It’s scholarship season at Truman Heartland Community Foundation. Every year during January and February, students across our region submit applications through our Scholarship Program that will help shape their futures. This year, nearly $1 million in scholarships will be awarded to hundreds of local students.

Behind every one of those awards is a donor who chose to invest not just in education, but in people. For many fundholders and community partners, creating a scholarship fund has become one of the most meaningful ways to leave a lasting legacy.

Scholarships: A Legacy You Can See

Scholarships are powerful because they connect generosity directly to opportunity. They ease financial barriers, open doors to higher education, and often change the trajectory of a student’s life. Long after a gift is made, its impact continues—year after year, student after student.

Unlike one-time giving, a scholarship fund creates an ongoing story of impact. It reflects your values, honors a loved one, or supports a cause close to your heart, while strengthening our community for generations.

A Natural Part of Planned Giving

For many donors, scholarship funds are established through planned giving, making them both thoughtful and practical. Two common ways fundholders build scholarships into their legacy plans include:

• Bequests through a will or trust – A simple way to direct a future gift that establishes or grows a scholarship fund.
• IRA beneficiary designations – A tax-efficient option that allows retirement assets to support education while preserving other assets for loved ones.

Planned gifts like these often require no change to your current giving but can create transformational impact in the future.

How We Help You Build a Scholarship Fund

At Truman Heartland Community Foundation, we make the process of creating a scholarship fund straightforward and highly personal. Our team works closely with donors to:

• Define the purpose and criteria of the scholarship
• Establish and name the fund
• Manage applications, reviews, and award decisions
• Invest the fund for long-term growth
• Ensure scholarships are awarded in perpetuity

From the first conversation to each annual award, we handle the details—so your legacy remains focused on impact, not administration.

A Timely Moment to Reflect

Scholarship season is a powerful reminder of what thoughtful giving can accomplish. As applications come in and awards are prepared, we see firsthand how donor legacies come to life in classrooms, campuses, and careers across our region.

If education has played a meaningful role in your life—or if you want your legacy to empower future generations—now is an ideal time to explore how a scholarship fund might fit into your long-term plans.

Our team would be honored to help you create a legacy that lasts, one student at a time.

Interested in Creating a Scholarship Legacy?

If you’d like to explore how a scholarship fund could fit into your long-term charitable plans, we’re here to help. Cole Eason, JD, Vice President of Advancement, works closely with donors and their advisors to design scholarship funds that reflect personal values and create lasting community impact. Whether you’re just beginning to think about legacy giving or are ready to include a scholarship fund in your estate plan, Cole would be happy to visit with you.

📞 816.912.4182

✉️ eason@thcf.org