Nick Huntington Gray never did go to college. Instead, he was educated through a myriad of life experiences. Nick took his final horse ride to work his cattle herd only a week before his death at the age of 100 on May 24, 2019. Veteran, successful rancher, businessman and entrepreneur – Nick left behind a lasting legacy befitting his heritage, in the lore of his long and distinguished life.

Gray was an inspiration to all who knew him because of his perseverance, work ethic and dedication to his industry. His motto and advice to all he met was “work hard and save your money.” Because he lived his life by that motto, Nick Gray’s legacy will live on through full-ride scholarships bearing his name. The Nick H. Gray Scholarship will pay tuition, books, room and board for 4 years of college or university education for graduates from RE1J highschools.

In 2025, several full-ride scholarships will be awarded.

Eligible Recipients.  All applicants must submit a completed application to MCF prior to the deadline each year.  If you are a past graduate from an RE1J school and have the desire to earn a four-year degree as a non-traditional student, please fill out a different application after reading the alternate requirements here.

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a graduating senior in the Montrose RE1J School district in the year of application.
• Have attended Montrose RE1J school for a minimum of one full school year.
• Have a weighted, cumulative GPA between 3.30 and 4.10 (this represents 70%-90% GPA in the RE1J school district). Eligible GPAs can be either final grades from 11th grade or from after the 1st semester of 12th grade.
• Be accepted at a four-year college or university.
• Must demonstrate financial need.

Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• Current High School Transcript.
• Resume highlighting school activities, community involvement, work experience, honors and awards.
• Two recommendations submitted online, 1 from a representative of the high school, 1 from a person not associated with the school
• FAFSA Student Aid Report. If not eligible for FAFSA, applicant must attach a document explaining any extenuating financial circumstances.
• Three written essay questions.
• Answers and impression from interview with the Donor Trustees/Representatives and Selection Committee.

Final award decisions are made at the complete discretion of the Scholarship Committee. 

Applicants must create an account and fill out the online application. 

The 2025 deadline is February 28, 2025.

If you have any questions please call our office at 970.249.3900 or email or Scholarships Manager at scholarships@montrosecf.org.

Ken and Marlene Townsend and their family grew up in Montrose. They care a great deal about Montrose and the future of the community and established this scholarship to encourage Montrose youth to excel in years to come by helping Montrose High School students pursue their educational goals at a four year university or college.

The scholarship will be awarded to the deserving student who excels scholastically, gives back to their community through community service and shows leadership and dedication through involvement in extracurricular activities.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria this scholarship is granted to an exemplary student who is interested in education, passionate about their community and demonstrates financial need. The top candidates will be interviewed by the Townsend Family and a scholarship review committee. The interview and overall impression factors heavily into the final candidate selection.

This is a $10,000/year renewable scholarship.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Graduating senior of Montrose High School in the year of the application; attended Montrose High School for at least three years.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher.
• Demonstration of financial need.
• Be accepted at a four-year college or university.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & ATTACHMENTS:

• Online application
• Must attach a transcript.
• Must attach a resume.
• Must include a letter of recommendation.
• FAFSA Student Aid Report (The SAR is 1 page – do not submit your entire FAFSA package). If not eligible for FASFA, then a document explaining any extenuating financial circumstances.
• Show proof of acceptance from the institution of your choice.
• Must include two essays (maximum of two pages).

DEADLINE: The deadline to apply for this scholarship is February 28, 2025. 

If you would like to apply for the Townsend Scholarship, please click here to log in to Smarter Select, and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  This is for many of the MCF scholarships with the February 28 deadline. The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many of the MCF scholarship applications. 

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org.

Each year, the Montrose Rotary Club Scholarship funds generous scholarships to students who live in Montrose or Olathe and are graduating from Montrose County School District High Schools including Vista Charter School, Passage Charter School, or a home-school program.

Our Rotary Club values service over self and looks for ways to make a lasting difference in our community.  We value education and know that a college degree can make an enormous difference in a student’s future.  With those values in mind, we realize that some students have tangible financial need and without scholarship support could not begin higher education. Our desire is to support students who show strong academic potential, are capable, well-rounded and will make the most of their future with a scholarship.

