Many donors have chosen to honor a loved one, alma mater, community or profession by establishing scholarship endowments.
CFWNC currently manages approximately 50 scholarship funds. The 2026 scholarship cycle awarded $671,500 to 106 students.
Each scholarship program has specific eligibility requirements. To learn more and apply, please visit the Scholarship Directory.
CFWNC ensures that all scholarship recipients are selected on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis and that selections are based on specific guidelines and criteria for each fund.
Ava Holtsclaw is pursuing a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Appalachian State University. She enjoys the learning environment and finds her professors lively and interactive. She has taken an interest in learning sign language. Photo courtesy of Ava Holtsclaw.
Gilbert Herrada Luna was awarded a WNC Regional Scholarship from the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund and a Joanna Cornerstone Ministries Scholarship.
"This fall, I will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in either biology or public health: nutrition, with a concentration in science and research, and a minor in business of health. After graduating from UNC, I plan to attend medical school, where I hope to become a primary care physician. After graduating from medical school, I hope to open my own practice in a rural community in North Carolina. I've seen the lack of healthcare access in WNC firsthand, and I hope to meaningfully contribute to improving quality healthcare access across the region. Small towns like where I'm from, Hayesville in Clay County, thrive on community support. They've shown me the value in being present for your community. I am forever grateful for the lessons Hayesville has taught me."
Photo courtesy of Gilbert Herrada Luna
Review the list of available scholarships and eligibility requirements to be sure you qualify. In addition, applicants must demonstrate:
You must meet the above criteria in addition to any further eligibility requirements stated for specific programs.
Contact Amber Harrelson-Williams
Scholarship Officer
828-367-9916
