RCCF Accepting Applications for 2026 Lilly Scholarship

Applications are due by September 15.

(Ripley County, Ind.) - The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Ripley County through the Ripley County Community Foundation. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and one scholarship in Ripley County.

LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.

The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Ripley County through the Ripley County Community Foundation, is open to all Indiana residents who:

• graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2026 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2026;
• intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and  
• meet the criteria specific to their local community foundation. Visit www.rccfonline.org for complete information regarding Ripley County’s application criteria.

Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Ripley County and apply for this scholarship by visiting www.rccfonline.org. Applications, including timed essays, letters of recommendation, and transcripts must be completed and submitted by Monday, September 15th at 11:59 p.m to be considered.

Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: GPA, SAT/ACT scores, course difficulty, extracurricular activities, community service, essays, three letters of recommendation, and an in-person interview. Three finalists will be nominated by the Ripley County Community Foundation, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients. Scholarship recipients should be notified in December.

Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception.

The primary purposes of LECSP are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

The Ripley County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Ripley County. “We are incredibly honored to serve as the steward of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Ripley County. This responsibility perfectly aligns with our mission: to enhance the quality of life available in our county for generations to come. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program empowers our brightest young minds, directly contributing to a more vibrant and prosperous future for everyone in our community., “said Amy Streator, Executive Director Ripley County Community Foundation.