In 2025, three, $2000 scholarships will be awarded in honor of Montrose Rotary Club’s Inspirational Members: Dennis Devor, Gary Krabbe and Richard Tafoya.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Must live in Montrose County and be a current graduate from Montrose County School District including MHS, OHS, Vista Charter School, or Peak Virtual Academy.
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & ATTACHMENTS:

• Online application
• Copy of current high school transcript
• Resume including school activities, athletic involvement, community activities, achievements and honors/awards, and work experience.
• One letter of recommendation.
• FAFSA Student Aid Report (The SAR is 1 page – do not submit your entire FAFSA package) If you are not eligible for FAFSA, please attach a document explaining any extenuating financial circumstances.
• Three Essays (max. 3 pages total)

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025. 

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the Rotary Scholarship, log in to Smarter Select for the online application and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  This is for many of the MCF scholarships with the February 28th deadline. The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many of the MCF scholarship applications.

If you have any questions, please contact our office 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org.

The Colorado Water Officials Association created this scholarship to financially assist  an individual pursuing  a degree in  one of the following : Water Resources, Civil or Agricultural Engineering or  Agricultural Studies.  The eligibility of individual applicants will be rated based on scholastic performance and an evaluation of their aptitude to succeed in a water resources related field.

REQUIREMENTS

• completed online application
• be a high school senior with a minimum GPA of 2.8
• be enrolled at a College or University in Colorado during the 2025-2026 calendar year in one of the following programs: Water Resources, Civil or Agricultural Engineering or Agricultural Studies
• Must reside, or be from, areas within Water Division 4. This includes those graduating from Cedaredge High School, Crested Butte High School, Delta High School, Gunnison High School, Hothchkiss High School, Lake City High School, Montrose High School, Norwood High School, Nucla High School, Olathe High School, Ouray High School, Paonia High School, Ridgway High School, Telluride High School and non-traditional schools serving the same geographic areas.

In 2025, one $1,500 nonrenewable scholarship will be awarded.

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the CWOA Richard Rozman Scholarship, click on this link to Smarter Select, create a log in, and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many MCF scholarship applications. 

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org. 

Roy and Louis Faussone were born of the pioneer spirit. Their parents, Louis and Teresa Faussone were immigrants to the United States in the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. All six of the Faussone brothers immigrated to the United States from their Italian village of Montalanghe.

Arriving in Montrose, for a time the six brothers had adjoining farms, east of town on Highway 50, then known as Fair View, near today’s Montrose Water works on Miguel Road. The last of these farms has been owned since 1946 by Louis F. “Babe” Faussone, born in Montrose in 1923.  Following his army service in World War II, most of it in occupied Japan, he partnered with his brother Roy B. (1917-2011), also an army veteran, and together they grew crops and vegetables for 64 years.  They were especially known for raising potatoes that supplied many of the restaurants in town.

Babe graduated from Montrose High School and soon after joined the American forces in WWII.  His experiences in Japan led to a fascination with other cultures.  Always a reader, he turned in later life to recorded books. For ten years, he has “read” about 200 books a year. This experience led him to endow a fund for the purchase of books at the Montrose Library.

In the early 2000s Roy and Louis Faussone decided to create a scholarship with the Montrose Community Foundation.  The Roy and Louis Faussone Scholarship funds students wishing to continue their education beyond high school, either in college or technical education.  Babe explains, “I realized the importance of education after high school and my war experience.  It is our goal, that a young person who shows great promise and who may not be in the top tier of his/her class, but who shows intellect and determination should be given an opportunity to purse his or her dreams.”

To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a graduating senior of a public high school in Montrose County the year of application.
• Have a weighted, cumulative GPA between 3.00 and 3.9. Eligible GPAs can be from either final grades from 11th grade or after the 1st semester of 12th grade.
• Be accepted at a two-year or four-year college or university.

Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• Online Application
• current high school transcript
• resume highlighting school activities, community involvement, work experience, honors, and awards.
• two recommendations submitted online – 1 from a representative of the high school, 1 from a person not associated with the school
• FAFSA Student Aid Report and statement of need
• 3 essays

In 2025, one (1) $1,000 renewable for one year will be awarded.

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025. 

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the Roy and Louis Faussone Scholarship, click on this link to Smarter Select, create a log in, and fill out the application. 

