Six grants totaling $34,560 awarded to support postsecondary attainment efforts across Michigan
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) has awarded $34,560 in its ninth round of COVID-19 ResponseGrantsto six organizations in Michigan. These grants help Michigan high schools, Local College Access Networks, community based nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions support emergent postsecondary projects and programs in their communities. MCAN is also now partnering with other funders to co-sponsor these grants.
The grants were announced by MCAN in early April 2020 to demonstrate MCAN’s responsiveness to and support of communities affected by the global health pandemic that continues to have a major impact in Michigan, predominantly in minority communities MCAN serves.
Thus far, MCAN has awarded 68 COVID-19 Response Grants totaling $376,592.
The following COVID-19 Response Grants have been awarded:
§ Camden Frontier Schools (Camden, MI)
Awarded $2,500
Camden Frontier Schools will use its grant to secure five Wi-Fi hotspots for nine months for students to use to research colleges, participate in virtual college tours, and work on dual enrollment or Hillsdale County Early Middle College coursework.
§ Career Transitions, Inc. (Livonia, MI)
Awarded $10,000
Career Transitions will use its grant to support its UTOOLS program, which is designed for 100 foster youth to gain knowledge and tools necessary to enroll and succeed in postsecondary education. Career Transitions offers UTOOLS in partnership with the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the Department of Health & Human Services.
§ Marlette Junior/Senior High School (Marlette, MI)
Awarded $2,500
Marlette Junior/Senior High
School will use its grant to purchase technology to offer virtual postsecondary planning experiences for its students. The technology being acquired includes a projector, HP ProBook, and a subscription to Meeting Owl Pro.
§ Unionville-Sebewaing Area Schools (Sebewaing, MI)
Awarded $10,000
Unionville-Sebewaing Area Schools will use its grant to purchase 42 Wifi hotspots to allow equitable resources for online and blended advising and learning needs throughout the school year. This is part of an effort called “Project Connect.”
§ West Bloomfield High School (West Bloomfield, MI)
Awarded $2,500
West Bloomfield High School will use its grant to offer a three-day “College App Bootcamp” for 300 students. This initiative will cover how to conduct a college search, complete college applications, write essays, send transcripts, and search for scholarships.
§ Winning Futures (Warren, MI)
Awarded $7,060.59
Winning Futures will use its grant to offer a College Exploration Workshop for 70 students among Harper Woods and Warren Mott high schools. This three-hour workshop will cover topics such as college admissions, financial aid, counseling, understanding the application process, and creating an individualized strategic college plan timeline and checklist.
“Since April, MCAN has taken on the responsibility of funding impactful postsecondary attainment initiatives across the state of Michigan,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of MCAN. “The global health pandemic has disproportionately affected populations traditionally prevented from accessing higher education including low-income students, first-generation college-going students and students of color. I’m proud that we have the capacity to rapidly mobilize resources and act as a support to schools and organizations. I also want to acknowledge all of the funding partners who have joined us in co-funding some of these grants.”
In the coming weeks, MCAN will be announcing additional grant awards. Thus far, more than 250 grant applications have been started or submitted to MCAN. Applications for these grants are being accepted until July 31, 2020. More information is online.
ABOUT THE MICHIGAN COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (MCAN)
As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN works to improve the futures of Michigan’s students and communities by making college accessible to all. MCAN’s work centers on one main goal: To increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60% by 2030. MCAN engages partners statewide who are committed to systems-level change and the reduction of barriers to increase college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college-going students, and students of color. MCAN has helped Michigan’s postsecondary attainment rate increase for the 10th consecutive year. For more information, visit micollegeaccess.org.
