How to Apply for a Scholarship

If you’re a high school or homeschooled senior, current college student, early college senior, or adult student, the Community Foundation for Muskegon County (CFMC) may have a scholarship for you. We manage one of the largest scholarship programs in our area, with $1.3 million committed to students in over 500 new and renewed scholarships awarded each year.

The general scholarship application is now open. Read through the content below, and then “Click Here” to apply!

Adult Student applications are rolling, follow the link for additional information.

    • For graduating seniors or current college students, our scholarship application closes February 1, 2023. Scholarships are awarded once per year.
    • Scholarship recipients will be notified about their awards in April and will be recognized at their high school awards ceremony.
    • Current college students will be notified by mail, using the address on file, in late June.
  • To be eligible, you must live within the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District boundaries and attend a Muskegon County School. We welcome applications from U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or DACA. If you are eligible for the Muskegon Promise, see note below before applying.

  • In order to maximize scholarship support for all students in Muskegon County, we concentrate our scholarship dollars on students who will not be utilizing the Muskegon Area Promise.

    To be eligible for the Promise, a student must: be a 2022 graduate of Calvary Christian Schools, Fruitport Community Schools, Holton Public Schools, Mona Shores Public Schools, Montague Area Public Schools, Muskegon Catholic Central, Muskegon Covenant Academy, Muskegon Public Schools, Muskegon Heights Public School Academy, North Muskegon Public Schools, Oakridge Public Schools, Orchard View Schools, Ravenna Public Schools, Reeths-Puffer Schools, Western Michigan Christian, and Whitehall District Schools; have a grade point average of 3.4 or above; and be attending Baker College or Muskegon Community College.

    Graduates of Promise schools are welcome to apply for a CFMC scholarship, however, applicants with a grade point average solidly above 3.4 who plan to attend Baker College or Muskegon Community College will not be considered. If an applicant is determined to be utilizing the Promise after being awarded a CFMC scholarship, the Scholarship Committees will award that scholarship to another student. If you are a Promise recipient, we encourage you to apply for a Community Foundation scholarship to support your remaining higher education once you are no longer using the Promise.

  • A complete scholarship application has three parts:

    1. Submit the online application using our online Scholarship Portal
    2. Upload or request a transcript or GED be sent to the Foundation
    3. Upload or provide a Student Aid Report (provided you can complete your FAFSA). We make accommodations for those who cannot complete a FAFSA.

     

    Be sure that you have completed all three parts!

    • Scholarships are paid to accredited institutions and divided equally between the terms of the academic year.
    • The scholarship award is used toward the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books, or other educational expenses the student may incur.
    • While many scholarships are for specific types of students, colleges, or fields of study, the Foundation’s process is a “general application.” One application allows you to apply for the hundreds of scholarships facilitated by the Foundation!
    • Each individual application is reviewed and matched with the best-fitting scholarship source.
  • Great! Click the button below to create an account or to login to finish your application.

  • If you received a multi-year scholarship in the previous year(s), you must submit an unofficial transcript of your fall grades with your renewal application by March 31. You will be contacted by our scholarship staff in January. Not all scholarships are renewable.

Recent Scholarship Recipients

View a complete listing of recently awarded scholarships, including the recipient and amount awarded for each scholarship.

Learn More

Available Scholarships

View a complete list of scholarship funds managed by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

Learn More

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