News

New Grants Awarded, Pell Grant Ban for Incarcerated Learners Lifted and Several New Key Resources Published

• Ascendium Invests $16.2 Million in Degree Persistence, Health Pathways, Digital Career Growth
• Groundbreaking New National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs Released
• Additional Maintain Momentum Grants Benefit Organizations Serving Learners from Low-Income Backgrounds

Additional Maintain Momentum Grants Benefit Organizations Serving Learners from Low-Income Backgrounds

Two more organizations recently received grants from Ascendium’s $10 million Maintain Momentum for Student Success Initiative and two previous grantees share how the funds have helped them stay engaged with their members amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Groundbreaking New National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs Released

The newly released National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs from the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison provides the most up-to-date, comprehensive and descriptive overview of postsecondary education in prison programs in the U.S. Learn more about this Ascendium-funded directory.

Ban Lifted on Pell Grants for Incarcerated Learners

In December 2020, the 26-year-old ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated learners was lifted. Learn more about this major victory and what it means for postsecondary education in prison.

Clearinghouse Report: Pandemic Hits Black, Hispanic Transfer Students Harder

The COVID-19 pandemic caused student transfers to drop sharply this fall, the largest drop being for Black and Hispanic students, according to the COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility, and Progress Fall 2020 Final Report released by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Ascendium Invests $16.2 Million in Degree Persistence, Health Pathways, Sustainable Digital Careers and More

Ascendium’s Board of Directors has approved funding for 19 new grants totaling more than $16.2 million. This includes a wide range of efforts aimed at improving education and career outcomes for postsecondary learners from low-income backgrounds, especially first-generation learners, veterans, incarcerated learners, rural community members and learners of color.

Their Stories Helped Lift a 26-Year Ban on Pell Grants for Prisoners

In December 2020, Congress lifted a 26-year ban on federal Pell Grants for incarcerated learners. The benefits of postsecondary education in prison extend far beyond recidivism, with positive ripple effects on families and communities, as well as individual learners. These are some of the stories that helped lift the ban.

Colleges See Steep Decline In Student Transfers During Pandemic

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s second COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility, and Progress Report reveals a steep decline in student transfer and mobility this fall.

New Postsecondary Education in Prison Resources, Welcome Bethany Miller and Our 2020 Support of Our Community

• Best Practices for Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs Released by Vera Institute of Justice
• COVID-19 Crisis and Transfer: What Institutions, Systems and States Can Do Today
• Bethany Miller Joins the Education Grantmaking Team

Giving Support to Our Local Community Throughout 2020

The extraordinary events of 2020 brought many challenges to all our communities. While our national philanthropy is focused on the power of education and training beyond high school to transform the lives of learners from low-income backgrounds, Ascendium recognized the need to be flexible and responsive in this time of crisis. As a result, we stepped up our local giving to help address this year’s challenges. Learn more about how we supported several local community organizations this year.