Reisher Graduate Scholarship

The Reisher Graduate Scholarship supports alumni of the Reisher Scholars Program in pursuing master’s degrees and certificates or licensure for their field in Colorado.

Eligibility:

  • Received funding from the Reisher Scholars Program.
  • Completed undergraduate degree.
  • Enrolled in master’s/certificate/licensure program in fall of 2025.
  • Attending school or program in the state of Colorado.

Selection

Award-tier decisions will be based on the costs of the program outlined, the number of applications received, and the funds available. If the number of requests exceeds the dollars available in a given cycle, The Denver Foundation staff may give preference to requests made early in the application cycle and/or evaluate the quality of the essay submitted and the applicability of the degree/program to the applicant’s chosen field as presented. 

Additional Information

Scholarship awards can be used toward tuition, fees, required books and supplies, room and board, and other required educational expenses. Funds can be used beginning in the upcoming academic year for part-time or full-time study at an accredited school in Colorado. If you cannot utilize your funds within one year of awarding, contact The Denver Foundation to discuss your situation. All scholarship awards will be paid directly to a recipient’s educational institution. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship acceptance policies of a recipient’s college or university or program. 

Amount

  • Tier 1: $5,000 (applicable Fall 2025 – Summer 2026) 
  • Tier 2: $12,500 (applicable Fall 2025 – Summer 2026) 
  • Tier 3: $20,000 (applicable Fall 2025 – Summer 2026) 

Cycles

The Denver Foundation and the Reisher Scholars Program will offer a rolling process with three separate application cycles for funding beginning in fall, spring, and summer respectively. This application is exclusively for funding beginning in Fall 2025. For a schedule of all the application cycles, please see below. 

  • Cycle 1: Funding for Fall 2025 – Summer 2026. The application opens on April 11, 2025, and closes on June 6, 2025. 
  • Cycle 2: Funding for Spring 2026 – Fall 2026. The application opens on September 12, 2025, and closes on November 7, 2025. 
  • Cycle 3: Funding for Summer 2026 – Spring 2027. The application opens on February 20, 2026, and closes on April 17, 2026. 
Reisher Scholars Program 2 Scaled E1704740537887 Aspect Ratio 1 1

At a Glance

  • Status: Open
  • Opening Date: April 11, 2025
  • Closing Date: June 6, 2025
  • Typical Scholarship Range: $5,000 - $20,000

How to Apply

Our online portal allows applicants to save and edit their work as well as apply for multiple scholarship opportunities. Click the Apply button below to register on The Denver Foundation’s Scholarship application manager to complete your online application. For support using our online system please email help@denverfoundation.org.

Apply

Please contact Jack Czarniecki at jczarniecki@denverfoundation.org.

About the donor

The program was established in 2001 by the Reisher family. Roger and Margaret Reisher came from modest means and were the first in their families to attend and graduate from college. Roger Reisher was born in 1928, the fourth of seven children raised on a small farm near the junction of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. After serving in the Army during World War II, Roger became the first in his family to attend college.

Thanks to the GI Bill, he graduated in 1950 with an Accounting Degree from the University of Colorado. He met his wife, Margaret, and welcomed the arrival of their daughters, Mary and Nancy, in the following decade while working in the commercial banking sector in Kansas City. The Reisher family moved back to Denver in 1963, where Roger served as the President and Director of FirstBank Holding Company for 20 years.

Appreciating how much their education impacted their lives and success in the banking industry, the Reisher family established the Reisher Scholars Program with The Denver Foundation to help fill a gap in Colorado student financial aid. Roger passed away in 2013, and Margaret passed away in 2019. Their daughters, Mary and Nancy, continue to serve on the Reisher Scholarship Committee.