find scholarships
Scholarship fund overview
Beyond a shared commitment to educational opportunity, families establish scholarship funds with a variety of goals and purposes in mind. They may offer traditional scholarships or customize fund awards for alternative scholarships.
Currently, CFNJ administers more than 135 scholarship funds. Our scholarship opportunities run the gamut, from those exclusive to a local high school or geographic region to those supporting specific majors or career pursuits. Last year, we awarded over $2 million in scholarship assistance to 271 scholars.
Applicants may be evaluated on academic performance; extracurricular activities; community involvement; paid or unpaid work; and a statement of their personal aspirations, educational goals, and demonstrated unmet financial need in our scholarship review process.
Learn more: Fact Sheet | List of Scholarship Funds | Scholarship Q&A
Information for applicants
Students seeking scholarship assistance can now fill out one universal application, click “submit,” and then review the scholarship opportunities for which they may qualify based on the answers provided.
It’s important to note that criteria for each of our scholarship opportunities varies, and we strongly encourage guidance counselors, program directors, and students to familiarize themselves with opportunity-specific criteria to determine if students might be a good fit.
We also recommend that applicants review the online application process prior to beginning the application. A short video, lists of our current scholarship funds, and other resources can be viewed below:
- Universal Online Application Tutorial
- List of scholarship funds available on the Universal Online Application
- List of scholarship funds not on the Universal Online Application (may require direct applications)
The 2026 scholarship applications will follow a rolling open/closed date timeline.
Launch of the 2026–27 FAFSA® form
Students can access the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form on the Department of Education’s website.
For questions, please contact Colleen Smith, Scholarship Program Officer, at csmith@cfnj.org. For updates and information, follow us on Instagram at @cfnjscholarships.
Guidelines for renewable scholarships
Scholarships with four installments
Fall semester of each year
It’s the student’s responsibility to provide the following information to the Community Foundation by July 15. Reminder notices are not sent out. Future installments are contingent upon the following: The student remains enrolled on a full-time basis in a college or university within the United States, remains in good academic standing, and assumes responsibility to submit the following requested documentation. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of your scholarship.
Students should provide:
- A transcript
- One-page narrative of the past year’s academic experience, details of community service work performed during the academic year, and any employment experience
- Fall class registration (outline credit being taken)
- If your installment is $5,000 or greater, then a student bill is required. It should be your final bill outlining all financial aid and your portion of the bill. Only those with bills required have an extended deadline of August 15.
Scholarships with eight installments
Fall semester of each year
It’s the student’s responsibility to provide the following information to the Community Foundation by August 15. Reminder notices are not sent out. Future installments are contingent upon the following: The student remains enrolled on a full-time basis in a college or university within the United States, remains in good academic standing, and assumes responsibility to submit the following requested documentation. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of your scholarship.
Students should provide:
- A transcript
- One-page narrative of the past year’s academic experience, details of community service work performed during the academic year, and any employment experience
- Fall class registration (outline credit being taken)
- Student fall bill (This should be your final bill outlining all financial aid and your portion of the bill.)
Spring semester of each year
It’s the student’s responsibility to provide the following information to the Community Foundation by January 15. Reminder notices are not sent out. Future installments are contingent upon the following: The student remains enrolled on a full-time basis in a college or university within the United States, remains in good academic standing, and assumes responsibility to submit the following requested documentation. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of your scholarship.
Students should provide:
- A transcript including fall grades
- Spring class registration (outline credit being taken)
- Student spring bill (This should be your final bill outlining all financial aid and your portion of the bill.)
Scholarship Interface Link (opens May 16)
For questions, contact Colleen Smith at csmith@cfnj.org or 973.267.5502.
Scholarship acceptance instructions
Students should fill out and sign their Scholarship Award/Consent Form, and then upload it via our online portal.
For existing users:
- Don’t create a new profile.
- Log into your account.
For new users:
- Review the Scholarship Portal Tutorial before accessing the site for the first time.
- Use the tutorial’s helpful tips to set up an account and learn how to navigate the portal.
- Select “Create New Account” to create your log-in credentials.
Since visibility of the form is restricted, you must enter the password that was provided in your award letter in the upper right-hand corner to accept your scholarship. After entering the code and selecting “ENTER CODE,” you will see the form and should complete it. Our online portal closes on July 15 or August 15 (at midnight), depending on the award you’ve received. Award submission requests will be handled in the order in which they’re received. Note that this time of year is a busy transaction period, so please plan accordingly.
