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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.

Workforce Development Grantmaking in Native Nations and Communities Initiative

Field Development
Workforce Matters|$150,000|5/2023 - 6/2026
This grant supports Workforce Matters in building the capacity of workforce organizations serving American Indian communities. Through subgrants and technical assistance, Workforce Matters will support workforce training organizations in accessing local labor market data and leveraging federal and private funding opportunities to improve postsecondary education and training opportunities.

Seeding the Rise Up Summit

Field Development
Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison Inc|$150,000|7/2025 - 6/2026
This grant supports Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison in conducting a comprehensive convening and planning process to solidify the programmatic and logistical strategy for the annual virtual Rise Up Conference, now in its fifth year. Hudson Link is exploring the need and feasibility to transition Rise Up to a permanent, in-person annual event.

Creating Enabling Conditions for Adult Reskilling in Rural America through Narrative

Field Development
New York University|$327,100|7/2024 - 6/2026
This grant supports New York University’s Marron Institute in producing national reporting, communications, and a multimedia web project to raise the profile of rural workers and educational pathways in Appalachia. The project will highlight strategies to help more rural low-income workers in the region, and in other rural regions, to complete postsecondary education and workforce training programs aligned to local economies.

Supporting the Reimagine Rural Podcast

Field Development
The Brookings Institution|$250,000|6/2025 - 5/2026
This grant supports the Reimagining Rural Policy initiative at the Brookings Institution in producing its third season of the Reiminagining Rural podcast. The podcast explores how strategic public investment in rural communities can spur innovation and development, including the ways in which postsecondary education and workforce training are core to opportunity for rural learners.

Building & Applying Strong Evidence About Postsecondary Success & Economic Mobility

Field Development
MDRC|$7,500,000|12/2022 - 5/2026
This grant supports MDRC in engaging in a continuous cycle of rigorous research, active dissemination and hands-on technical assistance that builds the capacity of colleges and workforce training providers to improve outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.

Beyond the College Walls: Principles and Partnerships for the Next Community College Decade

Field Development
Achieving the Dream Inc|$50,000|6/2025 - 5/2026
This grant supports Achieving the Dream in sponsoring the publication of a new edited collection from Harvard Education Press that outlines key elements of community college reform required for those institutions to meet the needs of today’s and future learners.
View All Ascendium Grants