About Us

EDUCATION. EMPLOYMENT. EMPOWERMENT.

Our mission: 

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund provides a culture of support, equipping single parents to navigate their futures with confidence.

Our vision:

We will serve our single parents through a unified organization, providing consistent and increased opportunities.

Our values:
  • Empowerment
  • Accountability
  • Learning
  • Respect
  • Opportunity
  • Relationships

 

Leadership

 

STATE OF ARKANSAS EDUCATION

It’s been proven in study after study: those with a college education earn more over a lifetime than those who only graduate high school. So we can read between the lines that Arkansas’ high poverty rate is a result of a population with relatively low educational achievement.

 

37% of Arkansas single parent families live below the poverty line.*

With more and more employers seeking workers with a degree or further certifications, pursuing higher education is critical.  Education not only allows single parents to provide a better life for their family; a degree or certification also offers better job stability, career satisfaction, and long-term financial gain.

 

THE NEED WE SERVE

Children who grow up in poverty have greater struggles with education than their peers. By the time they start kindergarten, they have often already fallen behind. By third grade, as many as 30% of these students are unable to read at a third-grade level. This gap only increases over time and even follows them into college – if they are fortunate enough to be in the small percentage of children raised in poverty who attend college.

 

So how do we break the cycle? Education is the key.

 

WHAT WE DO

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is unique – the only organization of its kind in Arkansas. We impact the lives of impoverished families by assisting single parents who are enrolled in college or technical programs and seeking better-paying careers. We provide both financial assistance and personal support, not only helping parents improve their education level and earning potential but also the standard of living for their family.

We exist to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through collaboration with like-minded partners across the state and nation, we envision:

  • a sustained wave of opportunities for single parents
  • a systemic support system that meets students' needs in navigating the path from academic success to meaningful work
  • graduates who are consistently employed at professional wages that support a higher standard of living for their families
  • old stigmas are replaced by a new view of single parents as valuable, contributing members of a competitive workforce and thriving community 

 

Our Impact

 

HOW WE HELP SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

When children see their parent studying and working hard for a degree, they see a value placed on education. They are far more likely to pursue higher education for themselves.

 

Scholarships

 

FINANCIAL AID FOR SINGLE PARENTS

This shift in thinking allows those living in poverty to know that college is available for all individuals rather than just an elite few. This investment in each family we support helps us to shape the educational goals and career aspirations of future generations.

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund is working to break the cycle of poverty in Arkansas. Through scholarships and support, we can change the lives of Arkansas families, one parent at a time. Click below to learn how you can support our mission.

 

Get Involved

 

*According to the U.S. Census 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Table B17010.