Scholarships

100+ Unique Scholarships, Just ONE Application!

Applying for scholarships from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is easier than ever! 
There is just one application and one deadline: the application opens on December 1st and closes February 1st, every year. 

Access the CFNIL Scholarship Application Portal

Need help getting started? Visit our Scholarship Resources page to learn how to apply!

CFNIL’s scholarship funds were created by donors that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The funds’ creators selected the criteria based on their interests and the community’s need. Many of CFNIL’s scholarships are memorials, which celebrate the life and passions of individuals.

The diversity of scholarship offerings reflects the diversity of CFNIL’s donors and the communities it serves. The majority of scholarships are for current college students and graduating high school seniors in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties. Scholarships are available based on a variety of factors: community engagement; academic achievement; financial need; athletic participation; field of study; and many more. There are scholarships for non-traditional, minority, and first-generation college students. Nearly two dozen scholarships are available for students who have a high school diploma OR a GED — learn more on the Scholarship Resource page.

The applications are read and scored by committees of volunteers who use a “blind” review process and make recommendations to CFNIL’s Board of Trustees. Scholarship recipients are announced in late April. Awards are sent directly to the recipient’s post-secondary institution.

While the majority of the scholarship funds CFNIL administers are included in the application for the main scholarship cycle (open Dec. 1 – Feb 1 each year), several additional scholarships run on a different timeline or are administered by outside organizations. Each scholarship listed below indicates whether it is "Open" or "Closed" for applications; click on the scholarship name to learn more about the criteria and other eligibility details. 

Questions? Need help getting started? Contact Heather!

Heather Rapp - Program Associate - headshot
Heather Rapp
Program Associate
Phone: 779-210-8209
Email: Heather Rapp
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Jouris Family Scholarship

Type: Academics | Graduating High School Senior | Mathematics | Physical Sciences

Region: Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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Karen and Robert Harter Recruitment Grant - Delta Kappa Gamma logo

Karen and Robert Harter Recruitment Grant

Type: Current College Student | Education | Female | GED Recipient | Mathematics | Non-Traditional | Nursing | Sciences

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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Katrina Smith Memorial Scholarship

Type: GED Recipient | Graduating High School Senior | High School Graduate | Non-Traditional

Region: Boone Co. | Northern IL | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: Any public or private high school

Deadline: February 1

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Keith Maffioli

Keith Maffioli Scholarship

Type: Academics | Financial Need | Graduating High School Senior

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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La Voz Latina

La Voz Latina Scholarship

Type: Academics | Graduating High School Student | Hispanic

Region: Boone Co. | Jo Daviess Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: January 23

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Larry and Betty McGee Scholarship

Type: Community Service | Computer Science | Current College Student | Engineering | Financial Need | GED Recipient | Sciences | Technology

Region: Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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May Cassioppi Scholarship

May-Cassioppi Scholarship

Type: Athletics | Financial Need | Graduating High School Senior

Region: N/A

Schools: Guilford HS

Deadline: February 1

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My Heart is in Art Scholarship

Type: Academics | Arts | Education | Graduating High School Senior | Visual Arts

Region: Boone Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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Nancy Kalchbrenner Scholarship

Nancy Kalchbrenner Scholarship

Type: Academics | Financial Need | Graduating High School Senior | Non-Traditional

Region: N/A

Schools: Rockford Public High Schools

Deadline: February 1

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Nettie and Jesse Gorov Scholarship

Type: Academics | Current College Student | Financial Need | GED Recipient | Non-Traditional

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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Pay It Forward Scholarship

Type: N/A

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: Any post-secondary | Any public or private high school

Deadline: February 1

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Phyllis Howard Memorial Scholarship

Type: Academics | Current College Student | Financial Need | Fire Science | Firefighter | GED Recipient

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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R.I.S.E. Nursing Scholarship

R.I.S.E. Nursing Scholarship

Type: Current College Student | Non-Traditional | Nursing

Region: Boone Co. | Ogle Co. | Stephenson Co. | Winnebago Co.

Schools: N/A

Deadline: February 1

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