Funding Opportunities
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.
Other Financial Opportunities
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.
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)
For more than 20 years, the Professional Development Program (PDP) has helped Contra Costa’s child care providers advance their education and training in early childhood education, and rewarded them when they do. Child care providers working in Contra Costa County with children birth to age five may be eligible for stipends when they earn six units of college coursework, meet education milestones, complete training hours.
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 CAD in Early Care and Education is 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.
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.