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 many scholarships, most of which can be accessed through the Common Application Portal. After completing your account on the portal, you’ll be shown any scholarships for which you qualify.
The deadline for the Common Application is April 15th. Other individual applications have their own deadlines, which are listed below.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities
A few additional local scholarship opportunities are open and listed below with their deadlines. These scholarships are not included in the Common Application Portal. Click the individual links to download applications and guidelines.
Greater Inland Empire Area:
CIELO Fund Scholarship | CLOSED
The Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity, or CIELO Fund, was launched in 2022 at the Inland Empire Community Foundation with a mission of uplifting and investing in the region’s Latino community. In 2023, the CIELO Fund awarded grants to Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The CIELO Fund Leadership and Grantmaking Committee is proud to invest in the next generation of local leaders with the launch of the inaugural CIELO Fund Scholars Program to invest in Latino students attending Inland Empire colleges and universities, especially those intending to remain and work in the region upon completing their studies.
Opening Date: June 1, 2023
Closing Date: June 30, 2023
Amount: $1,000 to $2,000
Riverside/San Bernardino Area:
Dr. Horace Jackson Legacy Scholarship | CLOSED
Established in 2021 to award scholarships to a John W. North High graduating student who demonstrates the same kind of commitment to education and inclusivity as Dr. Horace Jackson, principal of North High in Riverside, California, from 1970-1976.
Dr. Jackson was recognized as a courageous, compassionate, and innovative leader during a turbulent time nationally. As principal of North’s multi-ethnic campus, Jackson established a unified culture of mutual respect and inclusion that lives on today. He was known to be ever-present on campus, seeking ways to bring students together. He influenced countless lives by showing confidence in his students and his staff. That legacy continues with the goal of equipping all North High graduates with the moral principle that every person is valued.
Opening Date: January 30, 2023
Closing Date: April 7, 2023
Amount: $3,000
David and Mary Hjorth Family Endowment Fund Scholarship | CLOSED
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: January 31, 2023
Closing Date: March 31, 2023
Amount: $5,000
Download Application
Download Scholarship Criteria
Qualifications To Be Submitted With Application
Letter of Recommendation
Community Service Verification
S. L. Gimbel Scholarship | Closed
Undergraduate low income students, accepted to attend CSUSB, CSUDH, and CSULB and current undergraduate students of CSUSB, CSUDH, and CSULB from all backgrounds regardless of age, race, religion, gender, sexual preference or national origin are eligible to apply. First generation, college-going students, and/or traditionally underrepresented students in higher education, non traditional students such as single parents, older students, married students, foster youth and undocumented students who meet the requirements below are eligible to apply.
Opening Date: June 2022
Closing Date: June 30, 2022
Amount: Maximum of $10,000
Scholarship Information Application
Elizabeth C. and Jack B. Clarke, Sr. Endowed Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: May 11, 2022
Amount: $1,000
The Beverly J. Soderling Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: May 11, 2022
Amount: $1,000
Ruth Schroff Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: May 11, 2022
Amount: $1,000
The Dr. Barnett Grier and Eleanor Jean Grier Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: May 11, 2022
Amount: $1,000
Reggie Keith Edmond II Scholarship | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: May 10, 2022
Amount: $1,000
The Riverside Construction Company/Harmon-Lounsbury Scholarship | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: April 29, 2022
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 | Closed
Opening Date: February 7, 2022
Closing Date: April 9, 2022
Amount Range: Up to $4,000
Pavement Recycling, Inc. Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: April 6, 2022
Amount: Varies
The Rosemarie Cionni-Mary Pastore Educational Trust Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: March 31, 2022
Amount: $3,000
Coachella Valley Area:
The Safe Schools Desert Cities Scholarship Fund - Burton/May Pride Award | Opens October 1, 2023 | Closes January 31, 2024
Burton/May Pride Award Scholarship Information and Criteria The Safe Schools Scholarship Fund – Burton/May Pride Award recognizes outstanding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or intersex (LGBTQI) youth who, through their participation, dedication and initiative, have helped foster a positive self-image among other LGBTQI youth. This scholarship award will enable students to pursue further education and training at Universities, Colleges, Community Colleges and Trade Schools.
Opening Date: October 1, 2023
Closing Date: January 31, 2024
Amount Range: $500-$1500
Download Guidelines and Application
Download Scholarship Award Reference Form
The James Buchner Memorial Scholarship Fund | Closed
Opening Date: February 2022
Closing Date: March 31, 2022
Amount: $1,000
Bruce and Regen Dennis Scholarship | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: April 29, 2022
Amount: $1,000
Desert Outreach Foundation Scholarship | Closed
Opening Date: February 1, 2022
Closing Date: April 6, 2022
Amount Range: $1,000 – $2,000
The Castro/Falk Scholarship Fund of the Coachella Valley | Closed
Download Microsoft Word Application
Download Fillable Adobe PDF Application
About the Common Scholarship Application Process
IECF’s Common Scholarship Application makes it easy for students to access more than 30 scholarship opportunities, with awards ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,000. In some cases, scholarships may renew over multiple years, offering welcome financial relief during a student’s undergraduate career. In 2021, IECF awarded over $3.2 million in scholarship funds.
• Deadline to finish application: April 15, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
• Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2023.
Scholarships are available for:
• Graduating high school seniors
• Current college students (undergraduate or graduate)
• Adult re-entry students
• Students with financial needs (includes middle-income families)
• Students attending four-year universities, community colleges or career/technical schools
We’re determined to help increase students’ potential to access, thrive, and succeed in higher education. You’ll find scholarships available for students with the following qualifications:
• Commitment to education
• Potential for success in college
• Minimum GPA of 2.0
• Participation in community service, extracurricular activities and/or work experience
• Current residence in San Bernardino or Riverside County (for at least one year)
• Need of help to pay for school (including middle-income families)
• A completed FAFSA or CA Dream Act and Student Aid Report (SAR). We strongly urge you to complete the FAFSA right away, as this information is needed to fill out all applications. The 2023-2024 academic year for FAFSA opened October 1.
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.