Entrepreneurial Scholarships

NWILED John D. Cooke, III Memorial Entrepreneurial Scholarship

Beginning in 2018, NWILED began offering an entrepreneurial scholarship. In 2021, the scholarship was renamed in honor and remembrance of the late John Cooke III who was a founding member of the organization. Through the Cooke scholarship, NWILED hopes to enrich the lives of deserving students in our service area that are entrepreneurial and want to start a business or pursue a career in business.

NWILED typically offers three scholarships to graduating high school seniors from Carroll or Jo Daviess Counties who are entrepreneurial and want to start a business or pursue a career in business. There is one $2,000 first place award and two $1,500 runners up awards. Recipients shall be full-time students in good academic standing in the qualifying school year. Scholarships can be used for start-up costs related to launching a business and or advancing a career in business through education and or training.
 
Past scholarship winners have included a student intending to open an agritourism beekeeping business in Galena, another connected to Hoof It Goat Treks of rural Galena, Three Sisters Sweet Shoppe in Elizabeth, and Davis Lumber Company in Scales Mound, in addition to a student from Savanna that proposed a sign language business, and a student from the Galena Territory who is developing a hand-crafted artisan doll line.

The application window for 2024 is now open, and will close Friday, March 29, 2024. Winners will be announced in May.

2024 Application