\All scholarship administrators are sent an email at the beginning of the year indicating the amount available for spending based on the current distribution rate.

Contributions to enable additional distributions

Donors may make “pass through” contributions to scholarship funds to enable distributions above the foundation’s annual distribution calculation. Any “pass through” contributions must be received before the closing date of the scholarship.

 Any intention to make a “pass through” contribution to a fund should be communicated by the fundholder, fund contact or scholarship administrator to NCCF prior to being made. Donations should also be clearly marked as “pass through” for the desired scholarship year when made.

Minimum scholarship distributions

The foundation’s current minimum scholarship award is $1,000. Funds are divided equally across the fall and spring semesters and are paid directly to students’ schools.

Where scholarships may be made

The foundation makes scholarship awards directly to U.S. academic institutions accredited by the Department of Education that qualify to receive federal student aid funding, including grants, loans, and work-study. NCCF scholarship awards are only issued to not-for-profit institutions and government entities such as public colleges or universities.

Due diligence

All scholarship recipients must verify enrollment and other pertinent information by submitting a Scholar Information Form before the scholarship check is issued. Students will be emailed a link to the form and instructions for completion. Students who fail to complete the Scholar Information Form by Aug. 31 may forfeit their scholarship award.

Confidentiality

Maintaining a fair and confidential scholarship selection process is critical. Confidentiality is expected from scholarship administrators and committee members regarding the selection process, fund information, and student information. If an outside party contacts you with a question about the process or the fund, please alert a member of the NCCF team.

Diverse Viewpoints

Throughout our work, we value varying viewpoints. We believe diverse voices, engagement and participation are essential in building and sustaining thriving communities. We encourage scholarship selection committees to be comprised of volunteers reflective of the communities and constituents served.

Conflicts of interest

All NCCF Scholarship Committees are expected to avoid any situation that might appear to be a conflict of interest. As such, members are asked to carefully weigh all circumstances and relationships in which there exists the possibility of any accusation of self-interest by asking themselves: Are you, a relative, or a close friend related to any scholarship applicant? Could you, a relative, a close friend or a client obtain a personal gain or advantage from the result of the scholarship award?

If the answer to either question is “yes,” committee members must (1) announce that they will not participate in the discussions on the student and that they will abstain from voting, (2) if asked to do so by Scholarship Administrator, leave the room while the student is being discussed, and (3) document the conflict of interest in minutes of the meeting. If you have any questions or concerns about a conflict of interest, please consult with NCCF staff.

Download a printable version of this page (Updated: Oct. 29, 2025)