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Saginaw Promise to cover full cost of attendance; award now $4,000 and application opens Nov. 1
Summary
Saginaw Promise board told the council the scholarship now funds the full cost of attendance (housing, books, supplies, food, transportation) after a legislative change; the program currently awards $4,000 per year (two semesters) and expects to expand support for scholars in the Promise zone.
Saginaw Promise board members reported to the City Council that a recent legislative change allows the Promise to broaden its award beyond tuition and mandatory fees to cover students' cost of attendance, including housing, books, supplies, food and transportation.
Sam Joyce Seals, chair of the Saginaw Promise board, told the council the program revised its development plan (approved Jan. 6) after state changes to the Promise Act. "We don't have billionaires funding this like Kalamazoo did," Seals said, describing the local effort to raise community support and calling the program an economic‑development tool as well as a scholarship program.
Cynthia, a Promise board representative, summarized recent outcomes: the program has awarded $1,515,062 in scholarships to 84 scholars since 2012, and total program certificates and degrees earned by scholars number 323 across certificates, associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral study. The board said the current award level is $4,000 (available up to two semesters per academic year) and that the program expects the award level to increase in the future.
The eligibility rules presented to council require students to live in, attend school in, and graduate from a high school located inside the Saginaw Promise zone (cities named during the presentation). The board said the scholarship application will be the Saginaw Community Foundation application and the FAFSA will be required; the application opens online Nov. 1.
Deborah Sanchez, director for the Promise board, emphasized that expanding allowable uses of the award will help scholars complete programs by addressing non‑tuition costs that commonly force students to leave school. The council offered brief praise and had no objections to the changes.
The presentation concluded with the board noting the 2026–27 cohort will be the program's 15th and that the upcoming application cycle drew a record number of applicants (232 for the next cohort). Council members thanked the presenters and encouraged continued fundraising and outreach.
The council received the presentation; no formal vote was required.
