March 5 the deadline

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) has begun accepting applications for its 2025-26 scholarship program, it announced on Jan. 8.
“Prospective applicants may visit GulfCoastCF.org/scholarships to review scholarship requirements and complete the online application,” a news release points out. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 5, at 11:59 p.m., the release adds. Scholarship awards will be announced in late spring.
“Scholarships have been an instrumental part of Gulf Coast Community Foundation for decades, ensuring that our region prepares for the skilled workforce we need for the future,” Gulf Coast President and CEO Phillip Lanham said in the release. “Our scholarship program matches students of all ages to academic opportunities that propel them to reach their full potential through the power of education,” he added. “Scholarships provide the bedrock for eager students to gain access and thrive in their learning,” Lanham noted. “Together with our donors, we have invested more than $11.5 million to promising students through scholarships.”
“Through its annual scholarship program, Gulf Coast assists students of all ages in pursuing higher education” at accredited two- and four-year colleges, universities and technical schools, the release continues. Applicants must reside in Sarasota County, Charlotte County, DeSoto County or Lakewood Ranch or on Longboat Key, and they must plan to attend a qualifying post-secondary institution during the 2025-26 academic year, the release explains.
“Gulf Coast awards scholarships from more than 66 scholarship funds it administers, including many established by donors to support particular fields of study or assist students from specific schools or communities,” the release points out. Candidates can complete just a single application to be considered for all scholarship opportunities for which they qualify, the release adds.
Since establishing its scholarship program in 1997, Gulf Coast has awarded more than $11.5 million “to help students pursue their dreams of higher education,” the release says. Last year, the Foundation awarded 531 scholarships totaling more than $696,000 to deserving local students, the release notes.