PEF Scholarship Awards Continue Amid COVID-19 Crisis

The annual PEF Scholarship Reception was canceled this month, very disappointing as it was the 30th anniversary of hosting this inspiring gathering for the community. This week we are announcing the awards being shared with members of the Class of 2020.

Even though these are challenging times for nonprofits, including PEF, our long time legacy in the community and passion to fulfill our mission enables us to honor 226 soon-to-be high school graduates with a total of 351 awards in the amount of $226,575 from 74 PEF managed scholarship funds. These seniors will pursue their educational goals at 4-year colleges, 2-year colleges, or vocational schools. They applied for a variety of scholarships funded by our generous donors who set clear criteria for each award. Together, we are elevating the educational opportunities for over 12,000 TK-12th grade students attending our 38 public, private, and charter schools in the Petaluma area.

PEF's pledge to support our schools and students has provided over $7,571,576 in grants and scholarships since 1982. We are determined to successfully navigate the many challenges we are faced with due to the COVID-19 crisis. With the community's help, we will come out of this even stronger.

During this time we want to celebrate all graduates; including 6th grade students, 8th grade students, and high school students enabling these young adults to follow their dreams to continue their education. The mission of the PEF since its inception in 1982 is: Every child has a dream and by matching the passion of our supporters to the proven needs in the academic community, together, we fund the future of our local students. Petaluma Educational Foundation (PEF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. PEF has been reaching Petaluma’s TK-12 students through PEF Grants to local schools and PEF Scholarships to graduating seniors for over 38 years. Founding members tapped into the generosity of Petaluma, with a mission to invest in the courage of our teachers determined to inspire our students.

We are all in this together.