Policies for Place plays a lead role in advancing understanding of place-based or “Promise” scholarship programs carried out by cities, states, and community colleges to broaden access to higher education by making it more affordable—in many cases, tuition free.
The Free College Handbook
Easily understand the strategies and best practices for building a Promise program in your own community.
VIEW MOREPromise Programs Database
Learn about key features of community-based and institution-based Promise scholarship programs.
VIEW MOREKalamazoo Promise Data Interactive
Dynamically explore measures of Kalamazoo Promise usage and student success in greater detail.
VIEW MOREAdditional Resources
Is Promise Right for Your Community?
We consult with communities around the design, feasibility, and cost of place-based scholarship programs.
VIEW MORETop Five Must-Reads
The Effects of the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship on College Enrollment, Persistence, and Completion
The Kalamazoo Promise significantly increases college enrollment, college credits attempted, and credential attainment.
For a relatively modest, additional investment, the state could provide tuition-free community college to all recent high school graduates.
Six lessons for tuition-free college programs from the Columbus Promise
Our first-year evaluation shows the program doubled Columbus City School students at Columbus State, expanded access for those unlikely to attend college, and increased the district’s college-going rate—all at an affordable cost.
Sixteen years of research highlight the significant impact of the Kalamazoo Promise on the community.
What the Free College Movement Can Learn from Kalamazoo
The small Midwestern city has pioneered a new way to help low-income students access higher ed.