Funding Opportunities
Scholarships
Shereen Paff Special Education Scholarship
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Paff endowed this scholarship in memory of their daughter Shereen. Shereen Paff earned a master’s degree in early childhood education in 1971 from San Francisco State University and spent 25 years working and teaching in the field of special education. She specialized in supporting children with visual impairments and special education needs in elementary schools and dedicated her life to helping children.
Basic eligibility includes:
- CAD-Early Childhood Concentration student; CAD-Early Care & Education Concentration student; OR Graduate College of Education student with a concentration/major in Early Childhood Education
- Senior status (90 cumulative units or more); OR current graduate student
- Enrolled in 12 units (undergraduat); OR 4 units (graduate/credential)
- Cumulative (overall) GPA 3.5 or above
- Completed, or in-progress of completing,18 hours of course credit in the Special Education program at SF State; OR have Special Education declared as their minor
We highly encourage all eligible students to apply! The application opens August 15th and the deadline is October 15th. Awardees of the Paff Scholarship are eligible to receive up to $4,000, which can be used towards their education at SF State! If you would like to apply or know more about this scholarship, please log onto Academic Works. Please note, if you never logged onto Academic Works before there will be a few intake questions you will need to answer first.
Dr. Morris R. Lewenstein Memorial Scholarship for Social Science Undergraduate and Graduate Students
This scholarship is being offered and awarded through the College of Health & Social Sciences for the benefit of students in the social sciences. Mrs. Ida J. Lewenstein, an SF State alumna, is the widow of Morris R. Lewenstein, an SF State professor who taught for more than 35 years in the Department of Social Science (Interdisciplinary Studies). He was considered the founder of the University’s first social science program, establishing this program for aspiring social science teachers. Professor Lewenstein passed away in 2003 at the age of 79. In 2004, a granite bench located in the Quad at the University’s main campus was dedicated in his memory. To continue honoring Professor Lewenstein’s significant contributions to SF State, Mrs. Lewenstein has chosen to establish a scholarship fund in memory of her late husband that will benefit students pursuing a major in the social sciences.
Basic eligibility includes:
- Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students in any of the social science degree programs listed below.
- Social Sciences disciplines, defined solely for the purposes of the Lewenstein Scholarship include: Anthropology; Child & Adolescent Development; Counseling; Economics; Ethnic Studies: Africana, American Indian, Asian American, and Latina/o Studies; Family Interiors Nutrition & Apparel; Geography; Health Education; History; International Relations; Labor & Employment Studies; Criminal Justice Studies; PACE (Environmental Studies, Gerontology, Public Administration, Urban Studies & Planning); Political Science; Psychology; Recreation, Parks & Tourism; Social Work; Sociology/Sexuality Studies; Women & Gender Studies.
- Demonstrated financial need through submission of a statement of financial need.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
If you would like to apply or know more about this scholarship, please log onto Academic Works. Please note, if you never logged onto Academic Works before there will be a few intake questions you will need to answer first. Questions about this scholarship? Please contact Nicole Corrales, Office Coordinator, CHSS Associate Dean’s Office at nmc@sfsu.edu.
Other Financial Opportunities
SF State's Basic Needs Initiative
Food+Shelter+Success, SF State's Basic Needs Initiative, supports students’ ability to reach their full potential at SF State by providing food, housing and financial crisis support programs, services, and referrals.
HOPE Crisis Fund
To help students manage unexpected crisis situations, SF State has established the SF State HOPE Crisis Fund (HOPE = Help, Opportunity & Pathway to Empowerment), a fund that assists students with financial support when they need it most. This fund supports students who are undergoing a crisis that leaves them in a situation that is beyond their control.
Fellowships Office
The Fellowships Office is available to assist undergraduate, graduate students and recent alumni in applying for nationally competitive fellowships, scholarships and grants, as well as system-wide awards offered by the California State University system.
CalFresh Help Clinic
Do you have any questions about CalFresh? Interested in learning if you may be eligible for monthly grocery benefits? Book an appointment with a SF State CalFresh Navigator to find out more information and apply.
The BA in Child & Adolescent Development in Early Care and Education and the BA in Child Development Pre-K to 3rd Grade are both now approved as a CalFresh student exemption due to meeting the criteria of a Local Program that Increases Employability (LPIE), described in the CalFresh E&T Component Guide.
CSME Teacher Fellowship
Each year, CSME supports a cohort of STEM majors and credential students interested in being K-12 teachers. Fellows join a community of aspiring teachers and gain experience in the field. The Fellows receive extra mentoring, special seminars and access to a dedicated study center. Fellows who commit to a minimum number of hours of public service receive stipends. CAD students who wanted to become K-12 teachers have participated!
The San Mateo County Early Learning and Care Teacher Stipend Program
The goal of the program is to support early learning and care (ELC) professionals, including both those who work in center-based and home-based settings, as they advance along career pathways through degree and Child Development Permit attainment, and build their skills through continuous professional growth and development activities. By providing stipends, the ELC Career Development Initiative seeks to incentivize ongoing, intentional professional growth, and to reward professionals who stay in the field of ELC.
Contra Costa's Professional Development Program (PDP)
If you are an early learning educator who works with children birth to age 5 in Contra Costa County, you may be eligible for a stipend for completing college coursework or trainings that help you learn more about early childhood education.