Small Grants, Big Impact

A small amount of financial aid, even $300, can go a long way toward helping a student graduate. Emergency aid or microgrants from colleges can be used to cover a last tuition bill or even to help pay for a financial emergency, like fixing a car or visiting a sick relative. Microgrants aren’t new. But a growing number of colleges — both community colleges and four-year institutions — have data to prove that this form of institutional aid improves student retention and can even save a college money by preventing dropouts.