Answers to common questions about the Eleanor Foundation scholarship for NICU graduates, and about supporting it. Do not see your question? Email info@eleanorfoundation.org.
Graduating high school seniors and college students who spent time in a NICU as infants and have been accepted to, or are enrolled at, a public college or university or an accredited trade school. See the full NICU scholarship eligibility requirements.
Anyone who spent time in a neonatal intensive care unit as an infant, for any reason: premature birth, another newborn condition, or an injury at birth.
Send any one of these: a brief letter from a physician, hospital, or NICU verifying your stay; hospital discharge papers or NICU admission records; or a signed statement from a parent or guardian.
No. We only need to confirm that you were a NICU patient. Please black out diagnoses and treatment details before you submit. Only our selection committee sees your documents, and they are securely deleted after the scholarship cycle ends.
Not currently. The scholarship is for students at public colleges and universities, or accredited trade schools.
Our first-year scholarships will be $1,000 and can be used for tuition, fees, books, and required supplies.
Applications are accepted September 1 through December 1, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Scholarship recipients are announced on December 12, Eleanor’s birthday.
Our board of directors serves as the selection committee and reviews every complete application against the published eligibility criteria and the essay.
No. Relatives of the Eleanor Foundation’s board members are not eligible, which keeps every selection impartial.
Yes, because the application form accepts file uploads. If you do not have one, you can create one for free using your existing email address. All applications must be submitted through the form; we cannot accept applications by email.
We announce scholarship recipients on December 12. As part of accepting the award, each recipient agrees to provide a photo, and we share their first name, photo, and school on our website and social media.
Yes. The Eleanor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 42-3167362), so your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for donations.
Online donations are receipted automatically by email from Zeffy, our donation platform. If you give by check, we will send you a written acknowledgment.
Donations fund the Eleanor Foundation scholarship, along with the costs of running the foundation and hosting fundraising events. Our board members are volunteers and are not paid by the foundation.
Zeffy does not charge the foundation any fees. At checkout, Zeffy asks for an optional tip to support its platform, which you can change to $0.
Yes. Make your check payable to The Eleanor Foundation and mail it to 12672 Limonite Ave Ste 3E #243, Eastvale, CA 92880. We will send you a written acknowledgment.
Share the scholarship with any organizations, students, NICU families, and high school counselors who may know an eligible student, or email info@eleanorfoundation.org to hear about upcoming events.
The foundation was founded by Eleanor’s parents, who run it together and serve on its board of directors. Read Eleanor’s story.
Yes. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit registered in California (EIN 42-3167362). Our IRS Form 990 and exemption determination letter are available on request.
