by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 6, 2026 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program offers tuition assistance for Pre-Kindergarten and K-12 Fayette County, PA students attending a participating private school. To apply, families can obtain an EITC Scholarship Application from their school, then submit the completed application to CFFC, 250 West Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401. All applications must be received or post-marked on or before July 31, 2026.
CFFC’s Participating K-12 Schools:
- A.G. Montessori School
- Calvary Chapel Christian School
- Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy
- Conn Area Catholic School
- Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School
- Grace Academy
- Mt. Carmel Christian School
- Mt. Moriah Christian School
- St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School
- Verna Montessori School
CFFC’s Participating Pre-K Schools:
- A.G. Montessori School
- Asbury Preschool
- Bright Beginnings Center for Learning
- Calvary Chapel Christian School
- Calvary United Methodist Church Preschool
- Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy
- Conn Area Catholic School
- Grace Academy
- Mt. Moriah Christian School
- St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School
- The Learning Lamp
- Verna Montessori School
“We are grateful to COE Distributing, Laurel Technical Institute, PNC Bank, and United Concordia Insurance Company for their generous support of our EITC program,” said CFFC Chief Executive Officer Jessica Hajek-Bates. “Their commitment to education helps create meaningful opportunities for local students, and we deeply appreciate their partnership in investing in the future of our children.”
Businesses can learn more about how to receive tax credits and participate in this program by visiting the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) website.
Families who are selected to receive tuition assistance are typically notified in October. Please direct any questions to CFFC’s Accountant Celena Valentine by telephone at 724-437-8600 x114 or by email at cvalentine@cffayettepa.org.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Feb 2, 2026 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 school year. With the support of the foundation’s scholarship fund creators, fifty-one (51) scholarships are available for individuals pursuing post-secondary education. Applicants must submit through CFFC’s online scholarship portal by April 10 at 5:00 p.m.
“By working with our donors, the foundation is able to support local students and strengthen the future of Fayette County,” said Jessica Hajek-Bates, CFFC Chief Executive Officer. “We have opportunities for graduating high school seniors, current post-secondary students, and nontraditional students.”
Applicants will complete a “universal” application to determine their eligibility for the various scholarship opportunities. A list of matching scholarships will display; each will have additional questions and must be submitted individually. There are also four (4) stand-alone applications that are listed outside of the “universal” application within the portal; those opportunities must be applied for individually. All local students are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.
The foundation awards scholarships based on academic achievement, community service, financial need, extracurricular participation, area of study, school preference, and other criteria. The Garbart Memorial Scholarship is a new addition this year, supporting a student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who shows financial need – with preference to Engineering or Education majors.
Last year, nearly one hundred (100) students received scholarships totaling more than $250,000.
“Being the first in my family to attend a higher level of education, I’m excited to begin this journey and make my family proud. I look forward to continuing my education and taking all that I learn back to my hometown to inspire others,” said CFFC scholarship recipient Jamire Braxton.
“With the daunting cost of college, this scholarship has helped me feel less overwhelmed,” said CFFC scholarship recipient Hanna Lucente.
Visit the Scholarships page at www.cffayettepa.org for more details and call the CFFC office for assistance at 724-437-8600.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 13, 2025 | CFFC News
A group of ninety-seven (97) local students are receiving a total of $252,890 in post-secondary scholarships from the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) for the 2025-2026 school year. These students were selected for awards from forty-five (45) scholarship funds held at the foundation, for the purpose of supporting local students in their pursuit of higher education.
Watch the slideshow!
Scholarship funds are created in honor or memory of a loved one, to support certain career paths, or to simply give back to the community. CFFC works with donors to determine criteria for each scholarship fund, including qualifications related to academic achievement, community service, financial need, extracurricular participation, area of study, or school preference.
The foundation enlists the help of community volunteers to serve on the scholarship committees. “The volunteers carefully consider hundreds of applications and select students based on the criteria for each fund. Our team of reviewers is always so impressed with the bright students, and so we share our congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients and wish them all great success,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
“I will be attending Penn West California, majoring in biology and I plan to pursue a career in the medical field. I am beyond grateful for having received this scholarship as this will help me offset some of the tuition costs,” said Ms. Hannah Legarsky.
“I will be majoring in Computer Science and look forward to the opportunities and growth college will bring. These scholarships will make a meaningful impact on my journey, and I appreciate the confidence you’ve shown in my potential and future,” said Mr. Casey Karwatske.
