Governor Whitmer, MiLEAP Announce Recipients of $10 Million in Sixty by 30 Grants to Drive Student Success

Competitive Student Success Grants Awarded to 48 Colleges and Universities to Increase Supports, Eliminate Barriers to Completion for Students

Lansing, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) are announcing the recipients of $10 million in competitive Sixty by 30 Student Success Grants, designed to bolster student success at Michigan’s community colleges, Tribal colleges and universities. The Student Success Grant program, totaling over $45 million, provides funding to institutions across the state to eliminate barriers for students, improve student experience and increase graduation rates.

“Every Michigander deserves access to an affordable postsecondary education that leads to a good-paying job,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These Student Success Grants will help institutions across our state improve services, grow our economy, and better serve Michiganders. This focus on student success reflects our commitment to working with anyone to meet Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal and help more people ‘make it’ in Michigan. Let’s keep getting it done.”

The Student Success Grant program is central to MiLEAP’s mission to improve outcomes for Michiganders from birth through postsecondary so they can find a high-demand, good-paying job right here in Michigan, with a focus on increasing the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or degree to 60% by the year 2030.

“Our department is deeply committed to improving education outcomes for all Michigan students,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “By partnering with institutions to enhance student support services, we are ensuring that more students have clear pathways to graduation and future success. These grants are vital in providing the necessary resources for institutions to refine their policies and programs to better serve our students.”

To effectively meet the diverse needs of institutions and facilitate improved student outcomes, Student Success Grants are being awarded in multiple rounds. The first rounds of grant recipients were announced last September.

This round of awards includes 48 institutions who were awarded grants across various categories including:

• A Quick Start Grant was awarded to one institution to focus on assessing students’ needs and developing a plan to strengthen student supports.
• College Success Grants were awarded to five institutions to focus on efforts to implement, improve and scale promising reforms that reduce credential completion time, enhance completion rates, increase student persistence and eliminate equity gaps.
• Barrier Removal: Direct to Student Grants were awarded to 35 institutions to provide emergency funding and other direct aid to students facing financial barriers to completion. Institutions receiving these grants demonstrated clear plans to target students with the greatest needs, with final award amounts determined based on the number of Pell-eligible students served.
• Barrier Removal: Growing Institutional Capacity Grants were awarded to seven institutions to increase ability to respond swiftly to student needs by supporting the development of supportive policies, practices, infrastructure and community partnerships for students facing basic needs challenges.

“This grant represents a transformative opportunity to address some of the most pressing barriers our students face," said Dr. Shawnrece Butler, assistant vice president at Northern Michigan University. "By providing summer housing vouchers to Pell-eligible and first-generation students, we are not only fostering academic continuity but also demonstrating our commitment to equity and student success, ensuring that students have the support they need to persist and thrive in their educational journeys.”

“This funding is an incredible opportunity for KBOCC and our students,” said Megan Haataja, interim president and dean at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. “It allows us to expand our course offerings, including advanced lab sciences, with the modern facilities and collaborative tools and resources our students need to succeed. This is a significant step forward in preparing our students for careers in science, nursing, and technology while continuing to strengthen our college and community.” 

"The launch of the Family Friendly Campus Initiative at NCMC marks a major step forward in supporting our student parents,” said Jennifer Wixson, program coordinator and professor at North Central Michigan College. “With resources like campus childcare, a family room and childcare subsidies, this initiative highlights the importance of creating an environment where student parents can thrive. We are committed to providing the tools and support they need to achieve their educational goals while balancing their personal responsibilities."

Full list of New Grantees

To date, 60 grants have been awarded to 90% of Michigan’s public colleges, Tribal colleges and universities. Application deadlines for the next round of grants will be announced in February. For more information about the Student Success Grants, including a full list of grant awardees and other Office of Higher Education related initiatives, visit the MiLEAP website.