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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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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.

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.

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.

NCII Impact Fund Leadership Academy

Support
New Venture Fund|$825,000|2/2026 - 12/2028
This grant expands the National Center for Inquiry & Improvement’s training of mid-level faculty and staff on implementing and sustaining student success reforms to reach institutions across five additional states.

America Forward: Blazing a Trail for Evidence-Based Economic Mobility Strategies

Expand
New Venture Fund|$749,500|2/2026 - 12/2027
This grant supports America Forward in conducting research, providing technical assistance, and designing strategic convenings to accelerate public investment in evidence based sectoral workforce training programs. America Forward will partner with leading providers to identify barriers and build providers’ capacities to access public funding streams.

Improving Coverage of Post-Secondary Education and Workforce Development for Rural Communities

Field Development
Institute for Nonprofit News|$400,000|2/2026 - 12/2027
This grant supports the Institute for Nonprofit News in partnering with rural newsrooms to produce a two-year collaborative series focused on education and workforce development issues and to identify and execute proven strategies for building audiences in rural communities.

Coordinating and Strengthening Technical Assistance in the Field of PEP

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American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$10,336,000|12/2025 - 11/2030
This grant supports the American Institutes for Research in fortifying a comprehensive foundation of technical assistance resources and providers for the field of postsecondary education in prison. This infrastructure will provide colleges the support they need in order to design, implement, and continuously improve postsecondary degree programs tailored to incarcerated students.

An Applied Research Agenda to Support Community College Reform and Learner Advancement

Field Development
Teachers College, Columbia University|$10,000,000|12/2025 - 12/2029
This grant supports Community College Research Center in deepening the evidence base on a range of student success reform areas and partnering with community colleges to use research as a tool to strengthen their programs and services, increase efficiency, and improve student outcomes.