Scholarships

In 2025 the Blue Mountain Community Foundation awarded $1.21 million in scholarships for our students. In 2026, we were lucky enough to add several more scholarships from local area donors, and we awarded $1.48 million. Every year, we add new scholarships, and every year we are able to award more for our students! Both high school seniors and continuing college students can apply. Please scroll down to see important dates and criteria.

If you are not planning to complete the FAFSA, but you still want to be considered for our financial need scholarships on the BMCF Common Application, you can complete the SAI calculator, which is a very fast and simple calculator to assist in determining financial need.

List of scholarships Click here to Apply

To learn more about scholarships, contact us at 509-529-4371 or email us here.

 

Scholarship Legacy Book

Blue Mountain Community Foundation is excited to announce the publication of our new book, Legacies. This book honors all of our generous donors who have created scholarship funds here at the Foundation to benefit local students and help them pursue their dreams of higher education. Behind every scholarship is a vivid life story—the people who create the scholarship and the loved ones for whom the scholarship was named. View the third edition of Legacies.

2027 Application Information:

ApplicationOpen DateClose DateAwards Announced
Common ApplicationJanuary 1March 8June 20
Northwest Grain Growers Robert Abbey Memorial ApplicationJanuary 1March 8June 20
Walla Walla-Columbia Retirees ApplicationJanuary 1March 8June 20
Prosser ApplicationJanuary 1March 8Scholarship Night
Homer & Persephone Watts ApplicationJanuary 1March 8June 20
Lamar Family ApplicationJanuary 1April 1June 1

Scholarship Opportunities

More Details

Each scholarship program has its own eligibility requirements and application deadlines; see the sections below for more specific information.

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
March 8Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Umatilla Counties$400-$10,000
Eligibility
  • Current high school seniors or graduates of a school in our service area
  • OR Current service area residents (of at least 3 consecutive years) regardless of high school attended
  • OR a resident of Walla Walla, Benton, or Franklin County who works in the wine industry or is pursuing a degree at the University of Idaho or WSU

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Get a head start on your application! Click here to access the Common Application Essay Questions.

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
March 8Northwest Grain Growers service area$2,000
Eligibility
  • Members, employees, children of members, or children of employees of NWGG, Inc.
  • Graduating senior

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Click here to access the essay questions early!

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
March 8Walla Walla OR Columbia Counties$1,000-$2,000
Eligibility
  • High school graduate
  • Pursuing teaching certification
  • Student teaching in the upcoming year

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
March 8Prosser$1,000-$5,000
Eligibility
  • High school seniors at Prosser High School.

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
March 8Weston-McEwan High School OR Athena, ORDetermined by Watts Committee
Eligibility
  • Graduates of Weston-McEwen High School OR those having lived in the Athena, OR school district for at least three consecutive years
  • Have at least one year (including the upcoming term) of post-high school education
  • Enrolled in a college or trade school

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Application DeadlineService AreaAward Amount
April 1West Platte High School in Weston, MO$500-$1,500
Eligibility
  • High school seniors or previous graduates of West Platte High School

If you do not meet the described eligibility requirements, do not apply.

Before you Apply

We encourage students to carefully review the eligibility requirements of your chosen application. Application guidelines, deadlines, and required materials are available within each scholarship program’s description.

Students should be prepared to provide:

  • GPA and other transcript information
  • FAFSA or SAI score if applying for financial need scholarships
  • Essay Question responses (Common App OR Northwest Grain Growers )
  • Supporting documentation, as required

Using the Scholarship Portal

New Applicants

Applications are submitted through our online scholarship portal. The portal allows students to:

  • Review their account profile
  • Submit applications electronically
  • Track application status
  • Complete scholarship follow-up requirements

Ready to get started? Visit the Scholarship Portal to create an account and apply online.

Returning Students

If you have previously applied for a scholarship through our online portal then use your existing account to submit this year’s application.

Forgot your password? Contact the Scholarships Manager for assistance in recovering your account.

Questions?

Our team is here to help. If you have questions about eligibility, deadlines, or the application process, or need to defer your award please contact our Scholarships Manager or see the FAQs below. We are happy to help!

Frequently Asked Questions

Not usually. There are two exceptions: one is if you are attending a school outside of the United States, and the other is if you are awarded the John William McGillis Jr. Memorial Education Fund Scholarship, which has specific provisions for that. Otherwise, the scholarship check will go directly to your school.

Note: If you do have the money sent directly to you, it will be considered income and you will need to claim it on your tax return.

No, but if you don’t complete the FAFSA or submit your SAI amount, you will not be considered for any financial need scholarships.

This is decided on a case-by-case basis according to the rules of each scholarship. Contact us to find out.

Unfortunately, we cannot extend the deadline because the software is configured in such a way that extending the deadline would create havoc with all the dates attached to the forms. You have approximately 9 weeks to complete the application, and 10 months to complete the follow up forms. Hopefully, that will be enough time.