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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

All Grants

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Expanding Rural Guided Pathways

Scaling
New Venture Fund|$4,200,000|10/2024 - 12/2027
This grant supports the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement in expanding comprehensive “guided pathways” student success reforms at rural community colleges. The expansion will support the existing cohort of 16 colleges in strengthening their reform efforts and add a cohort of 16 additional rural colleges.

Increasing Equity and Effectiveness in Work-based Learning and Career Preparation at Smaller Independent Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities

Validation
The Council of Independent Colleges|$1,735,592|5/2023 - 12/2027
This grant supports the Council of Independent Colleges in partnering with 25 member institutions to develop and evaluate employer-driven work-based learning projects embedded in courses. It aims to eliminate barriers to professional opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds and improve their post-graduation career outcomes.

Talent Strong Texas Pathways for Multilingual Learners of English

Exploration
Texas Community College Education Initiative|$3,000,000|2/2024 - 12/2027
This grant supports the Texas Community College Education Initiative in aligning pathways from English as a Second Language (ESL) programs to community college credentials, including industry-based certifications, vocational certificates, and academic degrees. Texas community colleges will address placement and curricular structures that have been barriers to success for multilingual learners of English seeking to transition from ESL to workforce training or academic programs.

Blue Meridian Partners Impact Investment

Scaling
Blue Meridian Partners Inc|$10,000,000|1/2023 - 12/2027
This grant supports a pooled funding initiative seeking to change the odds of young people living in poverty by directing long-term, substantial resources to organizations with proven impact.

Exploring Innovative Financing to Strengthen Pre-Apprenticeships, Creating Rural Talent Finance Partnerships, and Establishing the Social Finance Institute

Scaling
Social Finance Inc|$6,014,000|1/2024 - 12/2027
This grant supports Social Finance in piloting innovative workforce training financing models to improve labor market outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds. Social Finance will design models leveraging outcomes-based funding structures in two areas: (1) to support learners in accessing and succeeding in pre-apprenticeships and (2) to catalyze training programs within specific industry sectors critical to rural workforce needs. Social Finance will also launch the Social Finance Institute as a hub for dissemination of insights from these and other initiatives, with a focus on informing public and private leaders about strategies to build sustainable and inclusive talent development pipelines.

Building Data Collection and Evaluation Capacity for Higher Education in Prisons

Exploration
Ithaka Harbors Inc|$1,300,000|8/2024 - 8/2027
This grant supports Ithaka Harbors Inc in designing and launching a data collection tool for colleges and departments of correction to streamline the collection and aggregation of high-quality student-level data, building capacity for continuous improvement of postsecondary in prison programs.

Building a National Network of First-Generation Data Savvy Institutions

Exploration
National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Inc|$2,000,000|8/2024 - 8/2027
This grant supports the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators in providing technical assistance to 60 colleges and universities through its Center for First-Generation Student Success. The Center will help institutions develop a definition of first-generation college students and set up data systems to understand how well programs are serving them.

Talent Strong Texas Pathways: Student Supports and Belonging HB8 Implementation

Exploration
Texas Community College Education Initiative|$3,000,000|9/2024 - 8/2027
This grant supports the Texas Success Center in developing and implementing holistic basic needs and support services at Texas community colleges. This statewide initiative aims to help colleges strengthen supports for learners to ensure they complete credential of values in alignment with the state’s new funding model established by House Bill 8.

Innovations in Proactive Communication and Support for STEM Success

Validation
Brown University|$750,000|9/2023 - 8/2027
This grant supports the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University in assessing the impact of a tech-enabled, academic support innovation targeting students’ STEM gateway course success and persistence at Georgia State University.

Empowering HBCUs to Expand Higher Education in Prison Programs

Exploration
Healthy Routines|$1,348,900|9/2024 - 8/2027
This grant supports Healthy Routines, a project of Benedict College, in engaging and supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities in South Carolina to establish pathways and expand access to postsecondary education in prison opportunities for incarcerated learners across the state.