Scholarships
Gilroy Foundation awarded its first scholarship in 1999. It was the Julie and Richard Hayes award for $250. That was just the beginning of our ability to help hundreds of students with educational expenses. From the start of the scholarship program in 1999 to date, Gilroy Foundation has awarded nearly $5.5 Million in scholarships to deserving high school graduates and college students in the Gilroy Area. In 2020, over 750 applications came through the Foundation office, vying for 83 awards ranging from $250 to $50,000.
In 2021, we are please to offer 86 awards totaling $525,500.
Please note for 2021 scholarship applicants:
If you are applying for a scholarship that has its own application on our website. Feel free to expand your personal statement to include all the information you feel our Selection Committees need. You are not limited to 500 words.
If you are applying to a scholarship that uses the GUSD Common Application, which does limit you to 500 words and you feel the need to expand on that, please type up a “Personal Statement Addendum” of other information about you that our Selection Committees could use in their selection process and email that word document by the due date of the scholarships to dpray@gilroyfoundation.org. Be sure to put the name of the scholarship that your “addendum” is to be applied to for consideration in the Subject Line.
Please click on the active link(s) below to learn more about the various scholarships offered through Gilroy Foundation.
| Scholarship Name | Amount | Basic Criteria |
|---|---|---|
Julio Mata Scholarship Criteria | $50,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
| $20,000 | (5) Graduating students from CHS; (5) Graduating students from GHS; (2) Graduating students from GECA; (3) Graduating students from Mt. Madonna | |
| $20,000 | (1) Graduating student from CHS | |
| $16,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD | |
| $10,000 | (1) Graduating student from CHS | |
| $10,000 | (2) Graduating students from CHS | |
| $5,000 | (3) Graduating students from CHS; (3) Graduating students from GHS | |
| $5,000 | (1) Graduating student from CHS | |
Dr. Joseph Kraut Jr. Memorial Medical School Scholarship Criteria | $5,000 | (1) College senior accepted to medical school or currently enrolled in medical school who was born in, raised in or graduated from a high school in South Santa Clara County or San Benito County |
| $2,500 | (1) Graduating student from CHS; (1) Graduating student from GHS | |
Don and Karen Christopher Community College Scholarship Criteria | $2,000 | (3) Graduating students from CHS; (3) Graduating students from GHS |
Stephen Michael Stramback Scholarship Criteria and Application | $2,000 | Multiple Graduating students from GUSD |
David and Valerie Vanni Agriculture Education Criteria Scholarship Criteria | $1,500 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
| $1,250 | (1) Graduating students from CHS or GHS | |
| $1,250 | (1) Graduating student from CHS | |
| $1,000
$500 | Graduating students from CHS (1) $1,000 (1) $500; Graduating students from GHS (1) $1,000 (1) $500 | |
Gilroy Foundation Career Technical Educational Scholarship Criteria Gilroy Foundation Career Technical Educational Scholarship Application | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD or Gavilan College student |
Sean Michael Merriman Memorial Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (10) Graduating students from Mt. Madonna High School |
| $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from CHS or GHS | |
Saint Louise Regoinal Hospital Scholarship Criteria Saint Louise Regional Hospital Volunteer Scholarship Application | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from Gavilan College |
| $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD | |
“We Are All Connected” Community College Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
“We Are All Connected” First Generation Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
“We Are All Connected” Four Year College Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
| $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD | |
“We Are All Connected” Visual & Performing Arts Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
“We Are All Connected” Vocational Technical Scholarship Criteria | $1,000 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD |
| $1,000 | (1) Graduating student | |
| $750 | (1) Graduating student from GHS | |
| $500 | (1) Graduating student from GUSD | |
| $500 | (1) Graduating student from GHS | |
| $500 | (3) Students attending or graduating from Gavilan College | |
| $500 | (3) Graduating students from GUSD | |
| $500 | (3) Graduating students from GUSD | |
| $500 | (2) Graduating students from Mt. Madonna High School | |
| 250 | (1) Graduating Gavilan College student, continuing on to a four-year college/university, pursuing a degree in education. |