Champaign County Offers $5,000 Scholarships for Post-Secondary Education

Regional Planning Commission opens applications for 2026 Community Services Block Grant scholarships.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 1:20am

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The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission has opened applications for its 2026 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Scholarship program. These competitive scholarships provide up to $5,000 for low-income individuals in the county who are enrolled in college, university, or vocational programs starting in Fall 2026.

Why it matters

The CSBG scholarships aim to improve educational access and opportunity for underserved residents of Champaign County by providing financial assistance to those with high academic potential and community involvement, but limited financial means.

The details

Applicants must be Champaign County residents at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, enrolled in a post-secondary program for Fall 2026 but not yet holding a bachelor's degree, and either part-time or full-time students. The scholarship funds can be used towards tuition, fees, and program-specific supplies.

  • The application window opened on March 12, 2026.
  • The deadline to submit completed applications and supporting documents is 4:30pm CT on April 30, 2026.

The players

Champaign County Regional Planning Commission

The regional planning agency that oversees community development initiatives, including the CSBG Scholarship program.

Franklina Kabu

A Parkland College student and 2025 recipient of the CSBG Scholarship, who says the award helped her realize support for achieving her future goals.

Lisa Benson

The Community Services Director at the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission, who states that the scholarships aim to make educational access based on ability rather than affordability.

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What they’re saying

“This scholarship is an amazing steppingstone into my future. It helped me realize that I have support in the goals I plan to achieve in my future.”

— Franklina Kabu, Parkland College student and 2025 CSBG Scholarship recipient (Chambana Today)

“Educational access should be based on ability, not affordability. The RPC supports 'People. Possibilities.' CSBG Scholarships have the potential to change lives.”

— Lisa Benson, Community Services Director, Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (Chambana Today)

What’s next

The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission will review all completed scholarship applications and supporting documents submitted by the April 30th deadline, and announce the 2026 CSBG Scholarship recipients in early June.

The takeaway

The CSBG Scholarship program demonstrates Champaign County's commitment to expanding educational opportunities for underserved residents, providing crucial financial assistance to help low-income students pursue post-secondary education and training goals.