Our Purpose
Learning after high school — whether through a college degree or workforce training program — provides the surest path to a well-paying job and stable, fulfilling career. We want learners from low-income backgrounds to have a range of paths open to them so that economic circumstances don’t hinder upward mobility. To that end, we partner with postsecondary education and workforce training providers, intermediaries, researchers, and media organizations to ensure learners from low-income backgrounds have the opportunity for success in whatever path they choose.
Our Priorities
We award grants in four specific areas. Through this approach, we explore innovative ideas, validate promising practices, and scale successful solutions.
News and Insights
Merit America to Build New, Responsive Sectoral Training Pathways
Ascendium knows there is a need for more high-quality, flexible, and specialized workforce training pathways that meet the unique needs of learners from low-income backgrounds. Sectoral training programs have shown promise as a strategy to create more options for these learners. A recent $20 million grant to Merit America supports the creation of new sectoral training pathways and their ambitious goal to serve significantly more learners on their path to living-wage employment in high-growth, high-demand fields.
