Frequently Asked Scholarship 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 on the questions listed below to reveal the answers.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Connect with Andrea Gerhard, HICF Director of Scholarships and Grant Administration at agerhard@heartofillinois.org or 217.429.3000.

Through the generosity of our donors, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation awards over 70 scholarships each year to graduating high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners who have been accepted at an accredited college, university, or trade school. Many of the scholarship funds have been established as endowments, which allow for student benefit long after the donor’s lifetime.

Scholarship awards vary in size from $500 to $10,000. Some scholarships are one-time and in varied amounts ($500, $1000, $2500, $5000, etc.), either awarded for the year or by semester. There are also multi-year scholarships available with an initial disbursement during the first semester of the first year and opportunity to renew for an additional 1-3 years based on the scholarship’s criteria and student’s GPA and degree progress.

Scholarships are awarded based on (but not limited to) the following criteria:

  • Residency (Macon, Piatt, or Moultrie County)
  • High School Attended
  • Academic excellence and/or defined Grade Point Average (GPA)
  • Financial Need
  • Community Service / Involvement in Extracurricular Activities

Some scholarships may have additional criteria if they are area or interest specific, such as pursuit of specific majors or careers (like agriculture, business, engineering, science, etc.) or attendance at certain colleges/universities or trade programs. Additional scholarships may be based on athletic or leadership involvement or affiliation with organizations.

When you log in to the portal, you will first be asked to respond to a group of questions that will help identify which available scholarships you may be eligible to apply for in this process. You are encouraged to apply for every scholarship you are matched to in the system (and you can copy your responses from one application to the next). The scholarship application requires the following:

Personal InformationName, email, address, parent information, etc.

Academic InformationCumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), 7th Semester High School Transcripts, SAT/ACT Score, planned major, etc. Current college students will need their transcript from their college.

Financial InformationYour FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) Student Aid Report will need to be uploaded. You will also need your SAI (Student Aid Index) Number. Complete your FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov (available Dec. 1st)

Extracurricular ActivitiesBe prepared to include information about high school experiences including Community Service, Extracurricular Groups, Employment, and other activities that demonstrate leadership, commitment, and character.

Short Essay QuestionsThe scholarship applications require a short essay response that answers the following questions:

  • What are your educational goals and how do you plan to achieve them while attending college?
  • What are your long-term or career goals/plans and what steps will you take to achieve them?
  • What personal characteristics or experiences qualify you to receive a scholarship?

Please note this essay will need to be completed for all scholarships. Specific scholarships may ask for an additional essay and other questions to be answered.

Two Letters of Recommendation Provide one letter of recommendation from a teacher at your school. Provide a second letter of recommendation from a community member (clergy, employer, high school counselor, etc.).

The application portal opens annually for graduating high school seniors to apply for Fall Semester scholarship awards on January 1st.

The deadline for graduating high school seniors to apply for Fall Semester scholarship awards is March 1st.

After the March 1st deadline, nearly 100 individuals from the community are invited to read, review, and score the applications according to the requirements of each scholarship. These committee members will begin submitting their recommendations to the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation in mid-March. When all evaluations are complete and reviews and recommendations are received by HICF, final decisions are made.

We notify high school counselors regarding scholarship recipients from their school. Scholarships are presented at high school award ceremonies in April/May (as designated by each school). Any continuing college students receiving scholarships will be notified by letter in June. Additionally, high school students not receiving a scholarship will be notified in June.

Once awarded a scholarship, the recipient must complete the formal award acceptance and follow-up form (with all required responses and documentation) by the assigned due date. Once completed, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation will disperse a check directly to your designated institution (provided all prerequisite steps are completed by the recipient) which will be applied to your tuition, lab fees, books, and education related expenses. Information about our next steps is provided at the time you receive your scholarship award.