The following is a press release written by Betsy Trotzke for the Bloomington and Monroe County Community Foundation.
The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Monroe County through the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC). The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and two scholarships in Monroe County. LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.
The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Monroe County through CFBMC, is open to all Indiana residents who:
Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Monroe County and apply for this scholarship by visiting https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/lilly-scholarship/. Monroe County applications must be completed and submitted by Monday, August 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. to be considered.
Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: leadership skills, civic potential through community service, exemplary school citizenship, and outstanding academic performance. Two finalists will be nominated by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients. Scholarship recipients will be notified in December.
Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of LECSP are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.
CFBMC is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Monroe County. “The Lilly Endowment and Independent Colleges of Indiana continue to make a profound impact by empowering local students to pursue their higher education goals right here in our state,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. Through the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, students can explore a wide range of academic opportunities at Indiana’s four-year colleges and universities. This connection strengthens both their personal growth and our region’s future workforce. It’s an investment in both promise and place.”
“We urge families and educators across Monroe County to help spread the word about this life-changing opportunity,” added Peterson. “With the application deadline arriving near the beginning of the school year, now is the time to apply. We are always inspired by the talent and potential of our local applicants and are excited to support the next generation as they pursue their education and careers in the Indiana Uplands.”
Eligibility Requirements for Monroe County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships:
Evaluation Process for Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships:
There is no rigid model for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. A student who demonstrates notable abilities, leadership skills, civic potential through community service, exemplary school citizenship, and outstanding academic performance will be considered for this scholarship opportunity.
Applications are blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a Lilly Scholarship committee at each Monroe County high school to identify semifinalists. Each school’s senior class size determines the number of semifinalists identified.
In September, students selected as semifinalists in Monroe County will be invited to answer additional application questions and provide reference recommendations from teachers or others. Applications for the finalist round will be due by September 24, 2025. The Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee then evaluates the semifinalist applications. This committee, comprised of community members and a former Monroe County Lilly Scholar, blindly reviews and scores applications from the semifinalists to select ten finalists. In October, each finalist will be interviewed, and their interview scores will be combined with scoring from the written applications. In nominating recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to academic performance and activities, community engagement and civic service, student employment, and leadership potential.
The finalists’ rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship nominees, are then submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for final selection of scholarship recipients for Monroe County prior to the formal announcement in December.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://www.cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director, at 812-333-9016 or marcus@cfbmc.org.
About the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County
Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has granted $50 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $50 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
About Independent Colleges of Indiana
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5.5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.
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