Legislation was passed in 2009 that created 10 Michigan Promise Zone Authorities based upon the number of children under the age of 18 living at or below the federal poverty level. Lansing was one of the selection sites where the primary goal was to transform communities by providing higher educational opportunities at no or low cost with the Department of State Treasury providing oversight of all zones.

In addition, the H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program is an education initiative in cooperation with the Lansing School District, the City of Lansing, Lansing Community College, the Lansing Police Department, the Capital Region Community Foundation, the YMCA, Michigan State University and local businesses and private citizens.  H.O.P.E. was formed in 2001 as a youth crime prevention initiative and to assist Lansing School District youth in their commitment to graduate from high school.
 
The H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program offers Lansing School District and Lansing Charter School youth an opportunity for a college education and a brighter future. H.O.P.E. was developed to assist students in their commitment to graduate from high school and go on to college.  Students are initiated into the program as sixth graders, and upon successfully completing high school become eligible to receive H.O.P.E. Scholar funding and/or services at Lansing Community College for two years or an equal amount to attend Michigan State University.
 
Since its inception, H.O.P.E. has initiated more than 6,000 sixth-grade students into the program and provided them with support in completing high school.  More than 300 H.O.P.E. Scholarship students are currently enrolled in classes at Lansing Community College.