Career & College Preparation Grants

Last updated October 11, 2026

Grantable tracks 853 active career & college preparation grants in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 3 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 412 list an award amount, with a median of $5,000.

Grants tracked: 853; from 498 funders
Median award: $5,000; middle half $2,000–$17K
Total listed funding: $57.4M; across 412 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 5; 82 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

Find the college prep grants matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 851 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
CTBF: Eager to Learn Grant Program Cornelia T Bailey Charitable Trust · Foundation Not published · Varies Our Eager to Learn program was created to provide college test prep assistance to all learners and, in 2022, was expanded to promote education about and access to trade schools.	Not published	Varies
Fayette Community Foundation Scholarships Greater Fayette Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $33K	Not published	$33K
Nancy B. Elliott Writer-in-Residence Program Needham B Broughton Capital · Foundation Not published · $3K Guides students through the process of writing personal essays for college applications. A professional writer provides individual sessions with high school seniors in preparation of their personal essay for college applications.	Not published	$3K
Douglas W. K. Tom Scholarship Fund Grant Hawaii Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Douglas W. K. Tom Scholarship Fund, established by the Hawai'i Community Foundation, offers scholarships to high school seniors in Hawaii aiming to attend a four-year college or university.	Not published	Varies
Foist Family Perseverance Scholarship Fund Grant Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Foist Family Perseverance Scholarship Fund, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, aims to support adult learners and graduating high school seniors from Berkshire County pursuing careers in healthcare and sciences.	Not published	Varies
Summer Campus Experiences Scholarship University Academy Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Provides scholarships for UA 10th-11th grade students to attend high school summer campus experiences to build skills in college readiness and academic exploration. Programs must be on vetted list and meet at minimum these criteria:	Not published	Varies
Hokuli`a Foundation Scholarship Fund Hawaii Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies _Note: The Letters of Recommendation deadline is represented by the Letter of Inquiry deadline and the Application deadline is represented by the Full Proposal deadline._ The Board of the Hokuli'a Foundation worked with the Hawai'i…	Not published	Varies
Public Education Forum - Ascent to 55% Postsecondary Attainment Grant Woodward Hines Education Foundation · Foundation Not published · $1M The grant supports Mississippi's newly-established postsecondary attainment goal to increase the percentage of Mississippians with postsecondary degrees or credentials to 55%.	Not published	$1M
Federal TRIO Programs Carl Albert State College Development Fo · Foundation Not published · Varies The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are a set of federal initiatives and student support services created to identify and offer assistance to individuals coming from disadvantaged backgrounds.	Not published	Varies
Laurence E. Barreca Scholarship Fund Grant Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Easily learn more about the Laurence E. The next deadline for this grant is Thu, 04 Mar 2027.	Not published	Varies
Shaheen Foundation Grant The David & Linda Shaheen Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Beginning in 2001, Linda and David Shaheen have devoted their time and energies to advancing the social and physical well being of individuals through support of programs that have a focus on education.	Not published	Varies
Garrett Francis Collins and Josephine Goodwin Collins Scholarship Fund Grant Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Garrett Francis Collins and Josephine Goodwin Collins Scholarship Fund, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation in 2015, supports high school seniors from Hinsdale, MA, pursuing higher education.	Not published	Varies
Shigeo and Winifred Ito Scholarship Fund Hawaii Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies We envision an equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i where all of our island communities thrive. We inspire generosity, advocate for equity, forge connections and invest in community to create a better Hawai‘i.	Not published	Varies
Fishel Scholarship Fund Grant Columbus Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K – $10K The Fishel Scholarship Fund, managed by The Columbus Foundation, offers financial assistance to children of active Teammates pursuing higher education.	Not published	$5K – $10K
Governor's Scholar Program (HB1184) Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A Virginia House Bill 1184 mandated program that provides a pathway for high school students to complete an Associate of Science (AS) General Studies degree and Uniform Certificate of General Studies concurrently with their high school…	Not published	Varies
Dave Goldberg Scholars Program Kipp Foundation · Foundation Not published · $60K An annual scholarship program honoring the life and legacy of Dave Goldberg by providing exceptional KIPP graduates with financial support and mentorship throughout college.	Not published	$60K
Luthra Family Scholarship Grant Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Luthra Family Scholarship, administered by the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, provides annual financial assistance to exceptional students from the Wausau or D.C. Everest School Districts.	Not published	Varies
College Scholarships Ofallon High School Endowment Fund Ltd · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide financial support to OTHS students pursuing higher education.	Not published	Varies
Bertram L. Newman Memorial Scholarship Grant Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes Inc · Foundation Not published · $2K The Bertram L. Newman Memorial Scholarship is offered by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. It supports high school students in Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates counties who demonstrate good academic…	Not published	$2K
HSF Scholar Program - College and Graduate Students Hispanic Scholarship Fund · Foundation Not published · Varies As an HSF Scholar, you will have access to HSF’s invaluable Scholar Support Services and be eligible to receive a scholarship, depending on available funds.	Not published	Varies
World Kinect Corporation Diversity Scholarship Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K World Kinect Corporation partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to support and recognize historically underrepresented students.	Not published	Up to $5K
General Eric K. and Patricia Shinseki Scholarship Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation · Foundation Not published · $2K The General Eric K. and Patricia Shinseki Scholarship fund offers scholarships to graduates of public high schools on Kauai to encourage island youth to continue their studies at an accredited 2-year or 4-year institution.	Not published	$2K
Robert L. Trigg Scholarship Grant Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation · Foundation Not published · $2K The Robert L. Trigg Scholarship, offered by the Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation, supports full-time students from local high schools pursuing education at a 4-year university, community college, or vocational school.	Not published	$2K
Hope Through Learning Award Homeless Children's Education Fund · Foundation Not published · $3K A financial award available to young people who have persevered against homelessness and are applying to post-secondary education programs.	Not published	$3K

