Second round of scholarships awarded to Inland Latino students

The Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) announced last week that the Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity, or CIELO Fund, is awarding $107,000 in scholarships to 64 students throughout the Inland Empire as part of the CIELO Fund Scholars Program. Funding for the second round of CIELO Fund Scholars brings the CIELO Fund’s total investments into Latino scholarships to $230,000 to 148 students since the scholarship fund’s inception in 2023.

“Higher education is a pathway for many young people to break cycles of poverty and obtain middle class careers,” said Jesse Melgar, Founder and Chair of the CIELO Fund. “The cost of a college degree can be prohibitive for some in the Inland region and with our committee’s $107k investment, we are hoping to help dozens of students achieve their educational and career goals. We congratulate this cohort of talented scholars who are continuing their education at Inland colleges and universities.”

Now in its second year, the CIELO Fund Scholarship Program supports students attending Inland Empire colleges and universities, with an emphasis on those intending to remain and work in the region upon completing their studies.

Launched in 2022 as an IECF signature fund with a mission of uplifting and investing in the region’s Latino community, the CIELO Fund most recently awarded $360,000 in grants to 31 Latino led and Latino serving organizations throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties and commissioned three research reports to better understand the challenges and immense opportunities to drive the Latino community forward. Since launching, including grants and scholarships, the CIELO Fund has invested $880k directly into Inland Empire Latino communities.

The CIELO Fund Scholars Program aims to provide financial assistance in the form of scholarships to graduating high school students and current college students who are Latino.

This scholarship supports civic-minded students who want to give back to the region and who demonstrate motivation, perseverance and a sincere desire to put their education to work for the benefit of the Inland Empire and underserved communities. Recipients receive a one-time scholarship award of $1,000 to $3,000 to an accredited four-year public, two-year community college or private institution of higher learning within the Inland Empire. Priority will be given to those students who intend to work in the region upon graduation.

The scholarship awards are outright grant awards. No services will be required as a consequence of receiving the award. Scholarship awards are for tuition, books, education fees, and/or living expenses. All students were welcome to apply, regardless of immigration status.