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Ascendium Education Philanthropy is a division of Ascendium Education Group.

Media Partnerships

Our philanthropy amplifies important information across the nation, helping good ideas become systemic change for learners from low-income backgrounds.

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WHY MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS?

High-quality reporting and storytelling are vital for investigating, proposing, and disseminating systemic solutions to challenges faced by learners from low-income backgrounds. When media highlight problems alongside evidence-based solutions, successful practices have the potential to scale up. Media amplification can also encourage individual policymakers, communities, and government agencies to address critical issues in improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes. By framing and amplifying the issues critical to improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes, media partners get important information in front of those who can advocate for and make real, systemic change.

Learn more about how our media partnerships support learners from low-income backgrounds.

Supporting National Reporting on Postsecondary Education in Prison and Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training

Open Campus Media Inc|$850,000|11/2023 - 10/2025
This grant supports Open Campus Media in continuing and expanding its reporting focused on postsecondary education and workforce training issues impacting learner populations at the core of Ascendium’s philanthropic mission including incarcerated learners and rural learners from low-income backgrounds.

Supporting National Reporting on Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training

Teachers College, Columbia University|$350,000|8/2023 - 7/2025
This grant supports The Hechinger Report (Hechinger), a publication of the Teachers College at Columbia University, in producing high-quality reporting on emerging trends, challenges, and promising solutions in postsecondary education and workforce training. While continuing to distribute content through its primary website and newsletter outlets, Hechinger will broaden its reach via social media and by partnering with 200+ national news outlets.

Reporting on the Future of Work, Postsecondary Education and the Skills Gap

American Public Media|$148,028|6/2024 - 5/2025
This grant supports American Public Media’s Marketplace program in producing content about the changing postsecondary education and workforce landscape and the impacts of those changes on learners and U.S. global competitiveness. Marketplace reporting will explore ways to align skills-development opportunities with employer needs.

Bolstering the Impact of "The Class" Documentary

Senior Class Project LLC|$150,000|6/2024 - 5/2025
This grant supports Senior Class Project, LLC, in expanding the national reach and impact of its docuseries, The Class. The Class showcases the journey of six students to postsecondary education and highlights how they overcome challenges in pursuing a college degree.

Introduction to Strategic Evidence Planning for Ascendium Exploration Grantees

Project Evident Inc|$50,000|9/2024 - 4/2025
This grant supports Project Evident in identifying Ascendium-funded nonprofits ready to develop roadmaps for building and using evidence to generate stronger outcomes.

Symposium for CAOs and CIOs: Collaborations for Innovation and Equitable Student Success

American Association of State Colleges and Universities|$50,000|1/2025 - 3/2025
This grant supports the Association of State Colleges and Universities in convening chief academic officers and chief information officers to share promising practices focused on the use of data and technology to advance student success.
View All Ascendium Grants