Emergency Aid Campaign: Sharing Toolkit

Powered by Scholarship America
With support from Ascendium, the ECMC Foundation, Trellis Foundation, and the Crimsonbridge Foundation

Scholarship America has launched a national campaign to expand emergency aid for college students. The goal: keep students enrolled and on track when unexpected financial setbacks hit.

Preferred Sharing Start Date: April 24, 2025

How You Can Help

Please consider supporting the campaign by:

Sharing our 5-minute short film, directed by Emmy-winner Frank Chi, across your channels
Promoting our campaign microsite, featuring case studies, data, and ways to take action
Syndicating our blog posts: 5 Things to Know About Emergency Aid and Keeping Student Parents Enrolled: A New Lifeline When It’s Needed Most (please consider sharing for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!)
Using and adapting the sample social copy below on your LinkedIn, Facebook or X accounts
Sharing with relevant networks, including advocacy, education, philanthropy and parenting groups.

Videos

“When my son offered me his own money to buy food, I was ready to drop out and get a job. After my financial aid advisor brought Emergency Aid to my attention, I was able to get enough funding to go grocery shopping. My world got better in that moment.”  — Will, Nursing Student, Nicolet College, Wisconsin – Father 

Sample Social Media Posts

Post 1 – Campaign Intro
Facebook
We’re proud to support Scholarship America’s work to expand emergency aid — a vital initiative helping students stay in school when life throws a curveball. From car repairs to childcare, emergency aid ensures small setbacks don’t derail big dreams.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid #EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity

X
We’re proud to support @ScholAmerica’s work to expand emergency aid —a vital initiative to help students stay in school when life throws a curveball. Emergency aid ensures small setbacks don’t derail big dreams. https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid

LinkedIn
We’re proud to support Scholarship America’s work to expand emergency aid — a vital initiative helping students stay in school when life throws a curveball. From car repairs to childcare, this fund ensures small setbacks don’t derail big dreams.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid #EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity

Post 2 – Video Spotlight
Facebook
Balancing school, work, and life is hard enough. But when an unexpected bill hits, students are forced to choose between education and survival.
🎥 Watch Scholarship America’s powerful new short film “One Scholarship Away” and see how small grants can change lives.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid
#EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity

X
Students juggle school, work & life. But one unexpected bill can derail everything. 🎥 Watch @ScholAmerica’s powerful short film One Scholarship Away to see how small grants can change lives. https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid #EmergencyAid#HigherEdEquity

LinkedIn
For too many students, one unexpected expense can mean the difference between staying enrolled and dropping out.
🎥 Watch Scholarship America’s powerful new short film “One Scholarship Away” and see how small grants can change lives.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid
#EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity

Post 3 – Quick Stats
Facebook
Nearly ¾ of college students are balancing school with work — but when a financial emergency hits, that’s often not enough.
Just $1,000 in emergency aid can be the difference between earning a degree and dropping out.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid
#EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity #CollegeRetention

X
74% of college students work while in school.
$1,000 in emergency aid can mean the difference between graduation and dropping out.
Support @ScholAmerica’s Emergency Aid Fund: https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid #EmergencyAid #HigherEdEquity

LinkedIn
Nearly three-quarters of students work while attending college — but when emergencies hit, it’s often not enough to stay enrolled.
Just $1,000 in emergency aid can help students continue toward their degree.
https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid
#EmergencyAid #CollegeRetention #HigherEdSupport

Visual Assets

Sample Newsletter Blurb

Subject Line: Help College Students Stay on Track
Body: Scholarship America has launched a national campaign to expand emergency aid for college students — because too often, an unexpected expense of just a few hundred dollars can derail a degree.

With support from the ECMC Foundation, Trellis Foundation, and Ascendium, this campaign highlights how small, timely grants help students stay enrolled, complete their education, and build a more secure future.

Visit the campaign site, where you can:

Watch the new short film, “One Scholarship Away”
Explore the data behind emergency aid’s impact
Learn how you can support the National Emergency Aid Fund for Student Parents

Just $1,000 — or less — can be the difference between dropping out and graduating.
Join us in making sure students get the help they need when it matters most.

https://scholarshipamerica.org/emergencyaid

Key Talking Points & Data

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
1 in 5 undergraduates in the U.S. is also raising a child
Emergency grants as small as $250 have been proven to double completion rates
During COVID, 82% of students who received emergency aid said it improved their chances of graduating
Just $1,000 in emergency aid can be the difference between graduation and dropout
Research shows that a $3,000 increase in a parent’s earnings during early childhood yields a 17% increase in a child’s future earnings
70% of adults with at least one parent who holds a bachelor’s degree earn one themselves, versus only 26% of first-generation students

Case Studies

“A week before finals, I found out I was pregnant. With the $700 Emergency Aid I received, I was able to secure family housing for me and my son. Even in the darkness we see day by day, thanks to Scholarship America, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”  — Maria, Clinical Psychology Major, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Single Mom 