Through the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation (GRACF), a new scholarship is now available to help area students in the City of S. Lake, Good Hope, Max, Third River, Moose Park, Alvwood, Kinghurst, Ardenhurst, and Grattan Townships to pursue further education. The Popple River Fund scholarship is meant to honor the curiosity instilled on the river, and in nearby forests, by the donor’s grandparents Eddie and Elna Downs, uncle Steven Downs, and mother Diane Downs Derr.  This scholarship is open to both traditional and nontraditional students who meet the eligibility criteria.

To qualify, applicants must have graduated from a public high school (traditional or public charter) or earned a GED and live in the above areas. The scholarship is not available to graduates of homeschool or private/parochial schools. Whether a student is heading to college for the first time, returning to complete a degree, or pursuing a new career path, this scholarship aims to make further education more accessible.

To apply for this scholarship or other available scholarships, go to the GRACF website at www.gracf.org and Apply for a Scholarship and apply to the Universal Scholarship Application 2025.

Through generous donors, the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation offers over 200 scholarship opportunities for area students.  The GRACF scholarship application opened on January 1^, 2025, and is open until midnight on March 1, 2025.  Scholarships are one way that the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation has been connecting donors’ charitable intentions to community needs for almost 30 years to make our Greater Itasca Area a better place to live.