Applying for a Scholarship
Scholarship funds are an easy way to support continuing education in our community. To date, over 70 scholarship funds exist at the DeKalb County Community Foundation. The majority of these scholarships are administered through local high schools. Please contact a school counselor at your local high school for application information.
The scholarship opportunities below are the only scholarships administered through the Community Foundation. Application length and requirements vary between each. Subscribe to the our e-newsletter "What Gives!" to know when scholarship applications are available.
Please be aware, all recipients of DeKalb County Community Foundation held scholarships must provide a completed Scholarship Acceptance Form. For questions or additional information, please contact Tiffany McQueen Lewis, Grants Director, at 815-748-5383 or grants@dekalbccf.org.
See recent recipients and learn a little more about scholarship opportunities!
Scholarship Opportunities
CHS Elburn Scholarship
The CHS Elburn Scholarship is available for high school graduates and current undergraduate students at an accredited college or university. Applicants must be a family member of an eligible CHS Elburn customer or a family member of a CHS Elburn employee. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
Palmer Family Music Education Scholarship
High school graduates of a DeKalb County high school planning to pursue a career in the field of music are eligible to apply for the Palmer Family Music Education Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded by a committee composed of several individuals from various musical backgrounds and representing many communities throughout DeKalb County. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
- 2020 scholarship recipient - Jesse Wiemer-Hastings
- See past recipients of the Palmer Family Music Education Scholarship
Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship (NEW in 2020)
The Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship benefits a high school senior in DeKalb County, IL who plans to attend the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. Eligible applicants must be a graduating high school senior, a resident of DeKalb County with plans to attend the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, and intends to major in an agriculture related field. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
Renaissance Scholarship
The Renaissance Scholarship offers a $1,000 initial scholarship renewable for up to three years to an individual returning to school for his or her undergraduate degree after being a part of the work force. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
- 2019 scholarship recipient - Shannon Alamia
- See past recipients of the Renaissance Scholarship
Spinoso Masters Scholarship
The Spinoso Masters Scholarship provides a scholarship for up to $10,000 to a deserving student to cover tuition costs of post-undergraduate or masters studies. Eligible applicants must have graduated from a DeKalb County High School but do not need to currently live in DeKalb County. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
- 2019 scholarship recipients - Luke Hoppenworth, Bridget Ivanic, Drew Paszotta, Kelsey Peifer, and Ryan Schultz.
- See past recipients of the Spinoso Masters Scholarship
Jeffrey A. Trail Memorial Scholarship (NEW in 2020)
The Jeffrey A. Trail Memorial Scholarship provides an initial monetary award every year to a recent high school graduate from DeKalb County who is in the first year at one of the five U.S. service academies and who has been chosen from among that year’s applicants. The selected student will receive an additional stipend each year that he or she continues at the academy. Completion of the four-year undergraduate program would result in total assistance amounting to $5,000. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
Harold P. Wells Scholarship
Eligible applicants to the Harold P. Wells Scholarship are employees and family members of the employees of the DeKalb Fire Department and graduates of the Kishwaukee Education Consortium's Fire Science Program. The Wells Scholarship can be used to offset expenses for any educational purpose. Some examples include college tuition, any fire course, educational short courses, conferences and camps, such as music and space camp, etc. Applications available in the spring of each year. View guidelines >
- 2020 scholarship recipient - Cameron Carani
- See past recipients of the Harold P. Wells Scholarship
