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Ascendium Education Philanthropy is a division of Ascendium Education Group.

Awarded Grants

The grants we award advance our core strategies to Expand Opportunity, Support Learner Success, and Connect and Align Systems. They also promote field support and development efforts across strategies.

Strategies

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From Some-College-No-Degree to Success: Postsecondary Pathways for 40 Million Americans

Field Development
Inside Higher Ed Inc|$55,000|6/2024 - 11/2024
This grant supports Inside Higher Ed in producing a special report and webinars on the topic, “From Some-College-No-Degree to Success: Postsecondary Pathways for 40 Million Americans.” This work will highlight evidence-supported initiatives to streamline the process for and support learners who return to postsecondary education for a degree after stopping out.

From Training to Employment: A Multi-Inquiry Study of Noncredit Workforce Training Programs

Expand
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Irvine campus|$1,605,800|5/2024 - 6/2028
This grant supports the University of California at Irvine in partnering with the Virginia Community College System to assess impacts of noncredit workforce training programs on learners’ labor market outcomes and to examine effectiveness of an innovative state-wide policy designed to incentivize student enrollment in and completion of noncredit programs in high-demand fields.

The Louisiana Corequisite Reform Alliance (LCRA)

Support
University of Texas at Austin|$1,865,800|5/2024 - 4/2027
This grant supports the University of Texas at Austin, Boston College, and the Community College Research Center in examining Louisiana’s shift to mandatory corequisite courses for academically underprepared students and rigorously evaluating instructor supports for promoting student success in corequisite and gateway courses.

Launching a National FAFSA Completion Campaign

Field Development
National College Attainment Network|$300,000|5/2024 - 9/2024
This grant supports the National College Attainment Network in launching a national media campaign to encourage students and families to complete the FAFSA following delayed implementation of the revised application for the 2024-25 academic year. The campaign aims to encourage an additional 300,000 students to complete the FAFSA by August 31.

Building Pathways to Credentials for HEP Students

Support
National Prison Debate League Inc|$50,000|4/2024 - 3/2025
This grant supports the National Prison Debate League in exploring the potential to provide course credits in partnership with postsecondary institutions, and/or develop a stand-alone certificate, so that incarcerated learners receive credit for their participation in this valuable learning and enrichment program.

Ohio Strong Start in Science (OhioSSS)

Support
Ohio Department of Higher Education|$3,499,600|3/2024 - 2/2028
This grant supports the Ohio Department of Higher Education in designing and implementing a corequisite model for entry-level science courses at 17 colleges and universities. Redesign efforts will focus on courses with disproportionately high failure rates for learners from low-income backgrounds, women, and learners of color who are underrepresented in high-demand STEM career fields.

Building Rural Community Learning Systems: Education to Employment Partnerships

Connect
Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation|$1,600,000|3/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports CivicLab, a project of the Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation, in developing education-to-employment partnerships in 10 rural communities. CivicLab will support rural postsecondary education and workforce training providers and employers to partner in developing and implementing plans to strengthen talent development ecosystems so that rural learners have paths to good jobs in their communities.

Strategies to Support Holistic Credit Mobility

Connect
Ithaka Harbors Inc|$1,220,400|3/2024 - 8/2026
This grant supports Ithaka S+R in identifying and documenting learning from postsecondary institutions that are implementing strategies to recognize and apply credits as learners move across educational settings. Ithaka S+R will facilitate peer learning and develop resources to help institutions in better supporting learner and credit mobility, thereby saving learners time and money and increasing their chances of success.

Launching the New England Prison Higher Education Collaborative

Connect
New England Board of Higher Education|$6,762,442|2/2024 - 1/2029
This grant supports the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) in catalyzing collaboration across and within its six New England member states to increase the quantity and quality of postsecondary education offerings in prison. As the first regional prison education collaborative, NEBHE will serve as a convener, technical assistance provider, research hub, and funder for the participating states.

Tools of the Trade Evaluation

Support
Mathematica Inc|$1,554,595|2/2024 - 1/2029
This grant supports Mathematica in conducting an evaluation that supports iterative program improvements of Tools of the Trade scholarship to maximize the difference the scholarship makes for Wisconsin apprentices seeking upward mobility.