Thanks to generous individuals and families, the Foundation has awarded $3.1 million in scholarships since 1994 through unique scholarship funds that help support students in achieving their educational and professional goals. Our scholarship applications are typically open mid-January through mid-February each year.
Individuals pursuing an undergraduate degree
Learn more about the Brede-Wilkins Scholarship and Central Florida Foundation Education Funds here.
The Brede-Wilkins Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to individuals pursuing an undergraduate degree. Applicants must have been an employee of Village on the Green, a LifeSpace Community in Longwood, FL, completing 500 hours of work in the year June 1 through May 31 preceding college enrollment.
The initiative was initially established in 1988 by Ellen H. Brede and her brother Leonard O. Wilkins, two of the founding residents of the Village on the Green Retirement Community, and remains the crown jewel of the community. Since neither of the founders attended college, their collective intent was to provide educational scholarships to employees at Village on the Green.
Qualifications include:
Students of Jones High School
In 1999 an anonymous donor established the Edna S. Hargrett Fund to honor Mrs. Hargrett’s direction of the well-known Jones High School Choir. Edna taught school for 44 years with 33 of those years spent at Jones High School, helping countless students achieve performance excellence.
Distributions from the fund provide scholarships for Jones High School students to attend college and also makes an annual contribution to the Choral Music Program at Jones High School.
A student from DeLand High School
The Foard Award is a scholarship fund established in memory of Betty Foard Hutchings, known as “Miss Foard” to three generations of students at DeLand High School and revered for her devoted service to the school and the wider community.
It is an annual scholarship given to a graduating student from DeLand High School who is nominated for academic excellence and public service commitment. Award recipients are selected based on criteria developed by the Foard Award Selection Committee, which is comprised of members of the DeLand community.
Orange Technical College
The Paul and Sarah Goodman Fund was established in 2000 with the proceeds of the estate of Paul and Sarah Goodman. Mrs. Goodman was an outstanding teacher of English in Orlando and was past president of the Florida Education Association and Mr. Goodman was also a teacher.
Their intent was to help deserving students interested in the vocational trades. The annual distribution from the fund is to be used for scholarships for high school students in need, who plan on attending technical schools, vocational schools or educational programming for adults through Orange County Public Schools.
Graduates of Edgewater High School (Administered through the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools)
The Alexander Lauder W. Adams Estate Fund was established in 1991 to provide scholarships for graduates of Edgewater High School. Distributions from the fund provide annual scholarships.
Children and youth in need with disabilities
The Eccleston-Callahan Memorial Fund was created in 1972 when the building and assets of the Eccleston-Callahan Memorial Hospital for Crippled Children were placed in trust to benefit needy children and youth with disabilities. The Trust was transferred to the Central Florida Foundation in 1996 and is now an endowed scholarship.
The Fund is named in memory of Dr. C.L. Eccleston, a dentist, and Dr. J.B. Callahan, a physician, both in Orlando.
The Alpha Eagle Aviation and Science Foundation Fund was established to support
tuition or book expenses for students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The target group for this fund is students who are members of historically underrepresented groups in aviation, or the sciences.
Applications are open 01/08/25 to 02/12/25. Click on scholarship name to learn more.
The scholarship was originally started as the Alpha Eagle Book Scholarship in 2011 at ERAU. The Alpha Eagle Aviation and Science Foundation Fund was later established at the Central Florida Foundation in the fall 2014 by Embry-Riddle alumnus Mark Giddarie, DBA (DB 98).
Find eligibility requirements, application requirements, and more here.
High school seniors, public speaking (Administered through the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools)
The Earl K. Wood Fund awards an annual scholarship to high school seniors for tuition and books. Students must participate in the Earl K. Wood Scholarship contest in public speaking.
A dual-enrolled student from Lyman or Seminole (Administered by Seminole State College)
The Robert J. Schmidt and E.S. Douglas Scholarship Fund was established for a dual-enrolled student from Lyman High School or Seminole High School who continues his or her education at Seminole State College.
Migrant or at-risk youth in Orange County (Administered through the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools)
The Royce B. Walden and Bert E. Roper Scholarship Fund for Migrant or At-Risk Youth was established in honor of Royce B. Walden and Bert E. Roper who were pioneers in providing services and resources to the migrant community in Orange County.
Scholarships benefit migrant or at-risk youth who attend an Orange County public high school and have been accepted into a college, university, or an Orange County Public Schools Career & Technical Education Center.
Winter Haven High School or Lake Region High School student (Administered by Ridge Technical College)
The Sally Abernethy Educational Fund was established upon the death of Miss Abernethy in 1978. A member of a Polk County citrus family, Ms. Abernethy attended Winter Haven High School and graduated from Agnes Scott College.
Distributions from the fund provide scholarships for students graduating from Winter Haven High School and Lake Region High School.
Christian College Education (Administered by Southeastern University)
The S. Frank and Tillie B. Poole Fund was established in 1961 by Tillie B. Poole. Distributions from the fund provide scholarships for worthy young men and women in the Winter Haven area and surrounding communities of Polk County who wish to pursue a Christian college education.
Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited two or four-year college or university to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree. Technical colleges included. Preference will be given to applicants who are survivors, family members, and first responders of the Pulse Tragedy.
Applications are open 01/08/25 to 02/12/25. Click on scholarship name to learn more.
The OnePulse Scholarship is
Find eligibility requirements, application requirements, and more here.
Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in an undergraduate or graduate degree program within the field of finance or in a finance-related field and be able to show evidence of impact in and support for the LGBTQ community.
Applications are open 01/08/25 to 02/12/25. Click on scholarship name to learn more.
The Juan Ramon Guerrero Scholarship is an annual scholarship of $10,000 to one applicant.
Find eligibility requirements, application requirements, and more here.
ALISSA MAHADEO
Community Investment Manager
amahadeo@cffound.org
800 North Magnolia Avenue, Suite 1700
Orlando, FL 32803
p. 407.872.3050
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