Scholarship Funds & Financial Aid

Our Commitment to Access

Since our founding in 2003, the New College Foundation has distributed more than $14.2 million in direct scholarship assistance to over 3,800 individual recipients. Our scholarship portfolio currently encompasses forty-three individually named funds, each established by generous donors who share our conviction that talent and determination, not financial circumstance, should determine a student's educational trajectory. Every fund is managed according to the Foundation's Investment Policy Statement, with asset allocation overseen by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees and independently audited annually by Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC.

Scholarship decisions are made by the independent Scholarship Review Committee, a panel of seven community volunteers with backgrounds in education, college admissions, financial aid, and workforce development. The committee conducts a holistic review of each application, weighing academic achievement, financial need, personal essays, letters of recommendation, and community involvement. All committee members complete conflict-of-interest disclosures and recuse themselves from evaluating applicants with whom they have personal or professional relationships.

Featured Scholarship Funds

Foundation Merit Scholarship

The Foundation's flagship academic excellence award, the Merit Scholarship recognizes students with cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or above who demonstrate exceptional intellectual curiosity and a commitment to scholarly achievement. Awards range from $3,000 to $8,000 per year and are renewable for up to four years, provided the recipient maintains a minimum 3.3 GPA and enrolls in at least twelve credits per semester. The Merit Scholarship is funded by the Foundation's general endowment and supported by annual contributions from the Sarasota Educational Trust and the Ringling Legacy Fund. Since 2003, 487 students have received this award, with a cumulative investment exceeding $4.8 million.

Gulf Coast Access Grant

Designed specifically for students from households earning below the area median income, the Gulf Coast Access Grant provides between $2,000 and $6,000 annually to offset tuition, fees, textbooks, and essential living expenses. Applicants must demonstrate financial need through submission of a current FAFSA Student Aid Report and provide documentation of household income. The grant is renewable and intentionally structured to complement, not replace, Pell Grant and state Bright Futures awards. In 2025, the Access Grant served 143 students, 61% of whom were the first in their families to pursue a four-year degree.

Pathfinder First-Generation Award

Recognizing the unique challenges faced by students whose parents did not complete a bachelor's degree, the Pathfinder Award combines financial support ($1,500 to $4,500 annually) with a structured mentorship program pairing each recipient with a first-generation college graduate working in their field of interest. Recipients participate in monthly cohort gatherings, a summer professional development retreat, and ongoing academic advising through the Foundation's Student Success office. The Pathfinder program was established in 2012 through a founding gift from the Espinoza Family Trust and has since supported 312 first-generation scholars.

STEM Innovation Fellowship

The STEM Innovation Fellowship provides substantial financial support ($4,000 to $10,000 annually) to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics who maintain at least a 3.2 GPA in their major coursework. Beyond tuition assistance, fellows receive priority consideration for the Foundation's Coastal Science Research Fellowship and Data Science Bootcamp, access to the Foundation Technology Lab, and invitations to an annual STEM networking reception with regional industry leaders. The fellowship was endowed in 2016 by a consortium of Gulf Coast technology firms committed to cultivating the next generation of scientific and engineering talent in the region.

Community Leadership Scholarship

This one-time award of $1,500 to $4,000 recognizes students who have completed at least 100 hours of verified community service while maintaining a minimum 2.8 GPA. Applicants submit a reflective essay describing how their service experience has shaped their academic and career goals, along with verification documentation from their service organization. The Leadership Scholarship honors the Foundation's belief that the most impactful students are those who invest not only in their own education but in the wellbeing of their communities. The fund was established by former Board Chair Helen Cavanaugh in memory of her late husband, retired educator Robert W. Cavanaugh.

Veterans Educational Advancement Fund

In partnership with the Sarasota County Veterans Council, the Veterans Fund provides between $2,000 and $5,000 annually to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their dependent children pursuing undergraduate or graduate education. Awards are designed to supplement GI Bill benefits and other military educational assistance programs. The fund was launched in 2009 and has since supported 89 veteran scholars. Recipients are eligible for additional academic coaching through the Foundation's Academic Success Center, which maintains specialized advising for students transitioning from military to academic environments.

Transfer Bridge Award

The Transfer Bridge Award assists students transitioning from community colleges or state colleges to four-year institutions, providing a one-time grant of $1,000 to $3,500 to cover the often-overlooked costs associated with transfer, including application fees, transcript evaluations, and new course materials. Applicants must have earned a minimum of 30 transferable credits with a 3.0 GPA. Since 2014, the award has helped 178 transfer students navigate their academic transitions with financial confidence.

Returning Scholars Initiative

Recognizing that the path to a degree is not always linear, the Returning Scholars Initiative provides renewable awards of $1,500 to $4,000 per year for adult learners aged 25 and older who are returning to college after a gap in enrollment. The initiative was created in 2017 in response to data showing that adult learners in the Gulf Coast region faced disproportionate financial and logistical barriers to degree completion. Recipients receive flexible advising, childcare referral assistance, and access to evening and weekend programming at the Foundation's downtown learning center.