Launching West Virginia Climbs
Exploration
This grant supports Philanthropy West Virginia’s efforts in building the infrastructure of West Virginia Climbs, a new public awareness and programming campaign aimed at increasing the state’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to at least 60 percent by 2030. The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and other partners will support the implementation activities needed to complete five activities targeted at supporting learners from low-income backgrounds.
Maintain Momentum: Supporting Postsecondary Education Membership Organizations
Scaling
As part of Ascendium’s Maintain Momentum initiative, this grant supports the Yes We Must Coalition and its network of 40 member institutions in continuing to advance success reforms to support and serve their low-income students. This grant would allow these institutions to maintain membership and thus maintain access to the projects and resources provided by the Coalition.
Scaling the Student Success Center Network Coaching Program
Scaling
This grant supports Jobs for the Future in building the capacity of four Student Success Centers to deploy coaches trained in advancing reforms at colleges in their states. The project provides capacity-building seed grants and strategic technical assistance to Centers in designing and implementing in-state coaching programs, while also providing training and ongoing professional development to the cadre of coaches.
Researching Place-based Learning Experiences' Impact on Rural Postsecondary Learners
Validation
This grant supports the University of Montana in researching the impact of place-based learning at postsecondary institutions on student outcomes and achievement. Building on promising research in secondary systems, rural place-based learning focuses on integrating local and regional cultures, history, and resources into school programming in an effort to promote student success and engagement.
Transforming Higher Education Policy and Practice in Prisons and Beyond
Exploration
This grant supports the Education Trust in developing two distinct but interconnected leadership development programs that will engage formerly incarcerated learners and postsecondary education in prison practitioners in an intentional learning exchange, producing nuanced reports and analysis and informing improvements to institutional practice.
Unlocking the Promise of Pell for Students in Prison
Scaling
This grant supports Vera Institute of Justice in providing meaningful and in-depth technical assistance, training and advising to new and existing Second Chance Pell Initiative college sites and their state corrections system partners. The goal is to ensure the implementation of high-quality postsecondary education in prison and to help the field grow a cohort of correctional administrators prepared to support the broad expansion of such programs.
Supporting Postsecondary Education Writers and Coverage
Scaling
As part of Ascendium’s Strategic Media Partnerships initiative, this grant supports Education Writers Association in meeting the professional development needs of postsecondary education journalists as well as media coverage projects related to socio-economic mobility and education beyond high school.
Reinventing Higher Education Convening Series
Scaling
This grant supports the Presidents Forum, a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization of college and university and other leading education stakeholders, in planning a series of collaborative convenings focusing on the development of an agile and resilient workforce prepared for the knowledge economy. Held over 18 months, the purpose of these meetings is to share ideas, actions and practices shaping the future of higher education.
Guided Pathways Implementation in Iowa’s Community Colleges
Scaling
This grant supports the Iowa Department of Education in implementing a set of systemic guided pathways reforms that will improve student outcomes and reduce equity gaps.
Redesigning StudentTracker
Scaling
This grant supports the National Student Clearinghouse in rebuilding StudentTracker, the primary data platform used by educational systems and institutions to track student-level postsecondary enrollment in the United States. The new StudentTracker will reduce the technological expertise required for users, consolidate data into a single platform, and provide enhanced reports and visualized analytics, with the goal of significantly expanding access and utilization nationwide.
