NACUBO Strategically Financing Structures to Remove Barriers
Exploration
This grant supports the National Association of College and University Business Officers in creating a network of postsecondary leaders equipped to transform their institutions through strategic finance. The project will produce frameworks, tools and models that will change how colleges analyze, prioritize and fund their initiatives committed to equitable student outcomes.
Supporting the Future U. Podcast 7th Season
Other
This grant supports Academic Intelligence in producing the Future U. podcast series, which features interviews with national thought leaders and innovators working to improve student success in postsecondary education. Future U. will produce four episodes that specifically explore issues related to and insights generated from Ascendium’s grantmaking.
Establishing and Solidifying a Field Convener
Exploration
This grant supports the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison in fostering collaboration among critical stakeholders in the postsecondary education in prison field. The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison will solidify its role as a national convener and resource hub for the field.
Maintain Momentum: Supporting Postsecondary Education Membership Organizations and Networks
Scaling
This grant supports Achieving the Dream and its members in continuing to advance student success reforms despite COVID‐19‐related impacts.
Equity Action Intensive
Exploration
This grant supports the National Association of System Heads in partnering with four to six state postsecondary systems to develop robust plans for improving equity in postsecondary outcomes for learners of color and learners from low-income backgrounds. Selected systems will conduct self-assessments, set concrete equity goals, receive expert technical assistance and initiate reforms.
Learning Partner for Future Sectoral Training Evidence-Building Initiative
Validation
This grant supports MDRC in partnering with Ascendium to design a grantmaking initiative that will build next-generation evidence on sectoral training programs. The initiative will identify the conditions and mechanisms needed to deliver and scale effective programs.
Exploring Geographic Isolation as a Barrier to Equitable Transfer Outcomes
Exploration
This grant supports the RP Group in assessing the role of proximity to four-year institutions in the transfer outcomes of low-income and Latinx students in California in order to identify ways to strengthen transfer policy and practice, particularly in states with large rural areas not well served by broad access four-year institutions.
Organizational Capacity Building Project
Exploration
This grant supports the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network in building the executive, organizational and strategic capacity needed to excel as an impactful network of leaders who completed college during incarceration.
Designing a Postsecondary Education in Prison RFP Initiative
Exploration
This grant supports American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences in researching and designing an initiative focused on supporting experienced postsecondary education in prison programs in sharing their knowledge and resources with other programs to accelerate their meeting new federal regulations for receiving Pell Grants.
Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison
Exploration
This grant supports the Iowa Department of Education, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa Central Community College, Des Moines Area Community College and the University of Iowa, in expanding postsecondary education options across Iowa that are workforce-relevant and support varied academic and career pathways.
