Community Foundation of Sarasota County Accepting Scholarship Applications through February 15

Students under the age of 24 are eligible for more than 70 scholarship opportunities through a single application.

SARASOTA, FL – Students from four area counties are invited to apply by Feb. 15 for more than 70 scholarship opportunities offered through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. By completing a single application, students under the age of 24 in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte or DeSoto counties have an opportunity to be selected for scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000 in financial support for the upcoming academic year.

Students have until Tuesday, Feb. 15 to complete the online Traditional Scholarship application available at www.cfsarasota.org/students/scholarships-for-students-under-24-years. Students must be pursuing or planning to pursue further education at an accredited university, community college, technical school, or certification program. Applicants must also be a current resident, graduating high school senior, or a graduate of a high school located within our four-county region.

Recipients are selected based on need, merit, or a combination of both, and scholarships are designed to fulfill a diverse array of academic goals at colleges or technical schools. Some of the unique opportunities students are eligible for through the single application include the Sarasota County Bar Association (SCBA) Booker Law Academy Scholarship, Destinations Florida Scholarship, and Performing Arts Scholarship, among others.

Additional scholarship opportunities outside of the traditional application include:

• Separately, the Father Connie Dougherty Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship for well-rounded applicants who have a heart to serve others and make the world a better place, is also accepting applications through Monday, March 7. Students under 24 years of age who will be graduating or have already graduated from high schools in Sarasota County are welcome to apply.

• The Youth Expanded Studies Scholarship is available for students who are permanent residents of Sarasota County and plan to participate in a distinct educational program, opportunity, or event, beyond the typical school setting, such as summer programs at colleges or universities. Middle school and high school students under the age of 18 are eligible to apply through Tuesday, Feb. 1.

In 2021, approximately 800 scholarships worth more than $2.2 million were awarded to youth and adult students through the Community Foundation. For more than 30 years, the Community Foundation has had the privilege to award scholarships on behalf of forward-thinking donors committed to continuing education. More than 150 volunteer committee members assist with the review process. If you are interested in volunteering on a scholarship committee, visit www.cfsarasota.org/students/become-a-scholarship-committee-volunteer for more information.

For students interested in exploring scholarship opportunities, visit www.cfsarasota.org/students.

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About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $520 million in more than 1,570 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $27.5 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $350 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.