Berkeley Community Scholars

We were founded in 1991 as the Berkeley Community Fund, supporting a variety of projects that strengthened our community while championing the common good. In 2008 we determined we could make a greater impact by bringing higher education within reach of Berkeley High graduates from low-income families.

It takes more than courage to be the first in your family to attend college. It takes resources and support these students and their families often don’t have.

We bridge the gap. We’re Berkeley Community Scholars.

We offer two programs through our High Hopes Scholarships. One for students bound for four-year colleges and one for students beginning their journey at a local community college.

Each scholar receives a check every semester to be spent on whatever they need to fully dedicate themselves to their studies. They may use the funds on books or flying home for winter break, or perhaps working 15 hours a week at a campus job instead of 30—so they can spend more time studying and