Today, November 1, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) FALL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION opens! CFNIL is the region's largest private scholarship provider, with over 125 unique scholarships totaling over $500,000 to be awarded this year. There are three application cycles (Fall, Winter/Main, and Spring), each with its own application and timeline. Each cycle's application is accessed via CFNIL's online application portal.

The FALL cycle application is open from November 1 – January 1. This cycle includes three scholarships: 

• FEHR GRAHAM SCHOLARSHIP: To provide educational resources to students pursuing careers in engineering, landscape architecture, land surveying, geology, hydrogeology, assessment and remediation, and environmental health and safety in communities in and near where Fehr Graham offices are located.
• GARY S. WILMER/RAMI MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP: Supporting students who are involved in the local music scene.
• HOWARD D. COLMAN SCHOLARSHIP: Supporting students from Boone and Winnebago County who are pursuing a degree in engineering, computer science, applied science, or a comparable technology field. 

All applications must be submitted through CFNIL’s online application portal. Students answer questions about their academics, background, and extracurricular activities. From these answers, applicants will be automatically matched to the scholarships for which they are eligible. Details about every scholarship and the application process may be found at https://cfnil.org/scholarships. 
Each of CFNIL’s scholarships was established by individuals or organizations that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The donors selected the criteria for each scholarship, based on their interests and the community’s need. 

Applications are read and scored by committees of volunteers who use a “blind” review process and make award recommendations to CFNIL’s Board of Trustees. Scholarship recipients are announced in late April. Awards are sent directly to the school the recipient will be attending. Scholarship seekers should visit https://cfnil.org/scholarships to learn more and apply.