The University of Michigan’s Erb Institute has received a $4.9 million grant from the Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation to expand scholarships for graduate students pursuing careers in sustainable business. Announced during the institute’s 30th anniversary celebration, the gift will fund the new Erb Institute Legacy Scholarships for the next 10 years and launch a broader fundraising initiative intended to support the scholarship program permanently.
The funding will support current and future students pursuing an MBA at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business or a master’s degree at the School for Environment and Sustainability. The scholarships are designed to reduce the financial burden on graduate students preparing for careers that combine business leadership with environmental and social impact.
The grant builds on the Erb family’s three decades of support for the institute and its mission to advance sustainability through business.
The new scholarships will increase the financial assistance available to Erb Institute students, making its dual-degree program accessible to more students. The additional funding is also intended to provide graduates with greater flexibility when pursuing sustainability-related careers across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.
Since its founding, the Erb Institute has graduated nearly 1,000 students who have pursued careers spanning business, government, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
Its alumni have gone on to hold senior public offices, establish social-impact ventures, and serve in executive leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies.
The institute’s educational approach combines business management with environmental and sustainability expertise, preparing students to address sustainability challenges through organizational leadership, investment decisions, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
The $4.9 million grant represents a new phase in the institute’s longstanding relationship with the Erb family, whose support has helped establish and sustain its academic programs.
John Erb, son of Fred and Barbara Erb and chair of the family foundation, announced the gift during the anniversary celebration. He was joined at the event by Leslie Erb-Liedtke, daughter of the institute’s founders.
Beyond expanding scholarship support over the next decade, the Erb Institute intends to use the gift as the foundation for a larger fundraising campaign.
The long-term objective is to establish sufficient ongoing financial support to sustain the Erb Legacy Scholarships in perpetuity, allowing future generations of graduate students to benefit from the program beyond the initial 10-year funding period.
The institute is encouraging other donors who share its commitment to sustainable business education to contribute to the scholarship fund.
For the University of Michigan, the new funding strengthens the Erb Institute’s ability to attract and support students interested in applying business expertise to environmental and social challenges.
The investment also extends the Erb family’s philanthropic commitment to developing leaders who can pursue sustainability-related work across industries and institutions.
KEY QUOTES:
“We believe that business can—and must—be a tool for good in the world and Erb students and alumni are living proof of that belief. With our gift, we’ve ensured increased scholarships for the next 10 years. We’d like to call on anyone who shares that conviction to join us—support the scholarship fund and help Erb students carry this work forward for the next 20, 30, 40 years.”
John Erb, Chair Of The Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation
“Our students’ success during and after their time at the University of Michigan is thanks, in large part, to the generosity of the Erb family. Scholarships are one of the most powerful tools to ensure we are continuing to shape a future that is sustainable in every way through the power of our students and alumni.”
Charlene Zietsma, Faculty Director Of The Erb Institute
