Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
An Official Pennsylvania Government Website
Translate
Begin Main Content Area

​Pennsylvania Parent Pathways Initiative

Studies indicate that one in five undergraduate college students is balancing the responsibilities of raising children while pursuing a postsecondary education and almost half of these students do not earn a degree.

Parenting students bear significant burdens and need additional support to navigate through their academic program successfully. In December 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services released a policy report (PDF) following consultations with parenting students, postsecondary institution staff, subject matter experts, various state agencies, and community leaders. The Parent Pathways Learning Network (PPLN) concentrated on addressing the necessary support for food, childcare, housing, and financial aid. The res​​u​lts underscored the importance of integrating the firsthand experiences of parenting students into statewide policymaking. Governor Shapiro, in support of these findings, allocated $1.61 million in his 2023-2024 budget to support these students.

Grant

The Parent Pathways Grant provides funding to institutions to directly support the persistence of parenting students in the form of tuition assistance, emergency funding, and wrap-around service supports.

For the purposes of this grant, "institution" shall include postsecondary institutions in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with authorization to award an associate degree or higher academic degree, as defined in section 2001-J of the Public-School Code of 1949, as amended (24 P.S. §20-2001-J) and private licensed schools, as defined in the Act of December 15, 1986 (P.L. 1585, NO. 174).

Only one proposal will be accepted from each institution. Applicants may not apply as a consortium. Only the main campus may apply, and funds can be disseminated to branches as the institution deems appropriate if awarded.

Grant applications will be submitted through the eGrants system.

For access to the eGrants system and the related grant opportunities, prospective applicants must complete the eGrants Request Form. Please note that the person completing the grant application must have signatory authority to negotiate grants and contracts for the institution and be able to upload documentation into the eGrants system. Institutions with eSign ability in eGrants will be able to utilize this feature to complete the application.

The application submission window will open at 12:00 AM on Tuesday​, February 13, 2024, and close at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 12​, 2024.