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The ����ԭ�� Foundation is accepting applications for the Students First Fund — a grants program, launched in 2019, to support innovative ideas that help students succeed, thrive, persist, graduate and begin their careers.

“We are pleased to continue the Students First Fund grants program, which provides valuable financial support for student success initiatives,” said Scott Rash, president and CEO of the ����ԭ�� Foundation. “Our Foundation Board of Trustees is 100 percent committed to the success of ����ԭ��’s students. The Students First Fund grants program gives the board a wonderful opportunity to support projects that further enhance the student experience while reinforcing the university’s commitment to recruitment, retention and relationships.”

All ����ԭ�� students, faculty and staff with a creative concept to promote student success are welcome to apply for a Students First Fund grant. Grant applications must be submitted on the Students First Fund website by Feb. 25, 2022.

The Students First Fund grants committee, which consists of members of the Foundation Board of Trustees, will review all applications and make the final decision on how to distribute $50,000 in grants funding. Recipients of the Students First Fund will be announced in April, and the funding will be available for use in Fall Semester 2022.

“Ideally, we are looking for projects that will become self-sustaining,” said Dave Donaldson, chair of the Students First Fund grants committee. “The foundation board views the Students First Fund as one-time seed money to help launch a new program or initiative. It’s been very gratifying to help many innovative projects get off the ground during the last three years.”

In its third year of funding, the Students First Fund grants committee received 22 grant applications. with grants ranging from $3,650 to $10,000. New equipment to expand digital storytelling capabilities for the ����ԭ�� Guardian, a program to improve student retention at the Lake Campus, and a state-of-the-art camera for motion pictures students were among the projects funded.

“Being selected for a Students First Fund grant is always a highly competitive process,” Donaldson said. “We receive applications for so many worthy projects, and it’s never easy deciding which ones to fund. We look forward to receiving applications for this next round of funding and seeing all of the innovative ideas that our students, faculty and staff present.”

For more information on the Students First Fund, visit wright.edu/StudentsFirstFund.