Students Overview
The Inland Empire Community Foundation’s founder, Charles E. Brouse, believed that the best way to give back to the community was through scholarships for hard-working students who wanted to attend college. Because of the endowment he established years ago students from the region are still receiving support for their education.
Today, scholarships remain a large focus of our grants, averaging one million dollars a year to every public college and university in the two-county region, as well as colleges and universities across the nation. These awards recognize student achievements and offer hope for those seeking to better themselves through education.
Depending on the donor’s vision, IECF awards a wide variety of scholarships, including general and field-specific scholarships for areas of study like civil engineering, nursing, special education, veterinary sciences, and more.
Supporting Higher Education Attainment
Graduate Success
Education, both two-year and four-year, changes the earning power of families and supports diverse leadership in our communities. When we focus on equity for the almost 1 million K-12 students in the Inland Empire, we understand that more students need assistance and support to achieve a higher education degree. In 2017, IECF collaborated with the College Futures Foundation to address low graduation rates in the Inland Empire. The result was the Graduate Success program – a strategy and fund designed to increase students’ potential to access, thrive, and succeed in higher education.

Partners
Currently, IECF is partnering with local organizations to provide needs-based scholarships and college guidance services to ensure our program is making an impact.
Our network of partner organizations are: BLU Educational Foundation, Promise Scholars, Making Hope Happen Foundation, OneFuture and Upward Bound (California State University, San Bernardino).
To expand our scholarship giving in the IE, Graduate Success needs continued, year-round support. Consider a gift to the Graduate Success Fund to help more students achieve their college dreams.

Scholarship Opportunities
Most scholarships from the Inland Empire Community Foundation are awarded directly through the colleges and universities in our two-county area. Students who are interested in applying should check with their school counselor or financial aid office for information and applications.
However, students are able to apply directly to IECF for the following scholarships.
Riverside/San Bernardino Area:
Altura Credit Union Foundation | Deadline: March 19, 2021
- Altura Credit Union Foundation General Scholarship provides scholarships for outstanding graduating seniors of a high school in Riverside County
- Altura Member Scholarship provides scholarship for graduating high school seniors who are current Members of Altura Credit Union or an immediate family member of a current Member
- The Bonnie Gail Polis Educational Endowment provides a college scholarship for those who express intention of pursuing a career in public education and is graduate of a high school in the Riverside Unified School District
- The Terry Ferrone Memorial Scholarship provides a college scholarship for a graduate of John W. North or Poly High Schools in Riverside, CA
- Dr. Linda Wisher Educational Endowment provides a scholarship to females pursuing a career in education for graduating seniors
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: March 19, 2021
Amount: $1,000
Visit Altura Credit Union’s website to apply: www.alturacu.com/scholarships
The Rosemarie Cionni-Mary Pastore Educational Trust Scholarship Fund | Deadline: March 19, 2021
The scholarship fund provides college financial assistance to an outstanding graduating senior from Elsinore High School who is pursuing a college education at an accredited community college, state college, Catholic college or university.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: March 19, 2021
Amount: $3,000
Reggie Keith Edmond II Scholarship | Deadline: March 19, 2021
The Reginald Keith Edmond II Scholarship Fund provides college financial assistance to outstanding student athletes graduating from a high school within the Riverside Unified School District and Alvord Unified School District.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: March 19, 2021
Amount: $1,000
Pavement Recycling, Inc. Scholarship Fund | Deadline: April 2, 2021
The purpose of the Scholarship Fund is to provide college financial assistance to outstanding graduating seniors who are pursuing a college education and are residents of the City of Riverside and neighboring communities.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: April 2, 2021
Amount: Varies
The Riverside Construction Company/Harmon-Lounsbury Scholarship | Deadline: April 2, 2021
Provides college financial assistance to outstanding graduating seniors from Riverside who is pursuing a college education in engineering, particularly in the area of construction or civil engineering. Also, first year engineering students from Cal Poly Pomona, San Luis Obispo, CSU Long Beach and Cal Baptist University are eligible for scholarships.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: April 2, 2021
Amount Range: $1,000
Download Guidelines and Application for High School Students
Download Guidelines and Application for 1st Year College Students
The Marvin Edward Leggett Jr. Endowed Fund | Deadline: April 2, 2021
This fund provides scholarships to students graduating from Norte Vista High School and La Sierra High School in the Alvord Unified School District.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: April 2, 2021
Amount Range: Up to $4,000
David and Mary Hjorth Family Endowment Fund | Deadline: April 5, 2021
The Dave & Mary Hjorth Family Endowment Fund Scholarship offers one-time scholarships awarded to four students, who are graduating seniors of Upland High School and will be attending an accredited four-year college or university.
