What is the Greenwood Promise?
The Greenwood Promise is a place-based last-dollar scholarship program designed to reach beyond the boundaries of economic need and academic ability. As such, the Promise awards funds to offset the remaining balance of post-secondary tuition and mandatory fees for every high school graduate whose primary residence is zoned for Districts 50, 51 or 52.
Initial Promise awards began with the SPRING high school graduating class of 2017. Because the Promise is funded by private and public donations, implementation of the Promise will be in three phases as funding allows.
Phase 1
In Progress
Tuition assistance for students to obtain a certificate, diploma, or associates degree from Piedmont Technical College (PTC) or one of the other SC technical colleges if a particular major is not offered at PTC.
Phase 2
Fundraising In Progress
This includes Phase 1 plus the last two years of a post-secondary education at Lander University or another state-supported institution if the desired degree is not offered at Lander.
Phase 3
Our Dream
This includes Phase 1 and all four years of a bachelor’s degree. We are currently not funding students in Phase 3.
Promise Award Levels
Promise award levels are based on length of residency and can be determined using the chart below.
| School Years in Greenwood County | % of Tuition Assistance Funded |
|---|---|
| K-12 | 100% |
| 1-12 | 95% |
| 2-12 | 95% |
| 3-12 | 95% |
| 4-12 | 90% |
| 5-12 | 85% |
| 6-12 | 80% |
| 7-12 | 75% |
| 8-12 | 70% |
| 9-12 | 65% |
| 10-12 | 0% |
| 11-12 | 0% |
| 12-12 | 0% |
The Impact
The full impact of the Promise begins with our children and expands to revitalize the entire community, improve the quality of life, and develop a highly-qualified workforce that will meet the needs of local employers, both now and in the future.
After The Promise was launched in 2017, the percentage of Greenwood County’s total post-secondary enrollment increased from 62% to 72% in just three years. Futhermore, while the County has continued to see an increase in college enrollment, the State average has continued to decline to 67%.
The Promise aims to positively impact the following areas:
- High School Graduation Rates
- Post-secondary Education Attainment
- Workforce Development
- Job Creation
- Increased Residency within Greenwood County
- Crime Rates
- Enhanced Tax Base