The earlier your scholarship payment is received by your college or university, the faster the bill payment requirement can be removed from your records. This proactive step ensures that payment delays won’t interfere with class enrollment holds, cause class removals, or impede dorm assignments due to account holds.
For questions or concerns, send an email to scholarships@cfnj.org. You will receive a response to your inquiry within 72 hours and in the order in which it was received. Verification for submittals and payments can only be found by accessing the online portal.
Information on colleges, scholarships, and internships
There are many types of scholarship awards, and they all have different eligibility criteria. Apply for as many scholarships as possible and use a notebook or spreadsheet to keep track of opportunities and due dates. We’ve also listed a few tools and resources on internships and college searches below:
Scholarships
Miscellaneous
COLLEGE SEARCH
gocollege.com
careersandcolleges.com
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
SCHOLARSHIP TRACKING, FORMS & GUIDES
mappingyourfuture.org
INTERNSHIPS
wayup.com
linkedin.com
glassdoor.com
indeed.com
ACCOUNTING
njcpa.org
MENTAL HEALTH
scholarships360.org
Although you might already be familiar with some of the larger national scholarship programs, you can also find other local scholarship awards. We encourage you to consider these additional resources:
- Local foundations
- Religious or community organizations
- Area businesses or civic groups
- Professional associations related to your field of study
- Ethnicity- and identity-based organizations
- Your employer or your parents’ employers
- Local library
- High school counselor
New Jersey-specific financial aid information
New Jersey College Promise offers an affordable pathway to a college degree. Together, the Community College Opportunity Grant and the Garden State Guarantee programs offer transparent, predictable pricing for up to four years of college at a public institution within New Jersey.
Additional resources:
Understanding financial aid
Financial aid is money that helps students cover costs for a four-year college or university, a two-year college, or vocational school. Grants, work study, loans, and scholarships can also make school more affordable.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is required to be submitted in order to apply for financial aid at a college or university. Most schools have priority deadlines for submitting the FAFSA, so become familiar with those dates. The sooner you submit your FAFSA, the better. The earlier you apply, the more likely it is that you will receive financial aid from your school or your state.
After submitting your FAFSA, you’ll receive a FAFSA Submission Summary that includes your Student Aid Index (SAI) number. Keep this document and SAI number in a safe place because you may be asked to provide it on a scholarship application.
Once you’ve been admitted to a specific university or college, you will typically be allowed to apply for institution-based scholarships. Be sure to check out your college website to learn how to access the scholarship applications. It’s also important for you to communicate with your college’s financial aid office to let them know about your needs and ask questions.
Additional information on financial aid:
Gabby Neely Receives 2024 Morristown Neighborhood House Scholarship
Congratulations to Gabby Neely for being selected as a recipient of a 2024 Morristown Neighborhood House Scholarship!
“As I move to the chapter of my life of being a college student, it is exciting and scary at the same time. Being picked for one of your scholarships gives me a sense of confidence that will be with me as I move into the next chapter of my life, and this scholarship will help me with my college expenses,” Gabby shared. “I look forward to updating you on my different accomplishments over the next four years as I study nursing at Delaware State University this fall.”
The Morristown Neighborhood House Scholarship is awarded to a graduating high school senior from Morristown or Morris Township who has an affiliation with Morristown Neighborhood House.
Siegel Scholar Goes to Washington
One of our Siegel Family Scholarship recipients, Johnnie E. Brooker, is a journalism and political science student studying at Marquette University. The experience of immersing himself in his college studies, his internship, and the culture of Washington, D.C., has been a blessing.
“… I have the esteemed honor of interning for my congressman that serves my home district of New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. For three days a week, I was essentially a staffer in his D.C. office. And then [attended] my college courses on Marquette’s D.C. campus, called the Les Aspin Center, which is about four blocks away from the Capitol,” Johnnie shared. “One thing this semester taught me was that I give so much respect for those who work full time and are matriculating in school!”
The Siegel Family Scholarship gives a minimum of four scholarships per year and supports the selected scholars for the full four years. This scholarship places special emphasis on students recommended by nonprofit organizations that the Siegel family has long supported.
