Updated January 21, 2026
The mission of the North Shore Community College - Support for Single Parent’s Fund is to increase the number of single parents earning a living wage by offering emergency, non-tuition financial support to single-parent students pursuing degrees or certifications.
Single parents face tremendous challenges: juggling low-wage jobs, parenting, childcare and often unreliable transportation. Going to school means adding ‘student’ to their already full plate.
An unexpected utility bill or car repair of $500 could be the financial catalyst for a single parent student to drop out of school.
177 single parents have been served since the program began. In 2022, the average grant was $500. The average GPA for recipients was 3.04.
The Women’s Fund began the Support for Single Parent’s Fund in 2017 believing that education is a critical pathway to greater economic security. The Women’s Fund also sees this fund as a dual-generation program. When single parents earn a certificate or degree, they not only increase their earning potential, they also increase their children’s chances of completing their education.