our history

Today we’re celebrating 100 years since generous donors throughout our community first joined together to financially support local students in their quest for higher education.  

In October 1923, just days after the tragic death of R.J. Reynolds High School football player Leo Caldwell,  an anonymous letter to the Twin City Sentinel called for public contributions to the newly established Leo Caldwell Memorial Student Loan Fund that would be administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation.  

Donations poured in from across the city, with gifts ranging from $1.50 by a fifth-grade class to $2,000 from the Civitan Club.  

In the years since, we estimate that the Foundation’s scholarship funds have helped more than 18,000 local students pursue higher education. Read more history >

About our program

Our scholarship program benefits students attending many different local high schools and colleges both near and far, and we also support students with a variety of GPAs. The application process opens on January 1 of each year and concludes on July 1. Learn how to apply >

For the 2023-2024 school year, we awarded $1.5 million in scholarships to 643 local students. We’re proud to do our part in helping students pursue their dreams and strengthen our region and beyond. With the help of our donors, we are working toward a vision where every local student has the freedom and ability to pursue their dreams and obtain the necessary credentials, degrees, and training necessary to get them there.