Those interested in supporting higher education can donate to CFFC’s Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund or contact the foundation’s staff at 724-437-8600 to learn more about charitable giving options.
2025-2026 CFFC Scholarship Awards List
Alfred E. Jones, Jr. and Anna B. Jones Scholarship
Bailey Lemansky
Allen Craft Memorial Scholarship
Delaney Angel
Cameryn Crouch
Luke Grimm
Jack Jeffries
Elle Mancini
Maddox McAllister
Jacob Shaffer
Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Scholarship
Kylee Kurnot
Malcolm Patton
Valentina Gulino
Brooklyn WIlliams
Betty Bayne Barnes Scholarship for Women
Ashley Secrest
Burchinal Family Endowment
Grace Bosnic
Kirra Davis
Olivia Girasia
Kristy Pan
Riley Rankin
Erica Rishel
Jenna Schnatterly
Ashley Secrest
Mattalynn Schiffbauer
Michael Ulery
Lena Venersky
Career and Technical Education Scholarship
Brayden Tankalavage
Carl S. Micarelli Memorial Scholarship
Kadance Mickey
CFFC Board of Directors Scholarship
Arianna Cooper
Daisy Sanders
Chris G. and Alice Omiros Scholars Fund
Delaney Booker
Cupelli Family Scholarship
Grace Bosnic
Darrell L. and Norma R. Uphold Family Scholarship
Jack Jeffries
Deana Martorella Memorial Scholarship
McKenna Shields
Dr. Dennis F. Brestensky Scholarship
Logan Hoffer
Dr. Paul Pipik Scholarship for Study in the Health Sciences
Gracie Mowry
Educate Fayette Scholarship
Kirra Davis
George M. and Anna W. Hochheimer Scholarship
Riley Rankin
Helen Hulvey Scheggia Nursing Scholarship
Benjamin Diamond
Henry J. Oppermann Scholarship
Cameron Stern
Hughes Family Scholarship
Elle Mancini
Johnson Matthey Scholarship
Molly Rhodes
Caeden WIlliams
Kathleen DiMarco Gulino Memorial Scholarship
Delaney Angel
Laurel Business Institute Scholarship Fund in Memory of Ruth and Milton Decker
Thomas Shaffer
Angelica Baeza
Joshua Curry-Jones
Laurel Highlands Mustang Academic Scholarship
Casey Karwatske
Maura Nagle
Lillian’s Legacy Scholarship
Autumn Bartos
Whitney Bobish
Savannah Tracy
Lena Venersky
Lulu A. Dudley Scholarship
Brandy Sickles
Mary Jane Dailey Wood Scholarship
Autumn Bartos
Christopher Cook
Hannah Legarsky
Cadence Marrs
Morgan Matthews
Steven Shearin
Trey Whitehead
Emma Young
Maurice M. Bortz and Bessie D. Rinehart Memorial Scholarship
Kelan Milsom
Melvin J. and Beatrice Vance Keller Memorial Scholarship
Abigail Humbert
Michael S. Carbonara Memorial Scholarship
Jacob Kalich
My Mother’s Legacy Scholarship
Faith Bachinski
Anna Sedlak
Nancy Vance Jones Scholarship
Delaney Angel
Whitney Bobish
Hannah Legarsky
Brianna Marzano
Palmer F. Sabatine Scholarship
Jadeyn Clymer
Parker A. Hess Memorial Scholarship
Natalie Meyer
Delaney Reposky
Cameron Stern
Rita P. Peters Scholarship
Lauren Klink
Robert and Marjorie Rager Scholarship
Kadance Mickey
Robert E. and Elouise R. Eberly Scholarship
Haley Filcheck
Sergeant Eric Hull Memorial Scholarship
Christopher Cook
Suzanne J. McMonagle Nursing Scholarship
Lauren Colgan
Tolstoi Family Scholarship
Kendra Firestone
Brianna Guziak
Ryleigh Jose
Dalton Kelley
Tylar Andaloro Memorial Scholarship
Casey Karwatske
Matthew Schwertfeger
Uniontown College Club CFFC Scholarship
Delaney Booker
Mia Medved
Anna Mitchell
Virginia Eberharter Scholarship
Kennedy Orndorff
Lily Show
Virginia Springer Memorial Scholarship
Julie Cooper
Ava Crofcheck
Nina D’Andrea
Lauren Klink
Kaleb Walls
Wolford Swimmer Memorial Scholarship
Caylee Balabon
William Barton IV
Austin Basinger
James Brown
Emily Burkus
Elli Cook
Yelena Ford
Grayden Gillott
Jocelyn Gratchic
Madison Gratchic
Luke Grimm
Jacqueline Maendel
Brianna Marzano
Paige Miller
Addison Milsom
Anthony Muccioli
Maximus Nassar
Emma Nicholson
Braylin Slaisbury
Steven Shearin
Sophia Solomon
Kaelyn Suba
Alexia Swisshelm
Emily Teeter
Zackery R. Nelson Memorial Scholarship
Kristy Pan
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 27, 2025 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program offers tuition assistance for Pre-Kindergarten and K-12. Tuition assistance is available to Fayette County, PA students attending a participating private school. Please contact your school administrator to inquire about the school’s participation in this EITC Program.
