Scholarships for High School Seniors
The Heart of Illinois Community Foundation is proud to support area students by offering financial educational support through the gifts of our donors.
Each year, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation's Scholarship Program annually benefits 70+ enrolled undergraduate students pursuing their higher education goals. These phenomenal financial awards vary in size from $500 to $10,000.The financial educational support of this program is available through open scholarship accounts and designated fund accounts provided to the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation by generous donors who are committed to improving educational outcomes in our community. Because of incredible donor generosity and their invested interest in providing educational opportunities for students in Macon, Piatt, and Moultrie County, the amount of available scholarships continues to grow and increase in the amount of their offering.
Scholarship Requirements
To be eligible, a student must be a graduating high school senior or equivalent (of a high school within Macon, Piatt, or Moultrie County) and must be accepted into an accredited institution of higher learning within the United States of America. Students must be graduating high school in the current academic year or be an existing college/university student who was previously awarded a multi-year scholarship through the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation.
In addition to academic information, personal essay, and letters of recommendation, some scholarships may require additional essays to be written, an outline of community service or leadership roles, employment, or other documentation. Each scholarship has an outlined set of criteria that may include requirements related to high school, academics, financial need, and service, or may be connected to a particular group, interest area, program, or major.
Scholarship Timeline
The Heart of Illinois Community Foundation provides a breakdown of various steps in scholarship process to guide students, parents, and counselors. Learn more about the 2025 Scholarship Process.
Scholarships Available
In previous years, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation awarded over 70 scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors residing in Macon County who had been accepted at an accredited college or university. For 2025, this opportunity has increased, not only in number of scholarships, but also to graduating high school seniors attending high school in Macon, Piatt, and Moultrie County. Additionally, new scholarships are available for students desiring to attend Trade Schools and Apprentice programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know more about the scholarship application process? Or have you received an award and you’re not sure what is next? You've come to the right place! Click to connect to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Andrea Gerhard
Need to Know More?
If you need additional information about the application process, please contact Andrea Gerhard, HICF Director of Scholarships and Grant Administration, by email at agerhard@heartofillinois.org or by calling 217.429.3000.
By the Numbers
See how bright our future is!
