Rockford Promise

10/10/2026

10/05/2026

🤔 Wondering if you’re eligible for a Rockford Promise scholarship?

We made it easy to find out!

Our quick Eligibility Quiz walks you through just a few questions to help you see if you may qualify for Rockford Promise and which of our partner college scholarship options could be a fit.

✅ Answer a few quick questions
🎓 Check your eligibility
➡️ Then take the next step toward applying!

Take the quiz here:
https://rockfordpromise.org/apply-scholarship/

And if you know a high school senior who might qualify for a full-tuition scholarship, send this their way! 🧡

10/01/2026

📣 THE ROCKFORD PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN! 🎓🧡

That’s right — applications are officially open for students interested in becoming a Rockford Promise Scholar for the 2027–2028 academic year!

🎓 Rockford Promise provides full-tuition scholarships to eligible students to attend one of our partner colleges and universities.

Whether you’re an RPS 205 senior or a student attending one of our partner schools, now is the time to explore your eligibility and get started.

Rockford Promise is about more than tuition - our Scholars become part of a community with mentorship, personalized support, resources, and people in their corner throughout their college journey.

📅 Application Deadline: February 1 at 5:00 PM

✨ Learn more about eligibility and start your application! ⁠ https://rockfordpromise.org/apply-scholarship

📣 And tell all your friends! Tag someone who needs to see this, send it their way, and help us spread the word! 🧡🎓

09/29/2026

The Rockford Promise community transcends across industries, workplaces and neighborhoods.

Our Scholars' families work at 400+ local employers across the Rockford community from healthcare and education to manufacturing, retail, public service and so much more!

09/25/2026

Last night, we celebrated 20 years of Rockford Promise—and the people who have made this Promise possible.

To our Scholars: thank you for sharing your stories, your hopes, and your remarkable achievements. You reminded us what can happen when a community believes in its young people and stands beside them.

To our founders, partners, donors, volunteers, and everyone who joined us for the Platinum Promise Gala: thank you. You have helped turn a bold idea into opportunities for more than 1,000 Rockford students.

We also shared our vision for a $2.5 million endowment that will sustain the relationships and support surrounding our scholarships for generations to come. Twenty years ago, people invested in Scholars whose names they could not yet know. Now we have the chance to do the same.

Thank you for celebrating with us—and for helping carry the Promise forward. 🧡

📸: Mindy Joy Nutter Young Photography

09/23/2026

RPS 205 juniors and seniors:
No school on October 9th?
Spend the day with Rockford Promise at NIU!

Students and parents are invited to join us for campus visit to Northern Illinois University. You'll explore the NIU campus and learn more about Rockford Promise, hear directly from current students, and have a free lunch at Patterson Dining Hall.

The visit runs from 10:00 am–1:00 pm,
with check-in beginning at 9:30.

Free bus transportation is available for students and families. Learn more, and register for the event at enroll.niu.edu/register/RP10926

09/18/2026

We had a great time at SHRM HR Fest 2.0 on Thursday!

At our Rockford Promise table, we highlighted two powerful ways local employers can connect with our work:

🎓 A free college benefit available to employees and their families who live within the City of Rockford

💼 A growing pipeline of talented young people seeking internships, professional connections, and opportunities to begin their careers right here in our community

We were also glad to have Anibal Bustos from The Workforce Connection join us at the table to help connect employers with potential resources to fund internships—making it easier for businesses to invest in emerging talent.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more. We’re excited to continue building partnerships that help Rockford families access higher education while connecting local employers with the next generation of talent.

Interested in partnering with us? We’d love to continue the conversation!