City of Saginaw, Michigan

saginawpromise

A college scholarship for students who live and graduate in Saginaw!

Saginaw Promise — Making an Investment in the future of Saginaw and in the lives of its students through postsecondary education.

The Saginaw Promise is an organization working to affect positive change in Saginaw through a "residence based" scholarship; a benefit for families who live in Saginaw. The Saginaw Promise is an economic initiative intended to affect Saginaw’s economy and quality of life by promoting and supporting a culture of postsecondary education for all of its graduating students through information, programming and a “last dollar” scholarship. The Saginaw Promise scholarship benefits students who reside in and graduate from a high school in the Saginaw Promise Zone area (Saginaw, Zilwaukee, Kochville and that area of Buena Vista designated to the Saginaw Public School District). While supporting higher education, the scholarship is also intended to stabilize and grow Saginaw’s population, attract new businesses and affect the overall economic environment.

Saginaw is one of 10 communities in Michigan designated as a "Promise Zone" through the Michigan Promise Zone Authority Act, enacted in 2009 by then Governor, Jennifer Granholm. (Note: the Michigan legislature voted to expand Promise Zones to 15) The Saginaw Promise is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and since 2012 has awarded scholarships in excess of $744,000 to Saginaw Promise scholars. The Saginaw Promise scholarship can be used at community colleges, universities and technical trade schools in the State of Michigan and only for tuition and mandatory fees and is renewable up to two years. Program and operational funding are raised annually from corporate, individual and foundation donors and special events.

How to apply: Students must complete the online Saginaw Community Foundation scholarship application. The scholarship is renewable and must be applied for annually. Students must also complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. For details and information about the Saginaw Promise and the scholarship, visit www.saginawpromise.org or call (989)755-0545.