What is the Greenwood Promise?
The Greenwood Promise is a non-profit focused on creating a highly skilled workforce by offering tuition free options to college for any student who grows up in Greenwood County, SC.
We cover tuition and mandatory fees at Piedmont Technical College for any degree or certification for any high school student or at another technical college if the program or certification isn’t offered at PTC.
At Lander University, we cover the final two years of a bachelor’s degree in eligible high-demand fields for approximately 40 students. (see our eligibility page for specifics)
We have a limited number of scholarships available for certain engineering degrees at South Carolina state supported schools like Clemson, USC, SC State and The Citadel.
We do not cover every fee, books, housing, food, or transportation. Our support services are open to anyone regardless of the college you plan to attend, things like FAFSA or college application assistance.
Students at Ninety Six Primary Graduate Kindergarten
May 2025 Emerald High School Graduation
The Greenwood Promise is building a stronger, more prosperous community by investing in its greatest asset—our students. We remove financial barriers to college by offering tuition-free pathways to associate and bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields. Our goal is simple: every student in Greenwood County should know that college is possible—and that we’re here to help make it happen.
Greenwood Promise, launched in 2015, awarded its first scholarships for technical degrees at Piedmont Technical College in 2017. In 2023, we expanded to include bachelor’s degree scholarships for 30 career-focused majors at Lander University, as well as select engineering programs at state-support schools like Clemson, USC, SC State and The Citadel. With only 26% of Greenwood County residents holding a bachelor’s degree—we know this investment is critical.
We start early, introducing the idea of college in kindergarten. By high school, we’re meeting with students one-on-one, speaking in classrooms, and helping families complete key steps like filling out financial aid forms (FAFSA). Our scholarships ensure PTC is tuition-free, while at Lander we cover Junior and Senior years for 40 students. We pay after all state and federal aid is applied, allowing our funding to go further. We have a sliding residency scale; the longer you have lived here, the more funding you can receive.
Our funding comes from a strong mix of individuals, foundations, and businesses committed to Greenwood’s future. The three key original supporters are L.B. & Peggy Adams, the Self Family Foundation, and Self Regional Healthcare. Local employers like Eaton, Lonza, Wesley Commons, Countybank, and First Citizens Bank also invest in our mission, recognizing the value of a skilled, home-grown workforce.
The Greenwood Promise is a place-based last-dollar scholarship program, meaning our funds are designed to offset the remaining balance of post-secondary tuition and mandatory fees for every high school graduate whose primary residence is zoned for Districts 50, 51 or 51; this includes private, virtual, and homeschoolers.
The long-term goal is to provide tuition support for every Greenwood County student to earn a bachelor’s degree, thereby fostering a more educated workforce and drive sustained economic growth for our region.