Yale University
IN-2: Innovation 2

New Haven Promise Program

Program and Mission
New Haven Promise (NHP) is a visionary scholarship and support program for the purposes of promoting college education as an aspiration for all New Haven Public School (NHPS) students; assisting graduating students from NHPS to pursue education after high school; and enhancing the growth, stability, and economic development of the City of New Haven.

The mission of New Haven Promise is to improve the school district—by complementing and promoting School Change, the NHPS education reform initiative—and support economic development in New Haven by growing a competitive workforce and increasing homeownership. By providing economic access to two- and four-year colleges and universities to young people who want to learn, New Haven Promise helps reinforce a set of core values that make cities great.

New Haven Promise: Scholarship is funded by Yale University. New Haven Promise: Partnership is funded by Yale-New Haven Hospital and Wells Fargo. New Haven Promise is housed at and administered by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

5 Things You Need to Know About New Haven Promise

1. New Haven Promise is a scaled scholarship and support program with the goals of cultivating an aspiration for a college education in New Haven public school students, building community and parental engagement, and growing economic development in the City of New Haven.

2. New Haven Promise covers full tuition to in-state (Connecticut) public colleges and universities OR up to $2,500 annually to in-state (Connecticut) private nonprofit colleges and universities to resident students of New Haven Public Schools and approved City public charter schools that meet all the program requirements.

3. You must be a resident of New Haven AND you must attend New Haven public schools in order to qualify for a New Haven Promise scholarship; the scholarship benefit is scaled based on continuous and concurrent number of years student is enrolled in New Haven public schools and resides in the City of New Haven. You must have a positive disciplinary record (no expulsions); complete 40-hours of community service in high school (grades 9-12); meet 90% attendance or better in high school (grades 9-12); receive a cumulative 3.0 GPA in high school (grades 9-12); and maintain 2.5 GPA in college in order to maintain a Promise scholarship.

4. New Haven Promise is designed to be an eight year program (starting with the ninth grade of high school through graduation from a four-year college or university). The City has launched the New Haven Promise scholarship with this year’s entering high school freshman, making the Class of 2014 the first students eligible to receive 100% of the scholarship benefit. Students graduating in years 2011-2013 have an additional formula from which the scholarship is scaled.

5. New Haven Promise is possible thanks to the generous donations of Yale University and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. Yale University is funding the actual cost of New Haven Promise scholarships and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is funding the administration of the Promise program.