Solano Community Foundation Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Solano Community Foundation

Solano Community Foundation has once again met the Council on Foundations’ National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. These standards are the leading benchmarks for transparency and accountability in philanthropy. We are honored to have this reconfirmation across donor services, investment stewardship, grantmaking, and administration.

Harry and Eleanor D. Nelson Scholarship
- Purpose: Honors sustained academic achievement and community service while in high school. Funded by the Harry and Eleanor D. Nelson Vacaville Endowment Fund, a component fund of the Solano Community Foundation.
- Award: Five scholarships of $20,000 each, renewable up to four years. Payments are issued as $5,000 in the fall of each academic year.
- Application opens: January 26, 2026
- Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Who may apply:
- Vacaville resident and a graduating senior currently enrolled at Vacaville High School, Will C. Wood High School, or Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy
- Must have been enrolled at one of the above schools for both junior and senior years
- Required of all applicants:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 when the transcript is submitted
- Demonstrated financial need
- Verifiable record of school and community service involvement
- Acceptance to — and intention to attend — a four-year college or university as a full-time student
- How to apply: Complete the Google Form Scholarship Application.
- Application materials required:
- A copy of your most recent high school transcript (from the registrar) that includes Senior Year Fall Semester grades
- One academic letter of recommendation (from an instructor, teacher, employer, coach, or community member)
- Note: All recipients must submit a Student Enrollment Verification Form. Renewable awards require a verification form each year to receive renewal payments.

James W. Caughy and Florence L. Caughy Verbeek Vacaville High School Memorial Service Award Fund
- 2026 cycle is open — application deadline April 1, 2026
- Purpose: Recognizes ongoing academic excellence and community service. Sponsored by the James W. Caughy and Florence L. Caughy Verbeek Vacaville High School Memorial Service Award Fund, a component fund of the Solano Community Foundation.
- Award: Two scholarships of $4,000 each
- Application opens: January 26, 2026
- Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Eligibility:
- Students who attended Vacaville High School for their entire junior and senior years
- Required of all applicants:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Plans to attend a four-year college or university in California
- A record of community volunteer service or employment for at least two years
- How to apply: Complete the Google Form Scholarship Application.
- Application materials required:
- A copy of your most recent high school transcript (from the registrar) that includes Senior Year Fall Semester grades
- One academic letter of recommendation (from an instructor, teacher, employer, coach, or community member)

Dr. Ethan R. Sellers Memorial Scholarship Fund
- 2026 scholarship cycle — deadline extended to April 1, 2026
- Purpose: Established in memory of Dr. Ethan Ross Sellers to support students connected to underserved communities or underrepresented in health professions.
- Award: One scholarship of $5,000
- Application opens: February 18, 2026
- Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Eligible applicants must meet at least one of the following:
- Come from a disadvantaged or underserved background, or
- Plan to work in an underserved or underrepresented community, or
- Belong to a community underrepresented in healthcare professions
- Additional eligibility criteria:
- Have completed at least three years of undergraduate study by the end of June of the award year, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2
- Pursuing a degree in a healthcare field and attending a school located in Solano, Yolo, or Napa County, or in the state of Pennsylvania
- Must satisfy one of the following academic statuses:
- Pursuing at least a 4-year university degree, or
- Accepted to a postgraduate program, or
- Currently a postgraduate student
- How to apply: Complete the Google Form Scholarship Application.
- Application materials required:
- A copy of your most recent transcript
- Two letters of recommendation (one academic and one non-academic)
- Demonstration of financial need

George C. Pappas Scholarship Fund
- 2026 cycle now open — application deadline April 10, 2026
- Purpose: Supported by the George C. Pappas Scholarship Fund, a component fund of the Solano Community Foundation.
- Award: Two scholarships, each up to $15,000 total. Renewable up to four years, paid as $3,750 in the fall of each academic year (annual renewals required).
- Application opens: March 9, 2026
- Deadline: April 10, 2026
- Eligibility:
- Must be a member of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (Vallejo, CA)
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Requirements for current high school applicants:
- If planning to attend a four-year college/university: maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA during junior and senior years
- If planning to attend a certified vocational or trade school: maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA during junior and senior years
- Submit a copy of your most recent high school transcript (from the registrar) that includes Senior Year Fall Semester grades
- Provide one academic letter of recommendation (from an instructor, teacher, employer, coach, or community member)
- Requirements for returning learners:
- Planning to enroll in an accredited four-year college/university or a certified vocational/trade school
- Submit one academic letter of recommendation from a community member
- Requirements for all applicants:
- Demonstrate financial need
- May receive the award for one to four years (subject to annual renewal requirements and payments)
- Complete a written essay on the meaning and purpose of the U.S. Constitution (prompt available online)
- How to apply:
- Google Form Scholarship Application for Current High School Seniors
- Google Form Scholarship Application for Returning Learners
- Note: All scholarship recipients must complete and return a Student Enrollment Verification Form each year to receive renewal payments.

If you need links to the Google Form applications or to the Pappas essay prompt, let me know and I will include them.