IVEDC Announces 2026 Scholarship Program

Calhoun County, Greene County, Jersey County and Macoupin County are offering college and occupational training scholarships for low-income individuals with high academic potential. The Community Services Block Grant Scholarship supplements the cost of tuition, fees, and program-specific supplies to offset the students’ needs. An applicant can/plan to attend college, university, certification programs or a trade school; in-state or out-of-state; remote, on-ground, or hybrid; and be a part-time or full-time student. This scholarship is funded and designed in cooperation with the State of Illinois’ Office of Community Assistance at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Applicants are required to provide:
Social security cards for everyone in the household
ID for anyone 18 and older
Proof of county residency
30-day gross income for anyone 18 and older in the household. Income for the household must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Acceptance letter to school/program
High School/College transcript or GED certification
Applicants must also complete a Scholarship Application and set up an appointment for a CSBG Application.
The scholarship awards will vary from $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 with a maximum of 5 scholarship awards.
Completed applications and support documents must be received by
Friday, May 29, 2026
Interested applicants are advised to reach out to their local outreach office to request a copy of the Scholarship Application and to set up an appointment.
The IVCEDC Calhoun County office can be contacted at 618-576-2218, Greene County at 217-942-6824, Jersey County at 618-498-9521 and Macoupin County at 217-839-4431. Or online at www.ilvalley-edc.org or www.facebook.com/IllinoisValleyEDC.