MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2026. BY STEWARD AG FOUNDATION.
Featured image above: 2025 scholarship winner Elvira Salvador from Oxnard with her family. Elvira is a student at UC Santa Barbara.
The mission of the grassroots Steward Ag Foundation is to honor the integrity of the California farm worker by providing scholarships for their children, allowing them to transform their lives by pursuing higher education – whether that means trade school, community college, or a four-year university.
Founded by longtime ag leaders Kevin and Lori Steward, in just it’s second year the Foundation awarded $51,000 in scholarships to 18 deserving students, all outstanding children of California farm workers. 2026 marks the scholarship’s third year and the Steward’s are encouraging deserving families to apply through the deadline of May 2.
One of the outstanding 2025 scholarship winners with founders Kevin and Lori Steward.
ELIGIBILITY
- Applicants must be farm workers or children of farm workers who have been employed for a minimum of 180 days within the past 12 months.
- Applicants must be a high school graduate, current college student, or a soon to be or currently enrolled in a career technical education training/certification program.
- Applicants must demonstrate acceptance/commitment and/or enrollment in an accredited college, university, or trade school.
- Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 at their current institution.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarship applications are open through May 2, 2026. Interested students may apply HERE. All applicants must be willing to participate in either a face to face in-person or online interview with Steward Ag Foundation board members. Applicants will be contacted before the end of May, after all application materials have been reviewed. Interviews will be scheduled during the first two weeks of June.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every little bit helps. To donate directly to the scholarship fund, click HERE.
There are two upcoming fundraiser events this year. “Spring into Scholarships” offers an outdoor dinner in Walnut Grove with a silent auction on May 16, 2026. The annual “Salud to Scholarships” event will be at Klinker Brick Winery in Lodi on August 7, 2026 with authentic Mexican food, a silent auction, and a raffle. Tickets for both events can be purchased HERE.
Kevin and Lori Steward, founders of the Steward Ag Foundation, who try to meet each family and write letters of encouragement to the scholarship winners.
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