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Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

  • About
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      • NNYCF vs. A Private Foundation
    • Memorials
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  • Students
    • Scholarship Overview
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    • Scholarships Available
    • Next Step Education Program
  • Nonprofits
    • Grants for Good
    • Apply for a Grant
    • Nonprofit Partners
    • Partner & Grantee Resources
    • Recent Grant Recipients
    • Glenwood Cemetery Revitalization Campaign
    • CAR-FRESHNER Corporation Charitable Fund
  • Programs
    • Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge
    • Youth Philanthropy Council
      • Canstruction for Northern New York 2026
    • LEAD Giving Circle

Requirements & Criteria

Freshman applicants

High school seniors for the freshman year of college

Selection criteria

Regents scores: 30%
Cumulative GPA: 30%
Personal data & essay: 20%
Class Rank: 10%
Applicant Appraisals: 10%

Recipients of the Northern New York, Herring College and Visiting Nurse Association scholarships are chosen based on the student’s combined regents scores, cumulative GPA, rank in class, personal data, essay scores and applicant appraisals. The mentioned criteria are entered into a database to produce a numerical ranking of all freshman applicants. Remaining foundation restricted scholarships are awarded based on donor-directed criteria.

Nontraditional Students: For any year in college, technical, vocational or trade school, full or part-time

  • For any year in college, technical or vocational school, full or part-time.
  • High school or college transcripts are required.
  • In-person interviews are required.
  • Selection is based on educational objectives, ability to meet them and financial need.
  • Amount of award is based on financial need.

North Pleasant Street (Watertown) Scholarship applicants

  • Applicants must reside on North Pleasant Street in Watertown and the applicant’s family must have resided on North Pleasant Street for at least five years.

St. Lawrence County applicants

  • High school seniors for the freshman year of college
  • Applicants must be students in the following school districts: Canton, Clifton-Fine, Colton-Pierrepont, Edwards-Knox, Gouverneur, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Madrid-Waddington, Massena, Morristown, Norwood-Norfolk, Ogdensburg, Parishville-Hopkinton, Potsdam or St. Lawrence Central.
  • Applications will be accepted from high school seniors who plan to enroll as full-time college freshmen (12 credits per semester).
  • Students who plan to attend technical or vocational schools are eligible to apply.
  • Selection is based on academic criteria and personal data as listed above.

Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship applicants

  • Applicants (or their dependents — spouse or child) must provide documentation that they or a parent or spouse was awarded the Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
  • Applicants must be residents of Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence counties.
  • Applicants can be entering any year of full-time undergraduate study (12 credits per semester).

Northern New York Community Foundation

131 Washington Street
Watertown, NY 13601

Phone: 315-782-7110
Fax: 315-782-0047

info@nnycf.org

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Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

4,765

Working with donors to benefit the community through grants and scholarships since 1929.

We are excited to share the Week 4 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Faith Fellowship Christian School took the lead with 100 percent student participation! Sackets Harbor Central is holding strong in second place with 50 percent participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central strengthened its lead, increasing to 26.76 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central added to its lead with 26.92 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class. 

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! So far, only SIX schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants. 

Seniors: Money for your future is waiting! Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFutureImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

We are excited to share the Week 4 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Faith Fellowship Christian School took the lead with 100 percent student participation! Sackets Harbor Central is holding strong in second place with 50 percent participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central strengthened its lead, increasing to 26.76 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central added to its lead with 26.92 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class.

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! So far, only SIX schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants.

Seniors: Money for your future is waiting! Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFuture
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22 hours ago
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High school seniors: Be like Vince!

A 2025 Watertown City School District High School graduate, Vince Knapp was awarded $3,000 in Northern New York Community Foundation scholarship support to help study biology at Le Moyne College.

Complete your application for scholarship support by Sunday, March 15, at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships

#NNYCF #scholarships #EducationalSupport #FundingYourFuture #classof2026
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4 days ago
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Wtg, Vince!!

I wish they could help with teacher debt

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We are excited to share the Week 3 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Sackets Harbor Central took the lead with 50 percent student participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central held onto the lead, increasing to 25.35 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central held onto the lead, still with 23.08 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class. 

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! That means schools only have one more week to increase student participation to 25 percent or more of the senior class to be eligible for the first round of Scholarship Challenge grants. So far, only THREE schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants!

Seniors: Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Winter break is the perfect opportunity to complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFutureImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

We are excited to share the Week 3 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Sackets Harbor Central took the lead with 50 percent student participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central held onto the lead, increasing to 25.35 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central held onto the lead, still with 23.08 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class.

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! That means schools only have one more week to increase student participation to 25 percent or more of the senior class to be eligible for the first round of Scholarship Challenge grants. So far, only THREE schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants!

Seniors: Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Winter break is the perfect opportunity to complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFuture
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
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I’m

Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Great continuing education options; consider

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