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The Cape Cod Foundation Scholarship Fund
The Cape Cod Foundation
261 Whites Path, Unit 2 | South Yarmouth 02664

The Cape Cod Foundation Scholarship Fund

To support graduating high school seniors, current college students, or returning adult students from Cape Cod who display perseverance and a strong work ethic.

2002

$100,216

Permanent Endowment.  Follows spending policy set and approved annually by Foundation’s Board of Directors

$175,950

$3,054,734. Total from all Foundation Scholarship Funds from 2019-2023.

View the scholarship recipients from 2020-2023 here

FUND BACKGROUND
The Cape Cod Foundation Scholarship Fund, like many discretionary funds, was established with a bequest from a donor who wanted to provide resources for Cape Cod residents to pursue their educational endeavors. The initial gift was $34,149, which enabled us to award at least $1,000 annually to students through 2016. Then, in 2017, we received gifts from two private foundations totaling $15,500 which boosted the amount we had annual to give. Since then, with continual support from private foundations, individual donors, and businesses, we have been able to increase the annual number of awards and award amounts. In 2023 alone, we awarded $21,000 in scholarships.

FOUNDATION STRATEGY
The Foundation administers almost 100 scholarships funds which have collectively distributed $7,355,417 in scholarships since inception. Most of these scholarships were established by individuals, families, businesses, and community groups. Because of this, the intentions and criteria of each fund were determined by the donor(s). Some scholarships support specific fields of study or undergraduate education only; others support students from a specific town or those attending a specific college or university. The Cape Cod Foundation Scholarship Fund is our first discretionary scholarship fund. To increase eligibility, the Foundation Board made the criteria for this scholarship very broad: all graduating high school seniors, current college students, and returning adults from Cape Cod will be considered for scholarship support. We’ve also made the strategic shift to multi-year scholarships. By providing resources for up to four years of study, we are helping to ensure students can finance their education through graduation.

STUDENT IMPACT
Since 2003, 64 students from all regions of Cape Cod have received support from this fund. The majority pursued undergraduate degrees at colleges and universities in New England. Their areas of study ran the gamut: law, business, computer science, finance, marketing, communications, psychology, health, environmental science, social science, law enforcement, hospitality, culinary arts, visual arts, fashion/interior design. View the scholarship recipients from 2020-2023 here.

DONOR/VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Marta Cahill has donated to The Cape Cod Foundation Scholarship Fund and served on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. Her interest in supporting education through a community foundation began years ago. “Two of my four children received very generous scholarships from the Arlington (VA) Community Foundation, which motivated me to get involved with their scholarship program in 2008, first as a community reviewer, and then on the ACF Scholarship Committee which chose the recipients of all 80+ new scholarships each year.”

When Marta moved to Cape Cod is 2020, she decided to transfer that involvement to our scholarship program. “My major takeaway from both the Arlington and Cape Cod scholarship reviews is immense hope for the future of our country, seeing the intelligence, drive, passion, and commitment of these high school students. It is very rewarding to read about these students and be able to help, at least a bit, with their college finances. I always wish that I had a spare million dollars, so that I could give much more money to many more incredibly deserving students.”

All figures updated 1.26.24

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