Abstract: Financial barriers continue to limit student retention and equitable access to secondary education among learners from disadvantaged households. Although county government scholarship programmes are intended to address these barriers, little empirical evidence exists on how scholarship fund distribution processes influence educational outcomes. This study examined the influence of scholarship fund distribution processes on retention and equitable access to secondary education in Luanda Sub-County, Vihiga County, Kenya. A convergent mixed-methods design was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 188 parents of scholarship beneficiaries (75.2% response rate), 10 school administrators, five ward administrators, and 27 class teachers through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and document review. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square and independent t-tests, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 14. The findings showed that scholarship fund distribution processes significantly influenced student retention and equitable access to secondary education (χ² = 6.84, p = .009). Delayed disbursement was widespread, with 75.0% of parents reporting that funds were released after the start of the school term, disrupting attendance and increasing the risk of dropout. Communication regarding scholarship awards, disbursement schedules, and funding continuity was inadequate, with only 30.3% of parents aware that the scholarship guaranteed support throughout the four-year secondary education cycle. In addition, tuition support alone was insufficient, as non-tuition costs remained a major barrier to sustained school attendance. The study concludes that improving the timeliness, predictability, communication, and adequacy of scholarship fund distribution would strengthen student retention and promote more equitable access to secondary ed