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The application program will be available again in March. Please return then to view the updated Eligibility and Awards for the upcoming academic year!

If you are an applicant who would like to discover more scholarship opportunities you might qualify for, please continue to the Scholarship America Hub and sign up!

The Preserve Community Foundation Scholarship Program
Application status: Closed

The Preserve Community Foundation established a scholarship program to assist employees and their family members who plan to continue their education in vocational school programs, college/university, or graduate school.

The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team. 

Applicants to The Preserve Community Foundation Scholarship Program must:

  • Be an employee OR a family member (spouse or child) of an employee of The Preserve/Santa Lucia Preserve or Monterey County Fire District with a minimum of one year of employment as of the application deadline date
  • Be a high school senior or graduate, or a current college undergraduate or graduate student
  • Plan to enroll in a full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate course of study at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, or vocational/technical school, or graduate program for the entire upcoming academic year
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)

Awards

If selected as a recipient, awards will be granted as follows:

  • 2-year college/university or vocational-technical school: $5,000
  • 4-year college/university: $10,000
  • Graduate School: $15,000

Awards are renewable up to four years or until a degree is earned, whichever occurs first, based on maintaining a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale, part-time or full-time enrollment, and continued employment of the recipient or recipient’s parent.

Awards are for undergraduate or graduate study only.

Notification

All applicants will be notified in July.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of The Preserve Community Foundation. Payment is made in mid-August.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:

  • Financial need
  • Academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
  • Work experience
  • A statement of educational and career goals and objectives
  • Unusual personal or family circumstances
  • An online recommendation
  • Essay response: What challenges or difficulties (family, work, personal, social, physical, financial) will this scholarship help you overcome? How will receiving this scholarship help you achieve your educational and career goals?

Financial need, as calculated by Scholarship America, must be demonstrated for the student to receive an award.

Selection of finalists is made by Scholarship America based on criteria of the program and selection of recipients is made by The Preserve Community Foundation. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.


As part of your application, you must upload the following:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
  • A copy of the IRS 1040 form only (2 pages). If you are claimed as a dependent on anyone’s tax return, please provide their IRS 1040 form (2 pages). Otherwise, please provide a copy of your IRS 1040 form only (2 pages). We need to see your parents’ names (if you are claimed as a dependent on their taxes), your name and all the financial information. Please black out all social security numbers and bank account information.

NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

One online recommendation form must be submitted on your behalf no later than May 2, 2024 3:00 pm Central Time.

Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.

The Preserve Community Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America. Selecting the button below will redirect you to the Scholarship America Student Hub!

Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address provided below in the footer as safe senders in your email contact list.