Siegel Scholar ‘Makes a Home’ at Dartmouth
Ashley Laveriano, a student at Dartmouth College, shared that she has a greater sense of confidence because she doesn’t have to worry about financial circumstances. Ashley said she was humbled by the journey of attending college thanks to her Siegel Family Scholarship award.
“I have made a home at the Dartmouth Sustainability Office, where I push for a robust justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion plan and talk about environmental justice with freshmen. I have made a home in the Ernest Everett Just Research program, where I speak ecstatically about my research with fellow scientists of color. Above all, I have made a home in the Environmental Studies Department, where I am pushed to understand ecosystems across scales,” Ashley said. “My Dartmouth education goes beyond me. It is for my hardworking parents and their daily sacrifices. It is for my wide-eyed, inquisitive younger siblings. It is for the communities I hope to aid in our fight against climate change. Most importantly, it is for younger students who, like me, will think a Dartmouth education is out of reach.”
The Siegel Family Scholarship gives a minimum of four scholarships per year and supports the selected scholars for the full four years. This scholarship places special emphasis on students recommended by nonprofit organizations that the Siegel family has long supported.
We’ll periodically share articles of interest on our Student Support page to guide you on writing resumes, improving your networking skills, managing your stress, and more.
- Resume Building: bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-write-a-resume-in-college
- Networking: https://topresume.com/career-advice/category/networking
- Stress Management: www.bestcolleges.com/resources/balancing-stress/
- Mental Health Wellness: adaa.org and afsp.org/get-help
Give online to scholarship programs
The following scholarships are funds at the Community Foundation of New Jersey, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All gifts to these scholarship funds are fully tax deductible. If you wish to make a cash contribution, make your check payable to the “Community Foundation of New Jersey” and mail it to:
- Community Foundation of New Jersey
Post Office Box 338
Morristown, New Jersey 07963-0338
If you wish to donate via credit card, click on the links below. For wiring instructions, contact us at info@cfnj.org.
Dr. Crosby Copeland, Jr. Scholarship
This scholarship honors the legacy and accomplishments of Dr. Crosby Copeland, Jr., and his many years of dedication to the education of young people in Trenton as a teacher, principal, and Superintendent of the Trenton Public Schools District.
The fund was created through the joint efforts of the Copeland family and the Trenton Kappa Foundation to help young men develop their potential, achieve their goals, and become successful and productive adults.
Daniel J. McKinney III Memorial Scholarship Fund
This fund honors the legacy of Daniel “Danny” McKinney, a former student of Lower Cape May Regional High School (LCMRHS). Danny was a kind, caring, and generous person who believed that hardships don’t have to limit you. They, in fact, can make you stronger. Many of us need just one opportunity to get on the road to success. So, this award aims to recognize a hard-working student’s grit, determination, and motivation. It also exemplifies the idea that kindness and generosity toward others is worth aspiring to.
This scholarship will award up to $20,000 over four years to a college-bound senior from LCMRHS who shows outstanding potential, merit, and/or improvement in life — along with the ability to overcome obstacles. Special consideration will be given to students enduring financial hardship.
James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey
James Moody felt that education was the key to everything and provided opportunities for a better future. His scholarship, the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey, is a $5,000 award that’s offered annually to an outstanding high school senior who embodies James’ life-long qualities: musicianship, creativity, leadership, and community involvement.
“This scholarship would be an immense source of pride for my husband. He often fondly recalled growing up in Newark. He was always thrilled when he could provide aspiring musicians with the resources he never had. Moody’s enormous presence will always be with us.” – Linda Moody
Michael Hodinar Memorial Scholarship Fund
This scholarship fund honors the legacy of Michael Hodinar, a Czech-born graduate of Fort Lee High School. Michael was a kind and generous person who never forgot about the struggles experienced by young people and the specific hardships encountered by immigrants and students with limited financial means.
The purpose of the fund is to embody and advance Michael’s ideals by annually granting a scholarship to a college-bound senior of Fort Lee High School. Special consideration will be given to students enduring financial hardship and immigrant students.
Three Little Birds Fund
This fund was created to help families provide essential therapies for their children when they may not have the financial means to do so.
Three Little Birds supports scholarships for therapy costs for children of diverse backgrounds who are seeking, or are currently receiving, treatment for neurological and psychological disorders. The fund also assists charitable organizations that empower special needs children and their families.
Together, we hope to provide the tools these special, wonderful kids need to be successful in life.