To apply for this tuition assistance, you must contact your school administrator to obtain an EITC Tuition Assistance Application, which are available now.
Submit your completed application to CFFC, 5 South Mt. Vernon Ave., Uniontown, PA 15401. All applications must be post-marked on or before July 31, 2025.
Families who will receive tuition assistance are typically notified in October.
We are grateful for the generosity of our Pennsylvania business partners. For more information on how your business can receive tax credits and participate in this program, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) website.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 19, 2025 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Renee M. Couser (CFFC Executive Director), Scott T. Lee (Foundation for Free Enterprise Education’s Vice President of Marketing & Development), John and Bernadette Ptak with a plaque recognizing the Ptak Family Fund as a “Student Champion” for PFEW
John and Bernadette Ptak say that the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) helped “connect the dots” for their charitable giving. The Ptak Family Fund was created in 2022, specifically to support Fayette County students attending the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education’s “PA Free Enterprise Week” (PFEW).
Mr. and Mrs. Ptak first met with Renee Couser, CFFC Executive Director, in fall of 2021 to discuss the possibility of creating a charitable fund and how they’d like to help the community. The couple had years of experience owning and operating “Ptak’s”, a formal wear store in Uniontown that was established in 1924 by John’s grandfather, and Bernadette is also a retired school teacher. Throughout conversations about their backgrounds and charitable interests, education was a shining topic.
“The foundation has worked with the PFEW program in the past, and I thought it could be a great fit for the Ptaks, combining youth education and their background in small business,” said Couser.
photo courtesy of Foundation for Free Enterprise Education
PA Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) is a youth leadership program that educates high school students about the American free enterprise system, bringing together students and business people from throughout the state. Students gain perspective about what it takes to be successful in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, by simulating the operation of a company in a student team with the help of a business mentor. PFEW also features a Speaker Series and The Stock Market Game.
photo courtesy of Foundation for Free Enterprise Education
Over the past three years, the Ptak Family Fund has provided a total of $15,000 in registration reimbursement for Fayette County students who graduated from the week-long program. “We are so happy to be part of the PFEW program, which gives the youth of Fayette County a very positive experience of the business world,” said John and Bernadette Ptak.
“The community foundation is a matchmaker for charitable giving, so we’re always excited to learn about someone’s passions and provide options for how they can help others. Reading the thank-you letters from PFEW students, it’s clear that the Ptak Family Fund is supporting education in a special way, just like the donors aspire to do,” said Couser.
photo courtesy of Foundation for Free Enterprise Education
Quotes from Fayette County students who participated in PFEW 2024:
“I had so much fun making friends, learning about finance, and how to run a business…. I will always remember this experience that you have given me.” – Jenna from Geibel Catholic Junior Senior High School
“I had the opportunity to meet and network with business people from all over the state.” – Abagale from Albert Gallatin Area High School
“I learned about how business really works, experienced what it is like to live on a college campus, and overall, working as a team was my favorite part of PFEW.” – Mercedies from Connellsville Area High School
“Without your sponsorship, I would not have been able to attend PFEW, and my interest in pursuing a business degree might not have been sparked.” – Jacob from Albert Gallatin Area High School
“My finance team and I participated in 12 different quarters of actual business decisions while competing against other companies.” – Chris from Frazier High School
“The speakers were a major part of this week as well, and they taught me a lot.” – William from Laurel Highlands High School