March 26, 2018
Less than ten percent of Newark residents have a bachelor’s degree. Roughly a third have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Of course, these low levels of formal education don’t mean Newark’s residents are any less creative, determined, or resilient – but it does mean that their window for upward mobility is closing.
We’re working to change that.
The Community Foundation of New Jersey and its fundholders are playing an increasingly important role in bridging the financial gap for New Jersey’s many aspiring students and empowering them to achieve a brighter future.
Granting an average of more than $1 million in scholarships each year, the Community Foundation’s scholarship funds enable a wide range of students – whose personal backgrounds are as diverse as their professional aspirations – to see their dreams of a higher education become a reality. We are also placing a heavy emphasis on those students seeking to learn a trade, which not only provides a path to independence and empowerment, but also fills a critical skills gap in our region.
Unfortunately, there will be worthy students who are left out – either because the scholarship dollars run out or they just miss the cut. Therein lies a unique opportunity to achieve a meaningful philanthropic impact.
For those who would like to take part in the Community Foundation’s robust scholarship programming, we offer opportunities to create your own scholarship fund or donate toward our general Scholarship Opportunity Fund.
Last year, our Scholarship Opportunity Fund kicked in when our more than 100 scholarship funds ended their grantmaking cycles. It made all the difference for students like David, who volunteers at the Cerebral Palsy School in Livingston and is now pursuing a degree in Biology at Rutgers, and Oluomachi, who is studying at Williams College and hopes to become a trauma surgeon.
To learn more about the Community Foundation’s range of scholarship offerings and ways for your family or business to empower fellow New Jerseyans, contact Faith Krueger at fkrueger@cfnj.org or 973-267-5533.