consulting the websites of your county, region state. Simultaneously, it is a good idea to consult the websites of local colleges and universities – many community foundations provide funding for those attending or planning to enroll in specific institutions or for students of a certain major.

Each scholarship program comes with its own application instructions and eligibility conditions. Some are available for those who already study at one of the accredited institutions or are already students of a certain major, others are dedicated to young people just trying to figure out what career path to take. Most memorial funds require applicants to submit an essay about the influence or the life of the person the fund honors and almost every scholarship fund will require applicants to provide transcripts of their previous study results and financial information to demonstrate merit and need. Scholarship programs also come with application deadlines. There are programs that provide one-time funding, while others are renewable programs. For programs that provide both, there is usually a separate deadline for first-time applicants and a different one for renewals.

Whatever minority community scholarship you are applying for, make sure you read the application terms in the description very carefully and then send your application according to those instructions – some funding programs will accept only applications submitted online, while others require applicants to send the documents via registered mail or both.