Scholarships

This page lists local scholarships available to Ashfield residents.  Each provides a description and history of the scholarship along with a list of requirements for applying.


 Ashfield Citizens Scholarship & Community Fund Committee

This committee manages two funds for the benefit of town residents and organizations; the Ashfield Citizens Scholarship Fall Festival Fund and the Van Valkenburg Scholarship Fund. 

Application forms are generally made available early December and are due each April. All eligible town residents are encouraged to apply, regardless of age. Continuing education can be supported by the scholarship funds and community organizations may apply to the Fall Festival fund. Any individual applicant may apply to both scholarships should they meet the requirements.

The Ashfield Citizens Scholarship Fall Festival Fund was established by the arts and crafts community of Ashfield in 1971 and maintained by donations from individuals and organizations that donate a percentage of their proceeds from the annual Fall Festival. Scholarships are awarded for educational purposes based on financial need. Ashfield organizations in need of funds to help better serve our community are also eligible to apply.

Van Valkenburg Scholarship Fund is a tuition endowment that was established in 1998. This scholarship supports tuition for college or other institution of learning beyond high school. Awards take into consideration the applicant’s scholastic ability, character, leadership ability, integrity, personality, participation in extracurricular activities, and financial need

Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship

This trust fund was established under the Will of Fred W. Wells, a former resident of Greenfield. Mr. Wells directed that a portion of income from the fund be used for awarding scholarships in agricultural, mechanical or professional fields. Only residents of Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Conway, Deerfield, Gi‖, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Montague, Northfield, Rowe or Shelburne who have resided or whose parents have resided in any of these towns for not less than two years immediately prior to the date of application are eligible. Awards, made by a Scholarship Committee, take into consideration, among other factors, academic record, need, character, leadership ability, extracurricular activities and employment. Scholarship awards are contingent upon the applicant’s matriculation into an academic program. One thousand dollars will be the maximum award for any one year. Awards vary each year depending on available funds and number of applicants, and are not to exceed a maximum total off our thousand dollars over the course of an academic career.