Parents

Chances are you know one of the nearly 138,000 Illinois college students who will be left out in the cold come spring semester, because the State of Illinois has cut funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) by nearly $200 million.

Don’t let this happen! Join other families and make your voice heard!

Write, e-mail, call or visit your Illinois lawmakers in person!


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Contact Your State Legislators

Write to your state legislators or call them on designated call-in days (October 13 and October 27) to tell them to provide funding for MAP and to make student financial aid a priority when allocating state resources in the future. Go to www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1 to search for your district or officials. Use our sample letter to create your own.

Share It

Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc, to join our groups or link to our page at www.saveillinoismapgrants.org and encourage your family and friends to sign our petition and contact their state legislators.

Talk It Up

Call your local talk radio station (click here for a list of stations and phone numbers) to get the word out about MAP funding cuts. Below are talking points regarding MAP grants:

  • Students who have been awarded MAP grants this year will be getting half the amount they were eligible to receive.
  • The maximum MAP grant is less than $2,500 this year, which will cover only about 25 percent of tuition and mandatory fees at a public university. The award will cover about 35 percent of tuition and mandatory fees at a community college.
  • Historically, MAP has covered 100 percent of average tuition and mandatory fees at both public universities and community colleges. Coverage of tuition and mandatory fees is at an all-time low for the program.
  • At schools on the semester schedule, there will be no MAP grants paid for second (spring) semester. At schools on the quarterly schedule, the first term payment and half of the second term payment will be made.
  • About 130,000 eligible students will not receive any award because the program ran out of funding on May 15. Historically, program suspense dates occurred at the end of August or later. This year’s suspense date is the earliest ever for the program.
  • Legislators slashed MAP funding in half during a time when the demand for financial aid is at an all-time high–up nearly 25 percent from last year. The number of eligible applicants at community colleges increased by more than 33 percent from last year.

Organize Rallies

Organize rallies in your neighborhood to get the word out about MAP funding cuts and encourage others to take action.

  1. #1 by jonella echols on November 9, 2009 - 11:11 pm

    i am a single parent. my daughter, who is my third child, will be the first of my children to attend college. For the resourseful state of Illinois to turn it’s back on this student and many more like her is schocking and disasterous in my eyes. please don’t let all our hard work become ineffective.

  2. #2 by Sonja Dorsey on October 22, 2009 - 8:32 pm

    I have 2 kids in college and I’m a single mom.

  3. #3 by Lois Parker-Buza on October 18, 2009 - 10:13 pm

    I think taking away the map grant from our students will be devastating for many families. My daughter works part time at her university to help as much as she can to pay for her education. If Illinois takes away the map grant, or reduces it, they will loose a lot of student to other states who will work with them to get their education. Don’t you think that our country needs to help our students with their education like many other countries do. Try eliminating some of the bonus’s and raises to the higher paid positions in this state. I can’t believe that our state would take away our childrens education who try very hard to better themselves which is what our country needs. Think About It! Help our students continue their education.

  4. #4 by E. Torres on October 15, 2009 - 4:52 pm

    This is truly appalling… All our tax dollars and tax hikes, where do they go? I have lived in Illinois all my life, paid taxes and just do not understand where our money is going. Stop! the high paying positions in government. Apply money to the educational fund… And yet some wonder why students in other countries are more advanced and score higher then our American kids. This MAP is too important for so many students. Please do not take the opportunity to finish their education away.

  5. #5 by wendy staal on October 15, 2009 - 3:02 pm

    I am an unemployed single mother(not by choice) of a 20 year old daughter studying at one of Illinois’s private schools. Her major is Youth Ministry. She is doing what she is being called to do. She had a few rough years in her teens and is finally on the right track again. She is envolved with a lot , even working with youth while in school. We are dependent on that grant. It’s not fair that it will be cut from the future leaders of America. I don’t know whre she can go to study her major and do all she is doing. I am so proud of her. She already has to work 3 campus jobs to help out from cuts and we had to beg others to help. Please find another way to cut funding or to get funding. the future of Illinois is at stake.

