Bank of the Sierra Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Asian Pacific Community Fund

Description

**Program overview:** Bank of the Sierra funds an annual scholarship program to help economically challenged high school seniors in its service area pursue higher education. The program awards competitive scholarships to students planning to enroll full-time as degree-seeking freshmen in college in the fall following the application cycle. Applications are collected electronically through a common application system that can be used to apply to multiple eligible scholarships at once. The awards are intended specifically to reduce the cost barrier to college for low- and moderate-income students.

Key takeaways:
- Scholarship program sponsored by Bank of the Sierra for eligible high school seniors.
- Awards support full-time, degree-seeking college enrollment the year after application.
- Single common application covers multiple eligible scholarship programs.
- Focused on lowering financial barriers for low- and moderate-income students.

Eligibility

**Who can apply:** Applicants must be current high school seniors who live in one of the specified Bank of the Sierra service counties and plan to enroll as college freshmen in the fall after the application year. Minimum academic and income thresholds apply, and the program is open to all majors and ethnicities. Some internal Bank of the Sierra employees and their immediate family members are excluded from eligibility. Final award decisions include verification of residency, academic plans, and household income.

Key takeaways:
- Residency required in Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, or Tulare counties.
- Open to all majors and ethnicities; minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.5.
- Targeted at households at or below Low-to-Moderate Income levels.
- Bank of the Sierra employees and immediate family members are not eligible.

Award Value

**Number and amount of awards:** Fourteen scholarships are available, each valued at $2,000. These awards are one-time grants intended to support the recipient’s first year of college attendance. The dollar amount is fixed and distributed according to the program’s payment procedures.

Key takeaways:
- Fourteen (14) scholarships offered.
- Each scholarship is $2,000.
- Awards are one-time grants for the upcoming college year.

Application Checklist & Materials

**Required documents:** Applicants must submit a completed application form, a recommender form, and a high school transcript. The program uses a common online application so applicants need only fill it out once to apply to all eligible scholarship opportunities. Only online submissions are accepted; hard-copy materials will not be considered.

Key takeaways:
- Required: application form, recommender form, high school transcript.
- Use the common online application to apply to multiple scholarships.
- No hard-copy submissions accepted—everything must be submitted online.

Application Timeline & Submission

**Opening and submission rules:** The application portal opens in December 2025. All required materials must be received by 11:59 PM on the posted deadline; late submissions will not be considered regardless of postmark. If selected, recipients must provide verification documents such as a college acceptance letter and the requested 2024 or 2025 tax return to confirm household income and enrollment. Application and recommender forms must be submitted through the online system—no mailed, faxed, or emailed hard copies will be accepted.

Key takeaways:
- Application opens December 2025; check for the posted deadline date.
- All materials due by 11:59 PM on the deadline; late entries are ineligible.
- Selected recipients must provide acceptance letter and 2024 or 2025 tax return for verification.
- Online submission only; no hard copies.

Award Use

**Permitted expenses:** Scholarship funds may be used only to cover tuition costs as defined by the institution the recipient attends. The award cannot be applied to non-tuition expenses unless explicitly stated by the institution’s definition of tuition. Distribution and application of funds follow the college/university’s standard procedures for scholarship payments.

Key takeaways:
- Funds are restricted to tuition expenses only.
- Institution’s definition of tuition determines allowable use.
- Payment follows the recipient’s college/university procedures.

History of the Award

**Program and community context:** Bank of the Sierra’s scholarship initiative is part of broader community support efforts that include capacity-building work by local organizations. Separately, APCF has expanded its capacity-building initiatives for AANHPI-serving nonprofits across Southern California, growing from 12 partner nonprofits to a network of over 80 and extending its reach to all 10 Southern California counties. These parallel efforts reflect a regional commitment to strengthening nonprofit capacity and expanding educational access for underserved populations.

Key takeaways:
- Scholarship program is part of Bank of the Sierra’s community support efforts.
- APCF expanded AANHPI nonprofit capacity-building from 12 to over 80 partners.
- APCF’s initiatives now reach all 10 counties in Southern California.