Community Foundation of Central Blue Ridge Scholarship Program

Residency can be the factor that turns a community scholarship into a real option. Community Foundation of Central Blue Ridge lists a 2027 program expected to award more than $400,000 to students of different ages: high-school seniors, current college students, and adults returning to school. The eligible area includes Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta, Highland, and Nelson counties. Most funds can be reached through one application, although exceptions exist.

The Foundation pools donor gifts for awards whose criteria belong to each fund. Its listings do not create one universal scholarship for every local student: an award may consider need, major, school, educational path, or personal qualities. For example, the page describes the Harlow Family Scholarship as weighing financial need, character, and perseverance—not grades alone. Before starting, review the full list to confirm that a fund accepts your age, college stage, and place of residence.

The 2027 cycle opened October 1, 2026; the general deadline is March 1, 2027, although the Foundation warns that some funds use exceptions. Recipients are typically notified in May or June, and payments go to schools in July. Keep a copy of the application and verify the payment destination with the campus financial-aid office. For eligibility questions, the page lists phone 540-213-2150 and an email contact for the scholarship team.

To compare this benefit with other options, ask financial aid for an estimate separating tuition, fees, housing, and excluded expenses. Confirm whether it can renew, what academic progress it requires, and whom to contact if payment does not appear on the account. Keep award letters and receipts until the school confirms disbursement.

Official program information and application