San Francisco Foundation Announces Scholarship Program for Black Students at San Francisco State University

Announcing the SFF Black Excellence Scholarship for SF State

The San Francisco Foundation (SFF) has announced a new scholarship program for San Francisco State University students who identify as Black and demonstrate financial need. The San Francisco Foundation Black Excellence Scholarship for SF State will offer $2,500 scholarships to 35 SF State students each year.

“SF State students are a vibrant part of the Bay Area community,” said Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation. “By creating this scholarship program, we are helping to ensure that all SF State students have a fair chance to complete their studies and contribute their talents to an inclusive, thriving Bay Area.”

Since 1948, the San Francisco Foundation has dedicated itself to advancing social justice in the Bay Area by partnering with donors, nonprofits, and community leaders to create a region where everyone thrives. The foundation is thrilled to support students at SF State, one of the pillar universities in the Bay Area and the first in the nation to establish a college dedicated to ethnic studies.

Of all racial groups in the Bay Area, Black residents have the highest percent of completing some college education, but not obtaining a bachelor’s degree, according to the Bay Area Equity Atlas, which is supported by the San Francisco Foundation. Recent data also shows that the six-year graduation rate among Black students at SF State is 48 percent. This new scholarship aims to not only boost enrollment for Black students but also increase graduation rates among this group.

“One of the biggest barriers to earning a degree is the total cost of attending college. With the Bay Area’s high cost of living, we can see why these scholarships will help our students tremendously,” SF State Senior Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Katie Lynch said. “We are grateful that the San Francisco Foundation has created this program that’ll help close long-standing equity gaps in higher education.”

Today’s announcement underlines the foundation’s ongoing commitment to racial equity and economic inclusion in education. In 2018, the San Francisco Foundation created a scholarship program for Black students at UC Berkeley, as part of the university’s African American Initiative. Now in its sixth year, the scholarships have supported more than 100 students to date, ensuring that they have equitable access to an education at UC Berkeley.

The foundation encourages donors to join us in contributing to the San Francisco Foundation Black Excellence Scholarship for SF State and UC Berkeley’s African American Initiative Scholarship to help Black students thrive at both universities. To support these scholarship programs, visit sff.org/give or contact donorservices[at]sff.org.

The San Francisco Foundation Black Excellence Scholarship for SF State application, selection, and awards process is managed by Scholarship America, a nonprofit organization that specializes in scholarship administration. The application process opens on March 11, and applications are due on April 10. Recipients will be announced in May, and scholarship awards will be issued in fall 2024. Students interested in learning more details should visit learnmore.scholarsapply.org/sff.

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The San Francisco Foundation is committed to a Bay Area where everyone can get a good job, live in a safe and affordable home, and exercise their political voice. The foundation advances its work through grantmaking, partnerships with donors, policy advocacy, and impact investing.