Frequently Asked Scholarship Questions

Want to know more about the application process or if you've received an award? You've come to the right place!

Through the generosity of our donors, The Community Foundation of Macon County awards approximately 70 scholarships each year to high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners who have been accepted at an accredited college or university. Most of the scholarship funds have been established as endowments, which allow for student benefit long after the donor’s lifetime.

Scholarship awards vary in size from $500 to $10,000.

Scholarships are awarded based on, and not limited to, the following criteria

  • Academic excellence
  • Financial need
  • Pursuit of specific majors or careers such as agriculture, business, engineering, etc.
  • Athletic excellence
  • Demonstration of citizenship and leadership through community service and extracurricular activities
  • Other

The next scholarship process begins Jan. 1, 2024

The deadline to apply for the 2024 graduating high school senior academic scholarship program is March 1, 2024.

The scholarship application requires the following:

Personal Information

  • Name, email, address, parent information, etc.

Academic Information

  • GPA, Seventh Semester Transcripts, SAT/ACT Score, Major, etc. College students will need college transcripts.

Financial Information

  • FAFSA Upload and EFC Score

Extracurricular Activities

  • Community Service, Extracurricular Groups, Work History, other activities that demonstrate leadership and character

Short Essay Questions

  • Many of the scholarships require the following short essay that answers the following questions:
    • What are your educational goals and how do you plan to achieve them while attending college?
    • What are your long-term or career goals/plans and what steps will you take to achieve them?
    • What personal characteristics or experiences qualify you to receive a scholarship?
  • Please note all scholarships will ask for these essays and specific scholarships may ask for further essays and questions to be answered.

Two Letters of Recommendation

  • Letter of recommendation from a teacher
  • Letter of recommendation from a community member (clergy, employer, high school counselor, etc.)

Nearly 100 individuals from the community are invited to read and score the applications according to the requirements of each scholarship. These committee members will submit their selections to The Community Foundation of Macon County by mid-March.

High school counselors will be notified regarding the scholarship recipients. Scholarships will be presented at the high school award ceremonies in May. College students receiving scholarships will be notified by letter in June. In addition, high school students not receiving a scholarship will be notified in June.

Information is provided at the time you receive your scholarship award for next steps. CFMC will mail a check directly to your college/university provided all prerequisite steps are completed by the recipient.