Minnesota awards $2.8M to help college student-parents finish degrees
Minnesota school education funding released
Minnesota educators have found some relief when the Trump administration released $6 billion in education funding for schools nationwide.
(FOX 9) - Minnesota is investing millions to help student-parents balance both college and family life in an effort to see more complete their degrees.
Grants awarded to support student-parents
What we know:
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) has awarded $2.8 million in Student-Parent Support Initiative Grants to 24 colleges and community organizations for fiscal year 2027.
The grants are aimed at helping parents enrolled in college complete their degrees by providing support services, including starting up on-campus child care, health and wellness activities for pregnant and parenting students, evaluation and data collection, and direct financial assistance.
Dig deeper:
The Student Parent Support Initiative Grants were established in 2023 by the Minnesota Legislature and are administered in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health. Each recipient may receive up to $125,000 per year. Since launching the grant in Fiscal Year 2025, OHE has awarded a total of $10.6 million to support student parents.
Fiscal Year 2027 Student Parent Support Initiative Grant recipients include:
- Central Lakes College — $125,000
- College Possible Minnesota — $125,000
- Divine Konnections, Inc. — $125,000
- Faribault Public Schools — $117,500
- Hennepin County — $125,000
- Herzing University — $125,000
- Inver Hills Community College — $125,000
- Jeremiah Program — $124,997
- LeadMN — $125,000
- Metro State University — $125,000
- Minneapolis Community and Technical College — $125,000
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe-White Earth Band — $125,000
- Minnesota State College Southeast — $124,920
- Minnesota State University, Mankato — $51,613
- Normandale Community College — $125,000
- North Hennepin Community College — $125,000
- Northfield Healthy Community Initiative — $93,526
- Raise The Barr — $124,620
- Rochester Community and Technical College — $124,999
- Saint Paul College — $125,000
- Catherine University — $112,700
- Tipping Point Strategies — $123,000
- University of Minnesota — $97,872
- Winona State University — $64,500
What they're saying:
"These grants are playing an important part in making Minnesota the top state to raise a family. By providing students with the support they need to balance being a parent and completing their degree, we are setting Minnesotans and their families up for success post-graduation," OHE Commissioner Dennis Olson said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.