Millions available in student scholarships

San Diego Foundation is now accepting applications from qualifying local students to ob­tain more than $5 million in scholarship awards through its annual Community Scholarship Program. Students can apply through March 5, at SDFoun­dation.org/students.

Continuing its legacy of sup­porting local students with more than 150 distinct schol­arship opportunities, last year, the program awarded a historic $4.9 million to more than 1,200 students, 74% being first-gen­eration college students and 95% from low-to-middle income backgrounds.

“Educational access remains one of the most powerful driv­ers of economic mobility,” said Danielle Valenciano, director of the SDF Community Scholar­ship Program in a press release. “Through the generosity of our donors, we’re not just providing scholarships – we’re creating pathways to success for genera­tions of San Diego students who will strengthen our workforce and shape the future of our re­gion.”

In tandem, the National Rainbow College Fund, pow­ered by the San Diego Founda­tion has opened its inaugural application cycle for the first scholarships designed to exclu­sively support California’s LG­BTQ+ students, regardless of the public nature of their sexual identity. NRCF will award up to $500,000 in scholarships to 200 students, with each selected student receiving $2,500. The application period runs through March 5. Students can apply at RainbowCollegeFund.org/apply.

“Our mission with the Na­tional Rainbow College Fund is to lessen the financial burden for young people who identify as LGBTQ+ or who are grappling with the secrecy of remaining in the closet,” said Mark Stu­art, President and CEO of San Diego Foundation. “With that commitment in mind, we will make student privacy the high­est priority during the applica­tion process. Together, we will break barriers, transform lives and build futures.

The Community Scholar­ship Program is made possible through the generous donor support of 160 unique charita­ble funds at San Diego Founda­tion and is the largest program of its kind in the county outside university systems. Since 1997, the program has awarded more than $53 million to more than 14,000 college students in San Diego.