Denver Foundation Community Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Denver Foundation

Overview
The Denver Foundation Community Scholarship was created to help first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds in pursuit of post-secondary education. Rooted in a commitment to racial equity, The Denver Foundation views education as a key pathway to changing students’ life trajectories and established this fund to support that goal.

Who is eligible
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:
- Be the first in their immediate family to attend college (first-generation college student)
- Be planning to enroll in, or already enrolled at, a Colorado-accredited public post-secondary institution
- Demonstrate financial need by submitting the FAFSA, CAFSA, or by answering additional financial-need questions
- Show community engagement through paid work or volunteer service
- Hold a cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.25 or higher

What reviewers consider
Applications are judged on the following factors:
- Academic achievement
- Demonstrated resilience and persistence
- Community service, leadership, and employment experience
- Financial need

Award information
- Award amount: $5,000
- Typical number of awards: 5–10 recipients
- This is awarded as a one-time scholarship per application cycle. Applicants and previous winners are welcome to reapply each year; receiving a prior award does not guarantee future awards. An individual may receive funds from this scholarship up to five times in total.
- Funds may be applied to tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other cost-of-attendance expenses
- All awards are paid directly to the recipient’s post-secondary institution. Disbursement is subject to the recipient institution’s policies regarding outside scholarships
- Awards must be used for the upcoming academic year

How to apply
1. Confirm you meet the eligibility requirements listed above.
2. Sign in to the TDF Scholarship Manager and submit an application for the Universal Scholarship.
3. Provide the following materials:
- A list of extracurricular activities, volunteer involvement, and paid or unpaid work experience
- Official or unofficial transcript
- Written responses to both prompts below (each response up to 5,000 characters, about 800 words):
• Describe where and how you demonstrate leadership in your everyday life and activities.
• What do you plan to study after high school—or what are you currently studying at the college level? What inspired your interest in this field, and what do you hope to accomplish with a degree in this area?

Key dates and status
- Status: Open
- Opening date: December 15, 2025
- Closing date: February 27, 2026
- Typical scholarship amount: $5,000

Application platform and support
The Denver Foundation uses a universal application system to match applicants to multiple scholarship opportunities. During the first half of the application you’ll answer general questions; after that, you’ll complete supplemental questions for each scholarship you are matched with. A short, 5-minute video explains how the universal application process works.

The online portal lets you save progress, edit responses, and apply to multiple scholarships. To begin, click Apply in the Scholarship Manager and register. If you need assistance with the portal, email help@denverfoundation.org.