Scholarship applications are now available for those applying for membership of the Leadership Cattaraugus Class of 2022 through the organization’s scholarship fund at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.

The Leadership Cattaraugus board of directors established the scholarship fund in 2018 to make program tuition more affordable to worthy individuals applying to participate in the leadership program.

After not offering in-person programming over the last two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leadership Cattaraugus plans to hold in-person programs for the class of 2022, with policies in place to protect participants.

The application is available at cattfoundation.org/apply-for-scholarships. Applicants must email their completed application to by January 31 to be eligible. The CRCF Scholarship Committee will review the applications and recommend the awardees. Scholarship applicants must also apply for admission to the 2022 Leadership Cattaraugus class at www.leadershipcattaraugus.org.

The fund provides scholarships to cover the lesser of 25% of the cost of tuition or $400.

Applicants must live in and/or work in Cattaraugus County and be employed by a small (fewer than 100 employees) government entity, nonprofit or small business independently owned and operated in Cattaraugus County.

Applicants are judged by criteria including, but not limited to, the following:

• The individual is an existing or emerging leader as demonstrated by:
• Holds a leadership position in his/her organization or expects to move into a leadership position within his/her organization in the next six to 12 months.
  • Serves as a formal or informal leader in his/her community. Examples include:
    • Serving as an elected official.
    • Leadership in a civic or faith-based activity outside of the workplace.
    • Coaching a sport.
    • Coordinating a community activity/fundraising effort, etc.
• Has a vested interest in creating sustainable vibrant Cattaraugus County communities as demonstrated by community volunteerism and other similar activities.
• Engages in or expresses willingness to engage in community service activities (volunteerism, community campaigns, service on a board, etc.)

First awarded in 2018, this fund has provided tuition assistance to four individuals participating in Leadership Cattaraugus.

“We are so thankful to CRCF that the Leadership Cattaraugus program is able to support a leadership scholarship for the next generation of area future leaders,” said Meme Yanetsko, Leadership Cattaraugus program administrator. “It gives our area organizations a really meaningful avenue of support for their employee's training.”

The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).