Greetings, Franklin College alumni and friends!
Like all small private colleges and universities, Franklin College relies on the generosity of its donors and recognizes the profound impact their philanthropy has on student success. In recent years, the College has also become more entrepreneurial in pursuing additional funding opportunities available from private foundation and government grants. We have enjoyed impressive recent success in this realm of alternative revenue, further enabling exciting enhancements to the student experience.
One of the most impactful federal grants, the largest government grant in the College’s history, is the $1.36 million Department of Education TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant. The funding specifically supports the efforts of first-generation students, students from limited-income backgrounds, and those with disabilities, through enhanced academic advising, tutoring, mentoring and success coaching. These services are intended to improve persistence and graduation rates among these cohorts by helping students navigate many of the complexities of college life.
Franklin also received a $290,000 federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which supports expanded mental health and wellness resources on campus. This funding enhances prevention, education and early-intervention efforts, ensuring students have access to the support they need to remain healthy, engaged and able to enjoy and succeed at the various aspects of their college experience. This funding has allowed the College to expand its resources to address student mental health needs.
Private foundation philanthropy has been similarly impactful. A variety of recent grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. are supporting initiatives ranging from advancing the Science of Reading in the Education program to planning for the impact of artificial intelligence in higher education. A previous Lilly Endowment grant funded the College’s digital fluency program, embedding tech proficiency skill development as an expectation throughout the entire curriculum.
The Elba L. and Gene Portteus Branigin Foundation continued its generous support of the Branigin Engaged Learning Program in addition to other programmatic
enhancements. These Branigin Foundation grants provide students with hands-on research and creative and applied learning experiences while ensuring campus spaces provide a modern and effective learning environment.
These grants complement the incredibly generous philanthropy of Franklin College’s alumni, friends and corporate partners, whose support strengthens the institution’s capacity to attract competitive external funding. Private gifts, supplemented with grant support, combine to enable the College to better serve students in many different ways. This collective investment ensures Franklin College can deliver a truly distinctive educational experience that empowers students to achieve their goals and positions them for the brightest possible future.
Kerry N. Prather President
Grants support a wide range of initiatives at Franklin College.
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