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Community Foundation Launches Class of 2026
Scholarship Challenge for Tri-County Schools
Published: January 25, 2026
at 09:00 a.m.
By: Press Release
from NNY Community Foundation
Community Foundation Launches Class of 2026
Scholarship Challenge for Tri-County Schools
Schools That Increase Student Participation in
Scholarship Program Eligible to Win a Share of $5,000 in Foundation Grant
Support
 WATERTOWN — The Northern New
York Community Foundation is pleased to announce its second Scholarship
Challenge to inspire greater participation in its scholarship program from
the Class of 2026 and give schools a chance to win a share of up to $5,000
in grant support.
The Community
Foundation’s scholarship program supports graduating seniors pursuing
further education — whether at an accredited college, university,
technical, or trade school.
The Scholarship
Challenge is open to all schools in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence
counties.
There are two
ways schools have a chance to win grant support: First, the Foundation will
award one $1,000 grant to a school in each of the three counties it serves:
Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence. To be eligible, schools must achieve at
least 25 percent participation from their senior class in submitting
scholarship applications by Friday, February 20, 2026.
In addition, the
top nine schools — three from each county — with the highest overall
participation rates by the March 15,
2026, application deadline will be eligible to
win a $2,000 grant.
“Because of our
donors, past and present, we have such a wide range of scholarship
opportunities for nearly every type of student,” said Rande S.
Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We hope to build
upon the excitement of last year’s Scholarship Challenge, which created an
energetic and healthy competition that resulted in a greater pool of
applicants.”
Schools selected
for grant awards will be chosen at random. Awards may be used to support a
schoolwide initiative or project chosen by the senior class officers at the
winning schools.
Throughout the
challenge, the Community Foundation will report progress at the end of each
week on its Facebook — Facebook.com/nnycf —
Instagram — Instagram.com/nnycommunityfoundation
— and LinkedIn — LinkedIn.com/company/nnycf
— channels. View a chart that details tri-county schools’ participation
rates from 2023 through 2025 at bit.ly/ParticipationRates.
Tri-county
seniors should apply for scholarship support by completing the Community
Foundation’s online common application found at nnycf.org or bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships by Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Last year, 24
percent of all high school seniors in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence
counties applied for Community Foundation scholarship support. In Jefferson
County, 30 percent of the senior class applied. LewisCounty
also saw 30 percent of its seniors apply and 16 percent of St. Lawrence
County seniors completed a scholarship application.
The Foundation
held its first Scholarship Challenge to help motivate members of the Class
of 2025 to apply for scholarship support. South Lewis Central School was
the top grant winner, earning a $2,000 award to support a schoolwide
initiative. LaFargeville Central, Copenhagen
Central, and Lisbon Central schools each
won a $1,000 Community Foundation grant to support a schoolwide project.
In partnership
with donors and tri-county school districts, the Community Foundation in
2025 awarded 1,157 scholarships totaling $1.56 million to help 743 students
pursue their post-secondary educational goals. The average award in 2025
was $2,100 per student. In many cases, eligible students were awarded more
than one scholarship.
Contact Tara
Hess, scholarship and program associate, 315-782-7110, or tara@nnycf.org,
with questions about Community Foundation scholarships.
About the
Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the
Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and
enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson,
Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through
partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual
donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an
endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment
to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for
generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community
philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community
Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors,
professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring
people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy
Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative
solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live,
work, and play.
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