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. Unfortunately, if a gift card 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 per academic school year.
- Applicants may only apply once per semester (no resubmission).
- You must be on the main Big Rapids campus.
- The need must be able to be met with a gift card of $50 or less.
- You must be able to demonstrate that you have unmet financial need which has resulted in the need for additional funding.
- 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.
- If you need assistance beyond what this mini-grant can provide, please check out the Ferris Relief Fund.