About Michigan Promise Zones

The Michigan Promise Zone Association (MPZA) was formed in November 2016 to represent and promote Michigan’s Promise Zones, as well as foster collaboration and resource sharing among them. Promise Zones are designated through state law to make college scholarships available to all students within their respective localities. They are funded through private donations and captured growth in state property tax revenue.SaveSave

History

In 2005, Kalamazoo, Michigan made a spectacular announcement: a small group of anonymous donors would fund a first-of-its-kind scholarship program providing all graduates of the Kalamazoo Public Schools with up to four years of full-tuition scholarships to any state university or community college in Michigan. In 2007, less than a year after The Kalamazoo Promise awarded its first scholarships, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm called for the establishment of “Promise Zones” in Michigan’s economically distressed communities. In response, a bipartisan group of lawmakers collaborated to develop Promise Zone legislation. In 2009, the Michigan Promise Zone Authority Act was enacted creating public-private partnerships, called Promise Zones, and offering tuition-free college scholarships to local high school graduates.

The Promise Zone Authority Act authorized the creation of 10 Promise Zones. The first six-zone cohort was established in 2009 and included Baldwin, Battle Creek, Detroit, Hazel Park, Lansing, and Saginaw. The next cohort included four zones: Benton Harbor and Pontiac (2011), Muskegon (2015), Newaygo County Area (2016).

In November 2017, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill expanding the number of Promise Zones from 10 to 15. This allowed the establishment of Flint and Mason County (2018), Grand Rapids (2020) and Eastern Upper Peninsula (2024).

How Promise Zones Work

Under the provisions of the Promise Zone Authority Act, each zone is governed by an 11-member Promise Zone Authority consisting of local officials and business leaders. The Promise Zones use captured tax revenue and raise funds from private donations to provide scholarships that make college accessible to all qualifying students. The Authority may limit the use of the scholarship to one or more public or private higher education institutions in Michigan. All students who qualify for the scholarship must have a tuition-free path to, at minimum, an associate degree at one or more higher education institutions. Promise Zone Authorities may also include non-degree programs and technical schools. As of 2024, 45 Michigan higher education institutions were benefiting from having enrolled Promise Zone scholars.