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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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Advancing State and Systems Strategies for Work-Based Learning

Support
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association|$500,000|3/2026 - 5/2028
This grant supports the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association in convening and supporting a multi-state learning community to strengthen statewide policies and systems that enable high-quality, scalable work-based learning.

A Multi-Inquiry Study of Condensed Course Formats

Support
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Irvine campus|$1,492,013|3/2026 - 2/2029
This grant supports the University of California, Irvine, in conducting research on the impacts of shortened courses on learners’ longer-term outcomes and on the key course design and delivery features connected to student success.

Scaling for Sustainability: Expanding Proven Tech Workforce Pathways

Expand
Per Scholas Inc|$8,000,000|3/2026 - 2/2029
This grant supports Per Scholas in scaling its evidence-based technology workforce training programs while also testing new models to achieve sustainable scale and maintain positive learner impact. This grant will expand Per Scholas’ technical training and upskilling programs, integrate work-based learning and registered apprenticeships, and establish public revenue streams through partnerships with community colleges.

Identifying & Analyzing Barriers to Economic Opportunity for Incarcerated Learners and Returning Citizens

Connect
Education Commission of the States|$499,634|3/2026 - 12/2027
This grant supports Education Commission of the States to complete a series of state policy scans, two cycles of legislative tracking, and consulting support with state education officials – all focused on helping policymakers better understand the policy context affecting postsecondary education in prison students.

Integrating Strategic Financial Practices with Holistic Advising

Support
National Association of College and University Business Officers|$950,000|3/2026 - 10/2027
This grant supports National Association of College and University Business Officers in developing strategic finance models to scale evidence-based holistic student advising practices.

Expanding Systems of Support in Rhode Island

Support
Reentry Campus Program|$686,750|2/2026 - 12/2028
This grant supports Reentry Campus Program in building structured reentry pathways for currently and formerly incarcerated learners in Rhode Island that include credit-for-prior-learning and holistic advising support, both on the inside and as learners transition to the freeworld.

Strengthening Cross-State Education to Workforce Linkages: Integrating Postsecondary and Workforce Data Through a Multi-State Partnership to Facilitate Successful Transitions

Connect
The Coleridge Initiative Inc|$4,500,894|2/2026 - 1/2030
This grant supports the Coleridge Initiative in supporting data sharing in Wisconsin and building cross-state data infrastructure in the Northeast region. This region has high inter-state mobility, and the integration of multi-state agency data (i.e., higher education, workforce training, and employment), will support individual state’s education and workforce planning efforts.

Implementing Flexible Learner Pathways to Expand Access to Apprenticeships

Expand
Code the Dream|$4,000,000|2/2026 - 1/2029
This grant supports Code the Dream in expanding access to high-quality tech apprenticeships by developing flexible, modular learning pathways, increasing their apprenticeship capacity, and strengthening the sustainability of their equity-centered model that connects underrepresented learners to high-wage careers.

Phase II of Developmental Education Reform Implementation in Illinois

Support
Partnership for College Completion|$1,100,000|2/2026 - 1/2029
This grant supports Partnership for College Completion in scaling evidence-based placement and co-requisite models at Illinois community colleges.

Success Coach Program

Support
Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network|$725,000|2/2026 - 1/2029
This grant supports The Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network in creating and piloting a success coach model at two higher education in prison programs, providing peer support and coaching strategies to help learners continue on their path to postsecondary opportunities upon release.