Making a difference when it’s needed most.
All too often, students’ educational journeys are derailed by financial setbacks of $1,000 or less. Emergency funding keeps students on the path to a brighter future.
74% of college students have jobs, but many can't make ends meet.
Nearly 40% of college students drop out without completing their degree, often for financial setbacks of $1,000 or less. These realities are frequently left out of the headlines and perceptions of today’s college students. But the truth is, three million students annually leave college due to unmet financial needs. A small investment in emergency aid often prevents a much greater crisis, such as increased loan defaults or the economic loss of an unfinished degree.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Scholarship America and Achieve Atlanta pivoted and expanded emergency aid scholarships.
Federal emergency aid funds, delivered via an efficient platform, doubled students' chances of finishing their associate's degree.
Parenting students like Will and Maria face unique challenges when it comes to staying in school. Emergency aid can help.
Emergency aid is a proven difference-maker.
Contributing to an emergency scholarship fund means giving directly to life-changing interventions, like covering a $300 license fee that allows a student to secure employment or helping a student avoid eviction with a $500 grant.
$785
our average emergency grant amount.
2x
grants can double the persistence rate.
8%
of undergrads face homelessness.
23%
of undergrads face food insecurity.
National Emergency Scholarship Fund for Student Parents
In the United States, more than one in five college students — over 3.8 million individuals — are raising children while pursuing their education. These student parents are among the most determined, high-performing, and overlooked students on campus.
Despite earning higher GPAs than their non-parenting peers, student parents face unique barriers: time poverty, unaffordable childcare, isolation, and a lack of institutional support. Most are low-income, first-generation students. Nearly 3 in 4 are women, and more than half are students of color.
That’s why Scholarship America, in partnership with the ECMC Foundation, Trellis Foundation, Crimsonbridge Foundation, and others, is proud to launch the National Emergency Scholarship Fund for Student Parents.
This fund provides fast, flexible financial support to student parents who are on the brink of dropping out due to unexpected expenses.
Partners in emergency aid
5 Things to Know About Emergency Aid
Studies report that 82% of emergency aid recipients say the funding directly improved their chances of graduating—showcasing measurable, tangible outcomes for every dollar contributed.
Establishing an emergency aid program or contributing to an existing fund, in partnership with an administrator like Scholarship America, means making a tangible, immediate impact on a student’s life. For less than $1,000, a student can avoid an unimaginable fork in the road, and instead continue on the path to a brighter future.
As the nation’s leading provider of private scholarships, Scholarship America is able to mobilize efficient, effective emergency aid.
Campaign Toolkit
Help us share the story of effective, impactful emergency aid. We’ve put together this campaign sharing toolkit including newsletter and social posts, videos, links, visual assets and more.
With support from the ECMC Foundation, Trellis Foundation, and Ascendium, this campaign highlights how a small grant can make a difference.