  6. #6 by Evelyn Volz on October 15, 2009 - 10:41 am

    MAP is a large decision for many Illinois students for STAYING in Illinois with their education. For my students it has been a given. My daughter is a sophomore and without her map money she will not have enough for her spring term at ISU. My youngest is looking at colleges for next fall. Without MAP money she is open to looking at other states for competitive funds. Illinois is going to lose students and money in the long run if they don’t rethink this MAP situation!

  7. #7 by Cheryl Klaus on October 14, 2009 - 7:46 pm

    We have 2 daughters in college this year. This is senior year for one. She has her student teaching to do in the fall of 2010. If the MAP grants are taken away she will have to borrow more money to get through her last year. My husband and I work hard, but with the economic downfall we are both struggling to make ends meet and help our children with their money for college. Our other daughter is in her first year of college and has taken out loans for school. This will be a financial hardship for all college students if you take this money away from them Please think about the future of our children. It is necessary for children to get a college degree these days, please help them out.

  8. #8 by Nancy on October 14, 2009 - 3:38 pm

    Please take a long look at what is happening in our country today before making any harsh moves.
    First I am a single mother that is UNEMPLOYED of one son in college and another next year in college. I am using my savings to live off of (yes I thank God I have that) I get no unemployment any longer and no I don’t get any help from the state. I beg you to NOT take this away from our children. This is their future and ours as they will be leading our country someday soon. They deserve this. There are TOO many other things that can be cut out of the states budget before we cut our childrens future out. Take a look around what was wasted in your office today? What can be cut back on right in your office??? Let alone in the state. Why are there being trees planted where they just tore down the woods to put roads in?? There is a $300,000.00 grant for trees in my city from the state. Hello they cut the woods down to build the road. Put the $300,000.00 into the colleges and no trees at this time. It makes me angry that I try my best and someone else is messing with my kids. I paid the entire year tuition to save 5%. Now I might owe $2500.00 in a couple months. Please help. My son wants to teach American History. He WILL do great. I pray he doesn’t have to teach how his law makers made history by cutting his chances and his future.

  9. #9 by Daisy on October 13, 2009 - 8:19 pm

    Please do not take education away from us. That is exactly what will be done if you take away MAP Grants. No education, there is no future for us.

  10. #10 by Diane on October 13, 2009 - 12:31 pm

    Try taking some raises or bonus’s back from the State’s legislators. This would never happen!!

  11. #11 by Linda Johnson on October 12, 2009 - 9:54 pm

    My son and I are both in college and if we do not receive the map grant it will be a tremendous hardship on my family.

  12. #12 by Amber on October 12, 2009 - 5:20 pm

    I am so angry at the State for cutting something that we really need. I had to take out another loan for school and this last year of college, I was not going to pay for anything because I had obtained a scholarship for my academic success. Then I went to check on my Financial Aid and was 4,000 in the hole. Thanks Illinois! To me, I think it was because they thought that we were going to get the Olympic 2016 bid.

  13. #13 by Caroline Abbinante on October 9, 2009 - 9:52 pm

    I have three of my youngest children in Illinois colleges and will be devastated should the MAP grant be taken away from their financial aid for next semester! My daughter is so looking forward to being the first child out of my six to graduate college as a Bio-Chem major, but without this grant, she may not be able to. Please don’t disappoint her and thousands of other IL children counting on this aid!

  14. #14 by G. Querry on October 9, 2009 - 1:06 pm

    I was so upset when we received the letter about the cut. We did count on this grant for second semester. Education is so important . It is everyone’s loss! Please restore this fund!

  15. #15 by Claudette Slawinski on October 7, 2009 - 12:09 pm

    MAP is by far the most important source of income for the future of my daughter. I am struggling to make house payments etc right now. I cannot bear the added expense of having to pay what the MAP is now not going to give my child. The politicians need to take a pay cut, cut some of their freebies and let our children stay in school.

