Discover Funding Opportunities

Kalamazoo Public Library Amanda Green Scholarship

The goal of this scholarship, named after a longtime library assistant in Teen Services, is to promote the library profession to people of color. By providing monetary assistance to individuals, KPL hopes to promote the hiring of more librarians of color either at home or in other communities. Amanda Green worked at KPL for 23 years, from 1998 to 2012. Many of those years she spent in Teen Services, working to give all teens the opportunity to improve their lives. Her passion for KPL's mission to support and mentor teens has been passed on for years. In 2016, the Kalamazoo Public Library board passed a resolution that reaffirms the library's commitment to address equal justice under the law, racial justice, and institutional racism, social-economic divisions in the community and human dignity for all through programs, services, policies, practices and the empowerment of staff. This multiyear scholarship is eligible to repeat annually up to 2 years if enrolled full-time or up to 4 years if enrolled part-time.

Love Where You Live: Scholarship Fund

The Love Where You Live: Scholarship Fund was established by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation's board of trustees to invest in the educational aspirations of Kalamazoo County residents. The scholarship supports students committed to continuing their education through various degree and certificate programs, including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and vocational/trade certifications. This multiyear scholarship is renewable annually for up to 4 times and can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Applicants must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating/graduated from a high school within Kalamazoo County and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship is available for both full-time and part-time students, including high school seniors and current undergraduates. Payments are sent directly to the educational institution and split between fall and spring semesters. The application process runs through an all-in-one online application system, with submissions due March 1 annually, notifications from April-June, and payments sent by mid-July to August.

Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association Scholarship

The Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association Scholarship was established to assist students who have taken part in the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association program. This one-time scholarship award of $1,500 is designed to support high school seniors pursuing a bachelor's degree (4-year) at an accredited institution. The scholarship specifically recognizes students who have demonstrated superior character, sportsmanship, and good citizenship through their participation in the Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association program. Applicants must be enrolled full-time and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA while demonstrating financial need. The scholarship funds may be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance (COA), including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, and other educational expenses. Payments are sent directly to the recipient's institution and are typically split evenly between fall and spring semesters. The application process is streamlined through an all-in-one online application system administered by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. Students can apply starting December 1st, with submissions due by March 1st. Applicants are notified of award decisions between April and June, with scholarship payments sent directly to institutions by mid-July through August. This is a non-renewable, one-time award that can be combined with other scholarships or funding sources.

Kreager Family Scholarship

The Kreager Family Scholarship was established in 2001 by the Kreager family to provide financial assistance to college-bound graduating high school seniors that have suffered the loss of a parent or parents through death or abandonment after infancy. This one-time, non-renewable award of $2,000 or more is designed to support students from Kalamazoo County who demonstrate financial need and are pursuing higher education. The scholarship can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Eligible students may be pursuing associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, or vocational/trade certifications on either a full-time or part-time basis. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the educational institution and distributed evenly between fall and spring semesters. Students must be residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating from a high school within Kalamazoo County or from South Haven High School. Applications are accepted through the all-in-one online application process, with submissions due by March 1 each year, and recipients are notified between April and June, with payments sent to institutions by mid-July through August.

Curtis & Dorothy Young Scholarship

Duane Young, a graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School and Michigan State University as well as a professional football player, established this fund in 1994 to provide scholarship assistance to student athletes who have the desire and the skills necessary to participate in athletics while attending a college/university. This scholarship supports high school seniors who are residents of Kalamazoo County or graduating from a high school within Kalamazoo County. Recipients must demonstrate financial need and have participated in high school varsity sports with the possibility of continuing participation in college. The scholarship provides up to $1,000 as a one-time, non-renewable award that can be applied to any items under the school's cost of attendance including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, and health insurance. Applications are submitted through an all-in-one online application system, with submissions due by March 1 each year. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the student's institution, typically by mid-July through August.

Buechner Scholarship

The Buechner Scholarship supports licensed teachers in St. Joseph County, Indiana who wish to pursue graduate education at Indiana University South Bend. The scholarship is designed specifically for teachers pursuing a Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in either the Unified Track Elementary and Secondary Education program or the Education Leadership program. Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress and demonstrate financial need through FAFSA. The scholarship provides financial support based on enrollment, with $1,000 per three-credit class and an additional $500 book stipend per semester for students enrolled in at least 4 credit hours. The scholarship is renewable annually upon submission of a renewal application and continued satisfaction of eligibility criteria. Annual disbursements will not exceed $10,000 per academic year and cannot exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for any session. This opportunity is administered by the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County and is intended to support the professional development of educators in the local community.

Stipend for Children without Glasses

The Stipend for Children without Glasses (SCWG) is a charitable foundation established in 2012 dedicated to supporting youth who have maintained natural visual acuity throughout their developmental years. Founded by optometrist Dr. Helena Brightwell, the organization awards annual grants of $500–$2,000 to children ages 8–17 who demonstrate both exceptional uncorrected vision and academic achievement. The foundation's somewhat tongue-in-cheek mission arose from Dr. Brightwell's observation that while numerous programs exist to provide corrective eyewear to those in need, no recognition existed for children whose genetic fortune and eye-care habits preserved their natural sight. Recipients must submit proof of 20/20 vision or better from a licensed eye care professional, along with a short essay on eye health awareness. The SCWG distributes approximately $150,000 annually across 200 grants and has funded vision health education programs in over 40 schools nationwide.