Opening Date: February 22, 2021
Closing Date: April 5, 2021
Amount: $4,750
Download Application
Download Scholarship Criteria
Qualifications To Be Submitted With Application
Letter of Recommendation
Community Service Verification
Elizabeth C. and Jack B. Clarke, Sr. Endowed Scholarship Fund | Deadline: May 3, 2021
The Elizabeth C. and Jack B. Clarke, Sr. Scholarship Fund, honors the late councilman and his wife for their service to the Riverside community. Mr. Clarke was the first African-American member of the Riverside City Council. The Ruth Schroff Scholarship Fund provides college scholarships for outstanding African-American or Hispanic/Latino students residing in Riverside or San Bernardino.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: May 3, 2021
Amount: $1,000
The Dr. Barnett Grier and Eleanor Jean Grier Scholarship Fund | Deadline: May 3, 2021
The Dr. Barnett Grier and Eleanor Jean Grier Scholarship Fund is the legacy to their efforts to ensure equality in education, housing, employment, and opportunity for underrepresented and disadvantaged citizens in Riverside.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: May 3, 2021
Amount: $1,000
The Beverly J. Soderling Scholarship Fund | Deadline: May 3, 2021
Established in 2014 through a bequest from Beverly J. Soderling to honor excellence in mathematics for graduating seniors at Banning High School.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: May 3, 2021
Amount: $1,000
Ruth Schroff Scholarship Fund | Deadline: May 3, 2021
The Ruth Schroff Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for outstanding African-American or Hispanic/Latino students residing in Riverside or San Bernardino Counties.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: May 3, 2021
Amount: $1,000
Coachella Valley:
PGA WEST Education Fund | Deadline: January 31, 2021
The PGA WEST Education Fund established a scholarship fund with The Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) for the benefit of PGA WEST Country Club employees and their dependent children. The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to the PGA WEST Country Club employees and their dependent children for scholarships and other educational purposes.
Download Criteria
Download Application
The James Buchner Memorial Scholarship Fund | Deadline: March 31, 2021
The James Buchner Memorial Scholarship Fund is established as an endowed scholarship by Dora Buchner to honor the memory of James Buchner in perpetuity. The fund provides college financial assistance in the form of scholarships to Hispanic students who are US residents, and are seniors at Cathedral City High School who demonstrate motivation, perseverance and a sincere desire to gain an education.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: March 31, 2021
Amount: $1,000
Desert Outreach Foundation Scholarship | Deadline: April 2, 2021
The Fund provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships to students residing in the Coachella Valley who are seeking an undergraduate/graduate degree either within or outside of the Valley.
Opening Date: February 10, 2021
Closing Date: April 2, 2021
Amount Range: $1,000 – $2,000
The Castro/Falk Scholarship Fund of the Coachella Valley | Deadline: April 10, 2020
The Fund provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships to students who are U.S. citizens, and residents, or former residents, of Coachella Valley who demonstrate motivation, perseverance and a sincere desire to gain an education, be it high school, vocational school, community college, undergraduate or graduate college or university.
Download Microsoft Word Application
Download Fillable Adobe PDF Application
Forms
Scholarship Recipient Information Sheet | Students
Donor Advised Fund Scholarship Recommendation Form | Donors Only
Competitive Scholarship Recommendation Form | Scholarship Committees Only
Designated College and Universities Forms
Report #1 | Scholarship Recipients
Report #2 | End-of-Year Scholars Follow-Up
Counselors and Advisors
Thank you for your interest in our Scholarship Program.
Students can often miss out on available resources when planning for college, but counselors and advisors can be the difference in changing that. To help fill this need, we encourage you to share other college guidance services and resources offered through these area organizations: Ontario-Montclair Promise Scholars, Blu Educational Foundation, RIMS AVID, Making Hope Happen Foundation, One Future Coachella Valley and Upward Bound (CSUSB).
For more information about our scholarship opportunities, below are some tools to help you get started. Thank you for sharing these scholarship opportunities within your school and helping our IE students succeed.
Resources
Application
FAQs
Student Stories