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.
Eligibility FAQsPhase 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. We are currently not funding students in Phase 2.
Phase 2 FAQsPhase 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
Simply put, The Greenwood Promise is an investment in Greenwood's greatest resource: Our Children!
100% of the funds raised in this campaign will go directly toward scholarships
About Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood's climate is mild and seasonable, with an average temperature of 68 degrees. While the summer can bring heat and humidity, the spring and fall exhibit mild temperatures and many days filled with sunshine and beauty. Winters in Greenwood are comfortable, with very little precipitation or snow. For visitors, year-round outdoor activities are common and popular at local Greenwood attractions.
The City of Greenwood, the county seat, is located near the center of Greenwood County. Ware Shoals, in the northeast corner of the county, is 17 miles north of Greenwood and Ninety Six is 9 miles east of Greenwood. The area is accessible to three major interstates and only hours away from both the mountains and the coast. Area historians have credited several "pillars" with shaping the Greenwood of today, and those were in place from the outset. One was an early special interest of Greenwood residents in educating students. By the time of its chartering in 1857, Greenwood had schools that were already 25 years old. The second foundation for Greenwood's continued prosperity was the initiative and hard work of its founders and early settlers in providing transportation facilities; first railroads, then highways and an airport.
A third key part of Greenwood's development was the area's textile industry, which remains a vital economic block supporting the Greenwood Community. The Greenwood community has become well known throughout the state as "an example of what can be accomplished by unremitting energy and boundless self-reliance" and Greenwood's "hospitable and progressive" people welcome "all who may come to" their town. These characteristics are still present in today's Greenwood residents.