Bay Area Community Foundation Scholarships: Requirements and Opportunities

The Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) is dedicated to helping individuals achieve their dreams and reach their full potential. Education is a priority for a prospering community, and thanks to generous donors, BACF awards hundreds of scholarships each year to college-bound students and individuals pursuing skilled trades or other certificates.

BACF Scholarship Programs

The Foundation’s first endowed scholarship fund started in 1984 and was awarded for the first time in 1985 - $300 to a Pinconning High School senior. Since then, BACF has awarded over $3 million to more than 4,000 students throughout Bay and Arenac counties. BACF has one common application for scholarships that will automatically match you to opportunities you are eligible for. Once you submit an application through our Scholarship Portal, opportunities you are eligible for will appear on your student dashboard. You are welcome to view all of our available scholarship opportunities and their criteria by clicking here.

Eligibility Criteria

Students who are eligible live in Bay or Arenac County and fall into one of the categories below:

High school graduates
Adult or returning students
Current college students
Students pursuing skilled trades or certificates
First-generation college students

Application Timeline

Applications for BACF scholarships are available each year on November 1, 2025, and are due on February 3, 2026.

Required Application Materials

By filling out one online application, you can apply for numerous scholarships at one time. To help prepare for the scholarship application, you can begin to gather the following items:

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A copy of your transcript
Completed FAFSA and Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number: In order to be considered for financial need scholarships, we will need a form of confirmation of completion. Please ensure your name is on it.
An essay between 2,500-3,000 characters (spaces count): What is your most meaningful achievement? How does it relate to your future goals? Why are you deserving of a scholarship?
A “portrait” photo: This will be used for a scholarship booklet and presentation announcing the awards. It will not be used in the process to determine awards. If you do not supply a quality photo, you may not appear in the booklet. Photos must show your face clearly. Many students use their senior photos. However, please note that we cannot legally print any photos that still contain a watermark or logo of the photographer. If your senior photos are not ready at the time of application, please attach another acceptable photo and send in the new photo when it is ready.

Click the Scholarship Portal Login to apply. Create an account and the system will direct you through the process.

Bay Commitment Scholarship

In 2008, a group of visionaries and philanthropists passionate about education got together to find a way to build our community’s education attainment levels. Bay Commitment Scholarship is growing our community by degrees, but it’s also an important support program for students and families navigating new territory.

Each year, Bay Area Community Foundation awards $2,000 each to up to 100 first-generation college students in Bay County pursuing a degree or certificate at either Saginaw Valley State University or Delta College. A first-generation college student is one whose parent(s) they live with do not hold bachelor’s degrees.

Bay Commitment Scholarship Eligibility

Students interested in the Bay Commitment Scholarship must meet the following criteria:

High school senior in a Bay County school
Neither parent(s) (that you live with) has a bachelor’s degree
Plans to attend Delta College or Saginaw Valley State University

Students are also eligible to apply for additional Bay Area Community Foundation scholarships by completing our annual scholarship application. To learn more about these additional scholarship opportunities, visit our BACF Scholarship Program page.

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Bay Commitment Visionaries, Legacies, and Supporters

BACF is grateful to the following individuals and organizations who have helped make education a priority in our community through the Bay Commitment Scholarship Program.

Bay Commitment Visionaries: Krantz Family Fund, Bay Commitment Fund, Charles and Morrow Ford Bay Commitment Fund, Joseph F. and Marjory A. Kerr Scholarship, Labadie Auto Company Bay Commitment Fund, Warren F. and Ruth P. Mandley Memorial Education Fund, Ronald K. and Greta A. McGillivray Scholarship Fund, Paul Revard and Frances Santoro Bay Commitment Fund, Carolyn Wierda Bay Commitment Fund, Stephen and Dena Wirt Scholarship Fund.
Bay Commitment Legacies and Bequests: Newell and Elizabeth Eddy Bay Commitment Scholarship Fund, Educational Gift & Academic Awareness Commemorative Fund, Phil & Whitey Jackson Memorial Scholarship Fund, Virginia C. Johnston Scholarship Fund, Helen Mackey Memorial Fund, Donald C. Nichols Fund, John C. and Marion R. Noell Educational Fund, Rosemary Pope Fund, Irene Mary Rzepa Scholarship Fund.
“To and Through” College Supporters: Bay Commitment College Access Network Endowment Fund, Newell and Elizabeth Eddy College Access Fund, Charles Ford College Access Endowment Fund, Michigan College Access Network, Nickless Family Charitable Foundation, Vision for Education.

Understanding Financial Need

The Bay Area Community Foundation defines financial need as someone who has an EFC greater than 5,000 (not eligible for Pell Grant Funds) but lower than 25,000.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Explained

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of your family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in the formula. Also considered are your family size and the number of family members who will attend college during the year. Note: Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.

Navigating the Application Process

Here are some frequently asked questions and guidance to help you navigate the BACF scholarship application process.

Common Application and Matching

BACF has one common application for scholarships that will automatically match you to opportunities you are eligible for. Once you submit an application through our Scholarship Portal, opportunities you are eligible for will appear on your student dashboard. You are welcome to view all of our available scholarship opportunities and their criteria by clicking here.

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Eligibility for Different Student Categories

BACF offers scholarships that are available for high school seniors, current college students, and adults who are attending college later in life that reside in Bay and Arenac counties.

Troubleshooting Scholarship Visibility

If a particular scholarship is not showing up for you after creating an account, you should call the BACF offices to inquire as to why. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION before selecting all possible scholarships. You are only able to submit your application one time. If you submit before selecting all possible scholarship you will not be able to add any additional scholarships.

Call the Bay Area Community Foundation at 989-893-4438 for assistance.

BACF Staff and How They Can Help

The Bay Area Community Foundation has dedicated staff members ready to assist you with various aspects of the scholarship process and community engagement. Here's how some of them can help:

Donor-Advised Funds: If you're interested in donor-advised funds, the main contact helps ensure that each donor’s unique passions are brought to life through their giving-whether this be through designated or agency funds. They connect with generous community members and are available to discuss how you can create a lasting impact in our community. They also oversee all of BACF’s communications, bringing ideas to life through engaging stories and visuals, while upholding the brand identity to highlight the remarkable individuals in our community and the collaborative efforts that make Bay and Arenac counties exceptional places to live, work, and thrive.
Grant Opportunities: As a Program Officer, the main contact collaborates with nonprofit, government, church, and school partners in Bay and Arenac counties to navigate our grant opportunities and find the right funding alignment. From project conception to post-award, they are your main contact for all things grants, connecting organizations and donors who share the same vision and passion. They are dedicated to supporting the organizations that work tirelessly to improve our community and provide capacity-building opportunities by hosting educational workshops, managing Catchafire-a volunteer platform connecting organizations with professional services at no cost-and offering technical assistance and resources to build strength in our nonprofit community. They can help you with navigating the Competitive Grant Process, Finding Funding Alignment, Building Organizational Capacity, and Technical Assistance.
General Inquiries: Staff can assist with making a gift to one of the many funds, updating your contact information, identifying the most helpful staff member or resource, answering general questions about BACF, and providing information about the Pere Marquette Depot and 1904 Room event space.

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