The family of Ada M. White, under the direction of her brother, Lester Moore of Denver, created the Ada M. and Luther B. White Memorial Scholarship for Montrose High School graduates in 1999.  Ada Madeline Moore White was born in 1906 in Delta County.  Following high school graduation, she graduated from Ross Business College in Grand Junction.  She returned to Montrose, where she worked as the city clerk from 1934 to 1950.  She married Luther B. White and opened White Realty and purchased and operated the White Motel.  After attending the University of Colorado, she earned a license in real estate appraisals and was one of the first qualified MAI real estate appraisers in western Colorado.  She remained active as a real estate broker and appraiser until her retirement in 1987.

This scholarship was created to honor one of the most successful female businesspersons in the post war era in Montrose County.  In addition to meeting the criteria, the student who receives this scholarship must be hard working, demonstrate financial need and show involvement in many activities in addition to schooling. They must have a drive to attend college and be successful, similar to Ada M. White.

In 2025, one $1,500 nonrenewable scholarship will be awarded.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Be a graduate of Montrose High School and apply within a maximum of two years of graduation.
• Be accepted at an accredited four-year college or university in the state of Colorado and plan to pursue a four-year baccalaureate program.
• Demonstrate financial need to pursue your education.
• Reviewers will take into consideration work experience but not required

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & ATTACHMENTS:

• Online application
• Current transcript from High School or college/university you are attending
• Resume’ highlighting school activities, community involvement, work experience, honors and awards and work experience. Work experience is preferred by the review committee.
• FAFSA Student Aid Report –  if not eligible for FASFA, then a document explaining any extenuating financial circumstances.
• Letter of recommendation
• Essay (maximum of one page)

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025.

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the Ada and Luther White Scholarship, click on this link to Smarter Select, create a log in, and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF, applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  This is for many of the MCF scholarships with the February 28 deadline. The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many of the MCF scholarship applications.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org.

Maxine (Micki) Keller, a dedicated teacher for 30 years and an educator for life, was taken from the Olathe community in a tragic accident on November 28th, 2018. Though she is no longer with us, her family continues her legacy through this scholarship in order to honor the life she lived and the impact she had on individuals through her educational and scholarship endeavors. Micki spent her time on Earth advocating for what she believed in, and her passion for seeing students pursue higher education was evident in her retirement when she established a local scholarship program awarding Olathe High School graduates a scholarship. She funded this scholarship through proceeds from the Olathe Elementary School Store she ran, where she became known to the community as the “Store Lady”.

Micki spent much time beyond the classroom organizing events including: spelling bees, reading and writing sleepovers, math and science celebrations, Halloween carnivals, playground equipment fundraisers, tutoring programs, and many other educational activities. Education was important to Micki, as she was the first in her family to attend college. She loved her job as a kindergarten and special education teacher at Olathe Elementary School, and she constantly spoke of how it was our duty to help others succeed in life.

She lived a wonderful and happy life, was a believer in humanity’s goodness, found ways of doing small acts of kindness, and she made it a point to inspire others to do the same. She was an advocate for special education and encouraged many of her students to pursue higher education whether it was college, vocational training, or an associate degree. Micki wanted students enrolled in the Olathe school system to achieve their dreams and improve their circumstances through higher education.

In Micki’s honor, the Maxine Keller Memorial Scholarship awards an annual $1,000 scholarship to an Olathe High School Graduate.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Be a graduating senior of Olathe High School
• Have been enrolled in the Olathe School system for Kindergarten-12
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Be accepted at an accredited four-year college or university, trade school, vocational school or community college
• Demonstrate some financial need to pursue your education

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & ATTACHMENTS:

• Online Application
• Current transcript from High School or college/university you are attending
• Resume highlighting school activities, community involvement, work experience, honors and awards. Work experience is preferred by the review committee.
• Two letters of recommendation, one must be from an Olathe School System personnel
• Two part essay (maximum of 500 words) as instructed on application

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025.

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the Maxine Keller Memorial Scholarship, click on this link to Smarter Select, create a log-in, and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  This is for many of the MCF scholarships with the February 28 deadline. The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many of the MCF scholarship applications.

If you have any questions please contact our office at 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org.

The Cobble Creek Golf Associations established this golf scholarship to help boys or girls who have been involved with the Montrose County high schools’ golf program to pursue their goals of attending a two or four year college or university.