  16. #16 by A. Anderson on October 7, 2009 - 10:39 am

    My son is a freshman at W.I.U. majoring in music education. Since my husband lost his job in March, it is impossible to help our son out. I’ve been working 2 jobs for 2 years to help make ends meet. It will be very difficult to replace the $1,300 for next semester. I was hoping that our son would not have to work during school but if MAP grants are not funded, he may have to find a job and his grades may suffer. He has enough to worry about with just being a student. The government has to find a way to fund education at all levels. I’d even be willing to go with the increase in my income tax. Worrying about 1% more tax on my check every week is a lot less stressful than trying to figure out how to pay the tuition.

  17. #17 by M.M. on October 7, 2009 - 2:15 am

    My daughter and son are both in college now and our family business has been down. I cannot afford to pay extra money out of pocket. Its either they get a third job and work full time while going to school or just drop out. Illinois legislators should see that this grant is very important in providing a means for education for serious students who want to have an education and make a difference out in the world.

  18. #18 by lela brazzleton on October 6, 2009 - 7:52 pm

    i think it is a shame that our children want to make something of themselves are given a hard time. Without the MAP grant its going to be hard for me to pay for my daughters to continue their education. I am a single parent trying to give her the chance to better herself in life. Please give it back to the people that need it.

  19. #19 by J.A. Stubbs on October 6, 2009 - 5:05 pm

    I don’t even know what to say. I am a single mother with three boys. My oldest is in his second year and has been awarded the MAP for 2009-10 year, but has been told the second semester will be taken away. My middle son will be attending Aug 2010 and my youngest with special needs would also like to go to college the year after that. How do you expect our children to attend college without help/support? I cannot do this on my own and I imagine several other households cannot do it either. It will be truly a shame for the MAP grants to be discontinued as college is now required of all children in order to get ahead in this world. What are you thinking?

  20. #20 by Patrice Patterson-Davis on October 6, 2009 - 2:02 pm

    I have a Daughter who is attending College this year and a Son who will be attending College Next year, we need to have this MAP Grant fund to help with the Adults that are serious about their Career, please consider this fund s it is very much needed and appreciated.

  21. #21 by Kelly Kamowski on October 4, 2009 - 2:12 pm

    I have not just one, but two kids in college right now. We will be losing $5,000 in the spring if the MAP grant program isn’t reinstated. Not sure how we’re going to come up with that. It’s upsetting that legislators make sure their pork projects stay intact, but are going to let our state’s future be kicked to the curb.

  22. #22 by B Daniels on October 2, 2009 - 9:58 pm

    It’s a shame that some of the people who are pushing for our children’s education are also those who are behind the loss of the MAP grant. It’s hard enough on students as it is, but what about those students who have young children? Regardless of their situation(s) they need this grant – give it back to them.

  23. #23 by Teresa Morado on October 1, 2009 - 6:52 pm

    We continuously encourage our children to continue their education, but unfortunately the cost exceeds the resources a household can afford. It is programs like the MAP that helps our youth fulfill their dreams and become a exceptional member of society. We need the funds to continue to be available so we can continue to have a functioning society.

  24. #24 by Kathy Broome on October 1, 2009 - 8:27 am

    My daughter is a hard worker, but has been unable to find a job. She is still attending school, but I can’t afford to help her what happens to good kids and hard working adults that need additional assistance? It would just benefit people that already have benefits if this grant is taken.

  25. #25 by Diana Bartolo on September 30, 2009 - 9:56 pm

    I need the money so I can keep studying in one of the top liberal arts colleges!

  26. #26 by R.Shaw on September 30, 2009 - 1:52 pm

    This is ashame. What i dont understand is how can the school give the student their award letter for the 09-10 school year with the MAP Award on there and turn around and take it back after we were told we had it? Truly Appalling.

  27. #27 by Mike Hunt on September 29, 2009 - 3:14 pm

    I noticed they don’t have a problem funding the
    free tution awards to there friends and cash
    contributors. What a bunch of crooks…

  28. #28 by dottie malan on September 28, 2009 - 11:28 pm

    MAP is one of the most important sources of money for our future. It’s bad enough that the next generation has to pay for this financial crisis but to take away their ability to attend college is appalling.

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