Applying for a CPF Scholarship

We're here to support outstanding planning students enrolled at eligible professional planning degree programs across the state of California.

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About the CPF Scholarships

  • The Scholarship

    Our CPF scholarship program awards scholarships to outstanding planning students enrolled at eligible professional planning degree programs in California, and seeking to enter the planning profession based on an application and selection process.

    Criteria for the scholarships include academic performance, financial need, increasing diversity in the planning profession, and a commitment to serve the planning profession in California after graduation.

  • Who Can Apply?

    These scholarships are designed for continuing students entering their final year of an eligible undergraduate or graduate degree program. This means that if you are in a two-year graduate program, apply when you are towards the end of your first year. If you are in a four-year undergraduate program, apply when you are a junior (third year).

    A list of eligible degree programs by college and university can be found below.

  • Application Timeline

    The application process has OPENED! Make sure to apply BEFORE Friday, May 1, 2026.

    We will offer an online webinar on April 3, 2026, with advice and tips on filling out your application.

    Scholarship recipients will receive notification in August 2026 and will be honored at the Student Awards Luncheon on Saturday, October 3, 2026. This event takes place during the 2026 APA California Annual Conference in Los Angeles on October 3-6, 2026 (Saturday to Tuesday).

Scholarship Webinar

We will host a virtual webinar on Friday, April 3, at 12pm with advice and tips for filling out your application. Click on the above link to register. This webinar will help students understand the scholarship application process. We typically record the webinar and have it available for applicants to view at a later date.

  • The 2026 Scholarship Process has started! Fill out your application!

    The scholarship application form can be found here https://bit.ly/CPF_26.

    You will need to log into your Google Account to complete this form. Please read this entire page before applying.

    The application form makes use of Google Drive to store attachments that applicants upload (e.g., recommendation letters, essay responses, etc.). Applicants will be required to log in using their Google ID (if you do not have a Google ID, please create a free account or contact the scholarship committee). If you share a file from your Google Drive account, no member of the California Planning Foundation will have access to that file on your system. The system creates a copy of the file and stores it in the CPF Drive. Your Google Drive is never accessible to CPF. You can also simply upload a file from your computer without it being in Google Drive, but you still need to log into your Google Account.

    Important Note: If you receive an error message that you cannot access the form due to your domain’s data loss protection settings (DLP), you will have to log out of your university’s google account and log in separately with your personal gmail account. Some universities have set up their google accounts with a tightened security system. If you encounter this problem, feel free to contact Hilary Nixon (hilary.nixon@sjsu.edu) for a workaround.

  • The Application Checklist

    Please review the “Who Can Apply?” box above to see if you qualify to apply for a CPF scholarship. In addition to the application form, applicants will need to submit the following:

    - Resume

    - Transcripts (unofficial is fine)

    - One recommendation letter from either a faculty member or a professional reference from someone working in planning (please note that members of the CPF Board are not able to provide recommendation letters)

    - One essay on why planning is important to you and how will you contribute to the profession of planning in the state of California

    - Statement of financial need

    Please review the contents of the application form to ensure that you have all materials ready to submit and are familiar with the questions on the application.

    If you are unable to complete the application form online for accessibility reasons, please contact Hilary Nixon, PhD at hilary.nixon@sjsu.edu.

    The deadline to apply for the 2026 CPF Scholarships is Friday, May 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Available Scholarships

Separate applications to specific scholarships are not required; only a single application is needed. Students are eligible to receive more than one scholarship. There are over 50 scholarships totaling over $80,000.

    • Outstanding Student First Place Scholarship: $7,000 + APA California conference registration.

    • Outstanding Student Runner-up Scholarships (2): $4,000 each + APA California conference registration.

    • Outstanding Diversity in Planning Scholarship: $4,000 + APA California conference registration.

    • Distinguished Merit Scholarships (3): $3,000 each.

    • Distinguished Diversity in Planning Scholarship: $3,000.

      Recipients from the above scholarships may be asked to serve as a Student Representative to either the APA California Board or the California Planning Foundation Board for a one-year term.

  • Section Scholarships (25): $1,000 to $1,500 each. APA California Sections sponsor 25 scholarships for students attending eligible planning programs in their Section. Over $30,000 will be awarded from funds provided by the eight Sections.

    • Stanley R. Hoffman Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of Stan Hoffman who was an original member of the California Planning Roundtable (CPR), past CPF President, past Planner Emeritus Network (PEN) President, and active member of the Chapter.

    • Ted Holzem Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of Ted Holzem, a planner in the Sacramento Valley Section and former CPF Board member.

    • Ken Milam Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of Ken Milam by the California Association of County Planning Directors for students interested in public planning in California. Only students attending PAB-accredited planning programs are eligible for this scholarship.

    • Virginia Viado Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of Virginia Viado, a planner in the Los Angeles area and former CPF Board member.

    • Richard H. Weaver Memorial Scholarship: $2,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of Richard H. Weaver, a well-known California planner and past CPF President.

    • Frank Wein Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is co-sponsored by APA California in honor of Frank Wein who was a past California Chapter APA Board member, past CPF President, adjunct faculty at Cal Poly Pomona, and a highly regarded planner.

    • David Wilcox Memorial Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored in honor of David Wilcox by the Wilcox/Gerhardt families. Only students attending PAB-accredited planning programs are eligible for this scholarship.

    • Carol Barrett Planning Scholarship: $5,000. This scholarship is sponsored by Carol Barrett, a long-time CPF Board Member and former CPF President.

    • Donald Bradley Public Health Planning Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored by Dr. Donald Bradley, a long-time Northern Section Board member, for undergraduate or graduate students interested in public health and planning.

    • Donald Bradley USC Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored by Dr. Donald Bradley, a long-time Northern Section Board member, for USC graduate students.

    • Paul Wack Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored by Paul Wack, a long-time CPF Board member, for undergraduate or graduate planning students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

    • Paul Wack Sustained Resilience Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored by Paul Wack, a long-time CPF Board member, for students interested in sustainability planning in California.

    • Hing Wong Regional Sustainability Scholarship: $1,500. This scholarship is sponsored by Hing Wong, a long-time CPF Board Member and current CPF President, for students interested in regional and sustainability planning in California.

    • Black Voices in Planning at UC San Diego Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship will be awarded to a Black or African-American student in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at UC San Diego.

    • California Planning Roundtable Scholarships (3): $1,000 each. These scholarships are sponsored by the California Planning Roundtable.

    • VCS Environmental Scholarship: $1,000. This scholarship is sponsored by VCS Environmental and will be awarded to an environmental planning student in Orange County.

Eligible Degree Programs

** Accredited Degree