The scholarship is intended to go to a student who is well-rounded, involved in their community, is pursuing post-secondary education, and believes that the game of golf has had an impact on their life so far. This is not a needs-based or merit-based scholarship.

For 2025, there will be two $1000 nonrenewable scholarships awarded.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: 

• Be a Montrose County resident.
• Be a graduating senior from a Montrose County High School (Montrose High School, Olathe High School, Peak Academy, or Vista or Passage Charter Schools)
• Played on the Montrose High School Boys or Girls Golf Team; preference will be given to student who played on a team for more than one year, but will not disqualify an applicant if the applicant only played one year.
• Be accepted at a two or four year college or university. This includes: college, university, junior college, community college, technical institute, or vocational-technical school.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS & ATTACHMENTS:

• Online application
• Current high school transcript
• One letter of recommendation
• Resume that details school activities, athletic involvement, community activities, achievements and honors/awards, career goals, and work experience.
• Essay (One page maximum)

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025. 

TO APPLY: If you would like to apply for the Cobble Creek Golf Scholarship, click on this link to Smarter Select, create a log-in and fill out the application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF applicants will be asked to create a sign in and provide basic information for the common application.  This is for many of the MCF scholarships with the March 1st deadline. The Common Application information will be automatically applied to many of the MCF scholarship applications. 

If you have any questions, please contact our office 970.249.3900 or send an email to scholarships@montrosecf.org.

The Montrose Chamber Ken Gale Scholarship was created to reflect the values of this remarkable individual. The scholarship will be awarded to the student who best exemplifies the qualities that Mr. Gale demonstrated throughout his career in the Montrose Community.

Mr. Gale’s achievements as Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, City Councilman, and Mayor of Montrose reflected an interest in business, government, and community affairs.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, this scholarship is granted to the student that has demonstrated a high level of community service. This involvement should represent a ‘spirit’ that has taken the applicant beyond themselves and into the community. Similar to the ‘spirit’ that Ken Gale himself showed. This is not a needs-based scholarship.

For 2025, One, $1250 non-renewable scholarship will be awarded.

To be eligible for this scholarship applicants must:

• Be a graduating senior of a Montrose County High School or a past graduate attending Colorado  Mesa University Montrose campus.
•  Show community involvement. This involvement should show that the applicant worked beyond themself for their community.
• Be planning to attend a post-secondary institution in the fall of the year the scholarship is awarded. This includes: college, university, junior college, community college, technical institute, or vocational-technical school.

REQUIRED Documents & Attachments:

• Online application
• High school or current college transcript.
• Resume including school activities, athletic involvement, community activities, achievements, honors/awards, and work experience.
• At least two letters of recommendations from school staff/faculty, coaches, mentors, or other personal references.
• Three essays

To apply for the Montrose Chamber Ken Gale Scholarship, click here to be directed to the online application. 

MCF COMMON APPLICATION: If you are applying for multiple scholarships offered through MCF, please note that for many of our scholarships with the February 28th Deadline the first section of the process is a Common Application that asks for Name, Address, Contact Information, GPA, Future Plans, Transcript, Resume and Letter of Recommendation. The Common Application information will be used for many of our scholarships and then you will be asked to provide the specific attachments required by each individual scholarship.

Deadline: February 28, 2025

If you have any questions or issues with the application, please contact our office 970.249.3900 or send an email to our Grants and Scholarship Manager at scholarships@montrosecf.org.

• Since the late 1800’s, Montrose County has been feeding the valley and our nation with fruits, grains, vegetables
  and livestock.
• The modern farmer faces many challenges owning a farm in today’s economy with a  changing environment and ever
  evolving technology.
• Montrose County believes in honoring and advancing the future of agriculture through dedicating funds to support the producers of tomorrow

Each year one or more $2500 scholarships will be awarded to our future farmers seeking a higher education in agriculture.

Criteria:
This scholarship is intended to support a qualified student pursue a degree and a career in agriculture.
Ineligible applicants and late submissions will not be considered.

Requirements:
Applicants must:

• Complete the online application.
• Be a resident of Montrose County.
• Be a senior graduating from a high school in Montrose County, including non-traditional schools.
• Have been involved in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) for at least the last
  two years.
• Have a current weighted, cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Be accepted at and planning to attend a college, university or vocational/technical school.
• Be pursuing a degree in Agricultural or Life Sciences.

