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.

Submit application materials to:

Kathryn Cintron, Relationships/Programs Associate
Southwest Florida Community Foundation
8260 College Parkway, Suite 101
Fort Myers, FL 33919

Applications are supplied in the downloadable directories provided on this site. For more information, email or call 239-274-5900.

Each scholarship request must have a separate application form with accompanying support documents even if the student is applying for more than one scholarship.

Scholarship applications must be at the Community Foundation office by the deadline date. Hand-delivered applications as well as mailed applications must be received no later than 4:00 pm on the deadline date. Every effort is made to assist students in completing the application before the designated deadline. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

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.

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.