What is a First-Gen Student Success Mini Grant?
A First-Gen Student Success Mini Grant is a small grant ($50 or less) that can be used to help First-Generation students be successful. Are you worried about the cold winter coming because you do not have gloves, a hat, or a jacket? Request a First-Gen Mini Grant to help with these purchases. Do you need specific supplies for your program, but personal funds are running a bit low? Request a First-Gen Mini Grant to help offset these costs. Due to Federal Financial Aid requirements, all funds must be provided in the form of a gift card or Bulldog bucks. Unfortunately, if a gift card or bulldog bucks is not possible for your request, we will not be able to provide funding.
What is the Purpose of the First-Gen Student Success Mini-Grant?
The Ferris First-Gen workgroup is committed to helping Ferris First-Gen students be successful and we do not want a small inconvenience such as a lack of funds to stand in your way. We know that your personal well-being has a lot to do with your success and often times we can improve our well-being with a relatively small amount of money. The First-Gen Student Success Mini Grant program provides emergency funding to current Ferris students for a variety of potential issues that may otherwise jeopardize their ability to be successful.
New in 2024 - We may (at times) be able to secure a Chromebook (or other related piece of technology) in place of the traditional First-Gen mini-grant. We know that many students struggle when they do not have adequate access to a technology (i.e., laptop), so we will do our best to secure these when we can. Please be sure to specifically state this in your application (in place of a gift card).
How Do I Know If I Am Eligible?
If you are a First-Generation Ferris Student on the Main Big Rapids Campus and have not received a First-Gen Student Success Mini Grant this academic year, you are eligible to apply. At Ferris State University, we use a modified version of the federal TRiO and Pell Grant definition which indicates First-Generation students come from families where neither of their parents completed a bachelor’s degree.
- You are only eligible to receive one First-Gen Student Success Mini Grant if you are a First-Gen student.
- You must be on the main Big Rapids campus.
- The need must be able to be met with a gift card or Bulldog bucks.
- You must be able to demonstrate that you have unmet financial need which has resulted in the need for additional funding.
- Applicants may only apply once per semester (no resubmission unless specifically asked).
- In such cases where we must prioritize assistance, priority will be given to full-time students (with the exception of students taking a reduced course load to accommodate a disability) and students who have not received an award in the current academic year.
- If you need assistance beyond what this mini-grant can provide, please check out the Ferris Relief Fund.
Before You Apply
While we want to help as many students a possible, we also have limited funding available. Before you apply for a First-Gen Mini Grant, we want to make sure that you are aware of these other resources that are already in place to support specific needs. If your need is food based or school supply based, please refer to these resources before applying for a First-Gen Mini Grant.
- Ferris Food Pantry
- First-Gen School Supply Library (Free school supplies) - Located in Suite 120 in the David L. Eisler Center (next to Ferris Outfitters)