The Fox River Scholarship Center website is hosted by the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Winnebago, Waushara and Green Lake counties, and the city of Ripon in Fond du Lac County, Wis. The  Foundation strongly believes that scholarships have a tremendous impact on the students who receive them and can change the course of a young life, and we have more than 100 scholarship funds that do just that.

Donate to an Existing Fund

Making a gift to any Oshkosh Area Community Foundation scholarship fund is easy and convenient. Through our online fund listing you can search for the scholarship you wish to fund by name or community, and make a donation anytime. Or, you can make your donation in person or by U.S. mail at our offices at 230 Ohio Street, Suite 100, Oshkosh, WI, 54902. We accept cash, checks, credit and many other types of assets. Please call our office for more details at 920-426-3993.

Establishing a Scholarship Fund

The Foundation has worked with individuals, families, nonprofit organizations and corporations to set up and administer scholarship funds that match their interests.

We have dedicated scholarship staff who are knowledgeable of legal guidelines for the selection and awarding of scholarships. While tax rules prevent you from selecting recipients and awarding scholarships to family members or loved ones, you can be actively involved in the scholarship process by attending scholarship ceremonies and presenting awards to the recipients.

The Foundation also partners with several school districts to administer scholarship funds that benefit their students, including public and private schools in Neenah, Oshkosh, Omro, Winneconne, Wautoma, Green Lake and Ripon.

Scholarships Make a Difference

Scholarships have a tremendous impact on the students who receive them. Without scholarships, many students would be unable to go to college.

Individuals and families often establish scholarship funds to:

• Memorialize a loved one, allowing that person's legacy to live on;
• Honor a family member's accomplishments or celebrate a lifetime of achievement.

Businesses often establish scholarship funds to:

• Encourage students to pursue a related field of study, such as business, education, science, technology, medicine, law etc.;
• Honor the achievements of a founder, retiring executive or long-time employee.

3 Easy Steps

Our staff will meet confidentially with you, your family, organization or company to help you set up your scholarship fund. We'll ask you to:

1. Choose your Focus

You can set up a general scholarship fund to support a deserving student or establish specific criteria for scholarship recipients, such as:

• Who should apply?
• Where should students be from?
• Should this benefit someone with a financial need?
• Applicants must attend ______ (insert name of college, university, technical college or high school).
• Applicants must plan to major in ______ (insert name of major or field of study).
• If you wish, you also may specify other criteria.

2. Name the Fund

The fund can bear your name, your company name, the name of a loved one or be anonymous.

3. Contribute

With a gift of $10,000 or more, we'll award a scholarship during the next scholarship cycle, or establish an Acorn Fund with a gift of just $500 (and annual gifts of at least $250) and watch it grow. The first scholarship will be awarded after the Acorn Fund reaches $10,000. You also may choose to make two annual gifts while the Acorn Fund grows, one for an immediate scholarship and one to the scholarship fund you've established.

We accept a variety of gifts, from cash, stock, bonds and mutual funds and property. You may also establish a scholarship fund after your lifetime by including the Foundation in your will or estate plan, or by naming the Foundation as the beneficiary.

Sample Language for a Bequest to a Scholarship Fund

"I give to the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, a Wisconsin nonprofit public charity, (insert the percentage of your estate, trust or a sum of money) OR (all my right, title and interest in the following described property _________).

This gift shall be used to establish the _________ Fund, which is designed to benefit (insert what you want to scholarship to support: students in need, students at a specific college/university, students in a specific major).

I understand the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation's Board of Governors holds legal responsibility for the Fund and is solely responsible for the investment of and distributions from the Fund.

Additional Help

For further information about starting a scholarship fund with the Foundation, please contact Director of Education Cheryl Fowler at 920-426-3993 by email at Cheryl@oshkoshareacf.org.