After applications have been received and reviewed, there will be a round of interviews before the final recipients are chosen.

Please click here to be directed to our online application.

Deadline: 5/15/2025

If you have any questions about your Montrose County Future Farmers Scholarship application please call 970.249.3900 or send an email to our Scholarships Manager at scholarships@montrosecf.org.

If you wish to donate to support the future of this scholarship,  contact our office at 970.249.3900 or visit this donation page.

The Automotive Enthusiasts Scholarship Fund was set up by David Langlois in 2017. Dave was born in Illinois, went to CSU to earn a B.S. and M.S. in fishery biology and was employed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife for more than 30 years. He retired in 2001. Dave’s true love in life, besides his wife Cathy, was motorcycles. Specifically, he loved riding them and restoring them.  He gave much of his time and talent to helping others restore their own motorcycles and vehicles.

Dave’s love of restoring and working in mechanics was inherited from his father, Bernie. He cherished memories of going to the stock car races at the fairgrounds as a young boy.  His father would repair and modify stock cars for racing on the clay tracks – a popular pastime in the 1950s in Illinois.

In an age increasingly focused on electronics, Dave felt that there was a lack of encouragement for individuals who love to work with their hands to build and fix things. The Automotive Enthusiasts Scholarship is intended to help support a traditional (or non-traditional) student who has a passion and/or aptitude for auto mechanics, enjoys working with his/her hands, has financial need and intends to pursue a career in auto mechanics. Applicants will also answer a brief questionnaire that asks them about their hands-on experience and their favorite motorcycle or car.

This is a $6,000 total scholarship intended to fund an Auto Technology degree program for a student living in Western Colorado. The scholarship will be paid incrementally based on the length of the Automotive program. In addition, if a student is currently enrolled in a program and half-way through the program or further, the scholarship amount may be reduced.

Consecutive semester payments will be paid after verification of enrollment for the upcoming semester of the Automotive  Program and a GPA of at least 2.50 from the previous semester. Final payment will be paid after enrollment in the last year Master Program (or similar certification) and having a status as a student in good standing.

APPLICATION OPTIONS:

Link to online application

MCF AUTOMOTIVE SCHOLARSHIP PAPER APPLICATION

SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA

• Must be enrolled or intending to enroll in a certified Automotive Technology Program with the desire to finish the entire training of the offered program.
• Must be from one of the following counties on the Western Slope of Colorado: Montrose, Delta, Mesa, Ouray, San Miguel, Gunnison and Garfield. Preference will be given to students from Montrose County.
• Interest and dedication to Auto Mechanic trade as demonstrated by questionnaire.
• Demonstrated financial need

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

If using the online application these documents will be requested, if you are downloading paper forms you will need to download the application and the questionnaire.

• MCF Automotive Scholarship Application including financial information requested
• Resume including community and/or school activities, achievements, honors/awards and work experience.
• Letters of recommendation (at least two letters are required)
• Completed Automotive Enthusiasts Questionnaire
• If applicable, copy of FASFA – 1 Page Student Aid Report (SAR) only

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025  

Please fill out the online application or complete the Scholarship Application and submit the application, Questionnaire and the REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS  to Montrose Community Foundation, P.O. Box 3020, Montrose, CO  81402 or submit electronically to scholarships@montrosecf.org. 

The Montrose County Board of County Commissioners established the Gilmore – Waterman Sheriff’s Scholarship to provide financial assistance to successful candidates enrolled in a regional Law Enforcement Academy. This scholarship is named in honor of the late Sheriffs Tom Gilmore and Warren Waterman.
Mr. Gilmore worked for the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office for 35 years and dedicated his life to law enforcement in our community.
Mr. Waterman served as a police officer for the Montrose Police Department from 1968 – 1971. He then served with the Montrose Sheriff’s Department from 1971 – 1998.

This scholarship is intended to go to a student who is well-rounded, involved in the community and willing to dedicate themselves as a law enforcement professional.

Scholarship awarded shall be in the non-renewable amount of $2000-$2500.

To be eligible the applicant must:

• Be enrolled in the upcoming semester of a local Law Enforcement Academy or currently attending a local Law Enforcement Academy.
• Be a Montrose County resident.

To apply please click here.