Scholarships Established by CICF Fundholders Awarded $905,500 to 88 Students for 2026-27
Generous community members have established scholarships to help make education more accessible for students in Central Indiana. For the 2026-27 school year, their generosity translated into $905,500 recently awarded to 88 students.
The awards come from scholarship funds held at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Volunteer selection committees made up of fundholders and community members reviewed applications and chose recipients based on the criteria each fundholder set. CICF administers the application and award process.
“Every person who wants an education should have a real path to it, and money shouldn’t be what closes that path,” said Janeen Butler, CICF Director of Scholarship Programs. “These scholarships exist because community members chose to invest in students they may never meet. Community volunteers review applications and choose students who fit what each donor intended. Our job is to make the process simple enough that a student doesn’t need to be an expert to find these opportunities.”
Mateo Gomez received a scholarship for the 2024-25 and 2026-27 school years. He is in his final semester, and he says the award came at the point when finishing felt least certain.
“Over the last few semesters, I’ve struggled with student payments since tuition goes up every year,” Gomez said. “As this is my final semester, I felt terrible, thinking that, despite being so close to graduation, I wouldn’t make it because I lacked the funds. However, these scholarships gave me the final push I needed to keep going!”
Jairo Garcia-Cruz received a scholarship for the 2021-22 school year and graduated from the University of Indianapolis in May 2026 with a B.S. in Marketing and a Spanish minor. He completed internships at Eskenazi Health, Visit Indy and the Axis Leadership Program along the way.
“As a first-generation scholar, it meant a great deal to know that people in my community believed in me and my goals,” Garcia-Cruz said. “Most meaningful of all, my mom was able to witness me walk across the stage and become the first in our family to graduate from college.”
Garcia-Cruz’s experience reflects what fundholders hope their scholarships make possible.
CICF also administers scholarships on behalf of Hamilton County Community Foundation, the Indianapolis Foundation and Women’s Foundation of Indiana and their fundholders. Because CICF works with these foundations, students can see all open scholarships through one scholarship portal and apply once using a single profile. The next application window opens November 2, 2026, and closes February 1, 2027. Students can learn more and apply at www.cicf.org/scholarships.
Community members interested in establishing a scholarship can contact CICF at www.cicf.org/explore-fund-options.
Hear more from 2026-2027 scholarship recipients:
As a first-generation college student, receiving this scholarship meant more than just financial support. It showed me that people in my community believed in my potential and were willing to invest in my future.
The scholarship helped ease the financial burden of college and allowed me to focus more on my education and professional development. During the past year, I’ve continued pursuing my Management degree at the Kelley School of Business while gaining experience through leadership opportunities, internships, and giving back to my community.
I would like to say thank you. Your support has helped someone from a family where a college education was once difficult to obtain make it feasible to earn a degree. I hope to take the opportunities I’ve been given and eventually create those same opportunities for others.
Armando Mancera
Scholarship recipient for school years 2025-2026, 2026-2027
Management major, Indiana University Kelley School of Business
This scholarship meant so much to me because college is not cheap, and this took a load off the shoulders of my mother and me. I’ve been so blessed throughout the years to receive such amazing scholarships.
With financial help, I am better able to focus on my undergraduate studies, explore career paths, and enjoy all the events and extracurriculars that college life has to offer. I cannot express enough how much this scholarship helps me and my family, and I am beyond thankful.
Abionna Tertocha
Scholarship recipient for school years 2023-2024, 2025-2026, 2026-2027
These scholarships are a huge source of motivation to keep moving forward. They provide significant financial support for both my family and me, and they gave me the drive and the excitement of seeing my degree within reach.
Over the last few semesters, I’ve struggled with student payments since tuition goes up every year. As this is my final semester, I felt terrible, thinking that despite being so close to graduation, I wouldn’t make it because I lacked the funds. These scholarships gave me the final push I needed to keep going.
I am where I am today thanks to you. I am continuing my studies and getting closer to achieving my goals. Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for giving me this opportunity. My family and I have no words to express our gratitude for your generosity.
Mateo Gomez
Scholarship recipient for school years 2024-2025, 2026-2027
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