Showing 241–264 of 851

About college prep grants

College prep grants fund programs that help students prepare for, enroll in, and succeed in postsecondary education, with a focus on low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. The largest federal sources are the U.S. Department of Education's Federal TRIO programs (including Upward Bound and Talent Search) and GEAR UP. Private foundations and college-access nonprofits also fund advising, test prep, and transition support.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow career & college preparation grants down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

Want new funders like these found for you every week?

This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.

Create your grants department

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do career & college preparation grants award?

Of the 853 career & college preparation grants Grantable lists as of October 11, 2026, 412 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $5,000, and the middle half fall between $2,000 and $17K. The largest is $10M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most career & college preparation grants?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc (16), The San Diego Foundation (13), Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley (12), Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (10), and Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (9). In all, 498 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are career & college preparation grants due?

Of 853 grants listed, 5 accept applications on a rolling basis, 82 have a published upcoming deadline, 340 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 426 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 77% fall in January–March.

What college prep grants are available?

College prep grants support college awareness, advising, tutoring, test preparation, financial-aid help, and summer bridge programs. The federal TRIO programs (such as Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Services) and GEAR UP are the cornerstone funding sources, both administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Many private foundations and regional college-access organizations also fund programs that increase enrollment and completion for underserved students.

Which organizations fund college prep programs?

College prep is funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Education through competitive TRIO and GEAR UP grants awarded to colleges, states, and nonprofit organizations. GEAR UP grants are typically six-year matching awards that frequently go to states, while TRIO grants go to institutions and community organizations. Private funders, including foundations focused on educational opportunity and college access, supplement federal funding for advising and scholarship-readiness programs.

Who is eligible for college prep grants?

Eligibility varies by program, but federal college-prep funding generally targets students from low-income families and students who would be first in their family to earn a bachelor's degree. Grantees are usually colleges, universities, state agencies, school districts, and nonprofit organizations rather than individual students.

Get a shortlist of college prep grants built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department