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
Robert C. McNair Memorial Scholarship Robert & Janice McNair Educational · Foundation ~April · Up to $10K The Robert C. McNair Memorial Scholarship was established in 2019 in memory of Robert McNair and in celebration of 30 years of his commitment to increasing postsecondary education for students of Rutherford County.	~April	Up to $10K
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation · Foundation ~April · $10K – $40K All University of Wisconsin System schools, including:	~April	$10K – $40K
ROPE Award (Reaching for One's Potential for Excellence) Robert & Janice McNair Educational · Foundation ~April · Up to $8K The ROPE Award is the longest-standing and most well-known scholarship provided by the Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation.	~April	Up to $8K
ALEC Bright Future Scholarship Abbott Laboratories Employees · Foundation ~May · Up to $5K ALEC is awarding $20,000 in college scholarships through the ALEC Bright Future Scholarship Program, designed to support the academic dreams of young ALEC members while reducing the financial burden for them and their families.	~May	Up to $5K
Successbuilders Scholarship Fund River City Community Development Center · Foundation ~May · $1K – $4K River City offers financial assistance to eligible, accepted R CITY or River City scholars who are pursuing post-high school education.	~May	$1K – $4K
El Sol Foundation Scholarship El Sol Academy Foundation · Foundation ~May · $10K Support first-generation students from El Sol Science and Arts Academy in pursuing higher education.	~May	$10K
SEC Scholarship Program Southeastern Electric Cooperative Inc · Foundation ~May · $500 – $9K The SEC Scholarship Program recognizes and encourages the academic achievements of children of rural electric cooperative members. The program awards multiple scholarships annually to exceptional high school students.	~May	$500 – $9K
Outstanding Youth Leaders of the Year Scholarship Movement of Youth Incorporated · Foundation ~August · $5K – $20K	~August	$5K – $20K
Philadelphia Diverse Emerging Leaders (PhiDEL) Scholarship & Internship Program Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The PhiDEL program offers local students financial support and hands-on professional experience in real estate and economic development fields.	Not published	Up to $5K
Ben Dickhaut Memorial 4-H and FFA Scholarship Community Foundation Alliance Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Annual scholarship created by the friends and family of Ben Dickhaut. _You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._	Not published	Varies
Stephen Madry Peck, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund Grant Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Easily learn more about the Stephen Madry Peck, Jr. The next deadline for this grant is Thu, 04 Mar 2027.	Not published	Varies
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation: Program Grants - Education The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg · Foundation Not published · Varies The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation The Weinberg Foundation fulfills its mission of meeting the basic needs of people experiencing poverty by providing grants across five focus areas that serve a range of populations, primarily…	Not published	Varies
Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Scholarship Grant Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Scholarship, established in 2003, provides financial assistance to local students pursuing education beyond high school.	Not published	Varies
BJC Scholars Fund Scholarship Grant The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis · Foundation Not published · Up to $12K The BJC Scholars Fund Scholarship, backed by BJC HealthCare, aims to support high school seniors from specific Missouri and Illinois counties pursuing higher education.	Not published	Up to $12K
Amplify Scholars: The iMentor-KIPP Scholarship Program Kipp Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $60K An annual partnership between iMentor and KIPP to create a scholarship program that helps amplify the voices of young people through their college journey.	Not published	Up to $60K
Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program Grant Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program, established by the Coastal Community Foundation, aims to support first-generation college students from Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties.	Not published	Up to $10K
Miguel Cabrera Family Scholarship Grant Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Foundation Not published · $1K The Miguel Cabrera Family Scholarship aims to support educational opportunities for high school graduates in Michigan and Florida, prioritizing those from specific counties.	Not published	$1K
Glenn C. Hilton, Jr. Scholarship Endowment Fund Service League of Hickory Inc · Foundation Not published · $2K – $12K	Not published	$2K – $12K
The Lauer Scholarship Grant The San Diego Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies We enable donors and nonprofit partners to tackle the most critical needs facing San Diegans.	Not published	Varies
Webb Scholars Program Kipp Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $60K An annual scholarship program awarded to exceptional KIPP seniors who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to community impact.	Not published	Up to $60K
Larry Argersinger Memorial Scholarship Council Bluffs Schools Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A named memorial scholarship for Council Bluffs Community School District seniors.	Not published	Varies
HOPE Toledo Promise Hope Toledo Services · Foundation Not published · Varies The first fully-funded, two-generation scholarship program in the United States. Provides comprehensive postsecondary education support to high school graduates and one parent or guardian.	Not published	Varies
GateKey Scholarship Cartersville Schools Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $8K Prepares students to attend college through mentoring and college-prep assistance.	Not published	Up to $8K
Geo-Launchpad Unavco Inc · Foundation Not published · $500K A program that prepares community college students for transfer to four-year universities to pursue academic studies in geosciences.	Not published	$500K

Showing 73–96 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