These scholarships are intended to help qualified students pursue an education, which will lead them into productive careers in the real estate industry. It is the Foundation’s hope that each recipient will, during his or her career, contribute to the Foundation in support of the scholarship they received. The resulting growth of the fund will ensure other qualified individuals a similar opportunity to pursue a vocation in the real estate industry.

The Gary L. Clayton Scholarship has been established as a tribute to the Illinois REALTORS® longtime CEO’s commitment to the REALTOR® organization, and his dedication to leadership. Scholarships will be awarded to Illinois REALTORS® members for the continuation and expansion of their leadership skills.

Eligibility: Scholarships may be awarded for leadership training in a real estate related field provided through the local, state, or National Association of REALTORS®, it’s institutes, societies and councils, a local Chamber of Commerce, or similar organizations.

Amount: up to $1,000 / Application Deadline: Ongoing

The Illinois Education and Training Grant is a scholarship for eligible individuals who are pursuing a real estate degree or license in the state of Illinois. The grant may be used towards Illinois REALTORS® D2L online courses (75-hour Pre-License Topics course & 15-hour Broker Pre-License Interactive webinar) or any live classroom offered at an Illinois REALTORS® branch.

Eligibility: Candidates pursuing a real estate degree or license in the state of Illinois to be used toward an Illinois REALTORS® D2L online course or any Illinois REALTORS® live classroom course.

Amount: $100 / Application Deadline: Ongoing

The Illinois Real Estate Educational Foundation (REEF) administers the Illinois Diversity Real Estate Scholarship Program in partnership with the State of Illinois, which allows us to award 60 scholarships each year to qualified racial residents of Illinois pursuing courses of study that will prepare them for careers relating to real estate or enhance the skills and knowledge that they currently use as real estate professionals. As a part of the Diversity Initiative, Illinois REALTORS® is partnering with REEF to increase the number of scholarships awarded by another 40 annually. The number of Illinois Diversity Real Estate Scholarships will significantly increase to 100 scholarships awarded each year.

Eligibility: Racial minority residents of Illinois pursuing courses of study that will prepare them for careers relating to real estate or enhance the skills and knowledge that they currently use as real estate professionals.

Amount: $500 / Application Deadline: Ongoing

As a tribute to Mr. Port’s personal commitment to education and as a means of improving the professionalism of the real estate industry, the Rich Port Scholarship Fund was established to help licensed real estate agents in Illinois complete courses to earn the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) of Illinois designation.

Eligibility: Licensed real estate agents in Illinois who wish to complete courses that meet the education requirement for the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute of Illinois designation.

Amount: $300 / Application Deadline: Ongoing

These scholarships (for any accredited college or university in Illinois) will assist and encourage qualified students to further their interest in selecting real estate as a career.

Eligibility: Candidates pursuing real estate as a career who are attending any accredited college or University in Illinois

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

The Daniel L. Goodwin Scholarship Fund was established in 2017 to assist and encourage qualified students that have gone through the Boys and Girls Club of Illinois to pursue an education which will lead them into productive careers in any chosen area.

Eligibility: Active and/or past participants in the Boys and Girls Club who have been awarded a Youth of the Year Award, and are current Illinois residents pursuing a college or university education.

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

In recognition of years of distinguished service, the George L. Patt Scholarship was created to make it possible for Illinois residents who are United States veterans to pursue (1) an undergraduate college or university education in the field of real estate; or active reserves, air or army guardsman (2) education in real estate administration to establish themselves as an association executive in a REALTOR organization.

Eligibility: Illinois residents who are United States veterans to pursue a college degree in the field of real estate or education in real estate administration.

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

In recognition of the contributions made by James M. Kinney to the real estate industry, the Foundation created a scholarship fund to make it possible for the children and grandchildren of REALTORS®, REALTOR® Associates, members-in-good-standing of the Illinois REALTORS®, or any child or grandchild of an employee of a local, state or national association of REALTORS® in Illinois, to pursue an education which will lead them into productive careers in any chosen area.

Eligibility: Children and grandchildren of REALTORS®, REALTOR® Associates, Illinois REALTORS® members in good standing or a local, state or national association of REALTORS® in Illinois to purchase education which will lead them into productive careers in any chosen area.

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

The family of Morgan L. Fitch, through a contribution to the Foundation in 1981, established a scholarship fund in perpetuity for students attending the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in the College of Commerce and Business Administration or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as a tribute to the memory of one of the nation’s most prominent real estate industry leaders.

Eligibility: Candidates attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the College of Commerce and Business Administration or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Amount: $2,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

The Parker Oldenettel Scholarship Fund was established to assist and encourage qualified students of the vocational trades to pursue an education which will lead them into productive careers in any chosen area.

Eligibility: Children and/or grandchild of a REALTOR® member, REALTOR® Associate in good-standing of the Illinois REALTORS®, or any child or grandchild of an employee of a local, state, or National Association of REALTORS® to pursue a vocational education that prepares them to work in various jobs, such as a trade, a craft, or as a technician.

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

The Dick Wiegers Scholarship Fund was created to make it possible for Illinois residents to pursue a college or university education in the field of Business, Law, Finance, or a graduate program in Business.

Eligibility: Illinois residents pursuing a college or university education in the field of Business, Law, Finance or a graduate program in Business

Amount: $1,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

Thomas F. Seay believed in the power of the mind. This scholarship (for any accredited college or university in the United States) was developed to enhance the minds of qualified candidates pursuing a career in real estate through education.

Eligibility: Candidates pursuing a career in real estate who are attending any college or university in the United States.

Amount: $2,000 / Application Deadline: April 1

The Margery Shinners Scholarship was established for women wishing to further their education with the stipulation they pursue a course of study which relates to the field of Association Management. Scholarships will be awarded for Association Management trainings such as: training programs offered by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Association Forum, the Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE), the Illinois REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS® or a higher educational institution.

Eligibility: Candidates pursuing a course of study relating to the field of association management.

Amount: $1,500 / Application Deadline: September 1

In honor of Robert Cook’s history of leadership with the Illinois REALTORS®, this scholarship was established for individuals pursuing a course of study relating to the field of association management.

Eligibility: Candidates pursuing a course of study relating to the field of association management.

Amount: $1,500 / Application Deadline: September 1

For Illinois residents who are members of the Illinois REALTORS® to pursue their CRB (Certified Residential Broker), CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist), CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) (undergrad only) or RCE (REALTOR® Association Certified Executive) designation.

Eligibility: Illinois residents who are Illinois REALTORS® members to pursue their GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) (undergrad only), CRB (Certified Residential Broker), CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist), CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) or RCE (REALTOR® Association Certified Executive) designation.

Amount: $500 / Application Deadline: October 1

The Roxane Malo Leadership Scholarship Fund was established as a tribute to Malo’s personal commitment to REALTOR® leadership. Each year the fund will award one or more scholarships to selected individual(s) for the continuation and expansion of their leadership skills in a real estate related field.

Eligibility: Candidates interested in the continuation and expansion of their leadership skills in a real estate related field.

Amount: $500 / Application Deadline: October 1

What is required?

Each REEF Scholarship has its own criteria for eligibility. Most of the scholarships require the applicant to be a United States citizen and a resident of the State of Illinois attending school full-time while pursuing a degree with an emphasis in real estate. The Rich Port and Roxane Malo Scholarships are offered to those who have been licensed real estate agents in Illinois for a minimum of one year.

How do I apply?

Completed Applications should be sent to the Illinois Real Estate Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 2607, Springfield, IL 62708

Questions?

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the Foundation at (866) 854-7333, or via e-mail