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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

Our philanthropy addresses barriers facing currently incarcerated adults who don’t have equitable access to high-quality postsecondary education.

A formerly incarcerated person operating a forklift.

How We See the Problem

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the prison population in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent decades, with one in a hundred adults — about 2.3 million — currently incarcerated. Nearly all of those individuals will return to their communities at some point, and research has demonstrated that postsecondary education dramatically improves the odds of successful reentry into the community and the labor force.

However, access to programs and cost of programs are obstacles, and often the programming is disconnected from career opportunities.

The majority of incarcerated individuals — 64% — have a high school credential. They’re academically eligible for a postsecondary education program; but for most, it’s out of reach. Unfortunately, 93% of colleges don’t provide postsecondary education in prison. Of those that do provide programs, many have limited capacity to serve all interested individuals.

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Graph showing: 64% of the people in prison are academically eligible to enroll in a postsecondary education program. Graph showing: Of the approximately 4500 degree-granting colleges and universities, less than 7% provide in-prison higher education

Ready for Pell

This two-year initiative is designed to support and strengthen postsecondary education in prison programs in advance of the full restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated learners, coming in the 2023-24 academic year.

Our Three Investment Priorities

Grants to Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

Launching the New England Prison Higher Education Collaborative

Exploration
New England Board of Higher Education|$6,762,442|2/2024 - 1/2029
This grant supports the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) in catalyzing collaboration across and within its six New England member states to increase the quantity and quality of postsecondary education offerings in prison. As the first regional prison education collaborative, NEBHE will serve as a convener, technical assistance provider, research hub, and funder for the participating states.

Oregon Statewide PEP Degree Program

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Portland State University Foundation|$2,314,924|8/2023 - 6/2028
This grant supports Portland State University Foundation in developing transfer pathways for incarcerated learners in Oregon in partnership with two community colleges. In addition to offering a clear path to a bachelor’s degree, Portland State University and its partners will provide learners with wrap-around supports during incarceration and post-release.

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.

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.

Identifying and Scaling Programmatic Technical Assistance in Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs

Exploration
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences|$4,685,300|7/2024 - 6/2027
This grant supports American Institutes for Research in launching an initiative focused on significantly growing the availability of high-quality best practice guidance for postsecondary education in prison programs. By leveraging the expertise of longstanding programs and supporting them in refining and sharing best practices, the initiative will establish quality standards and generate new resources for the broader field as it grows in response to the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated learners.

Identifying and Scaling Programmatic Technical Assistance Resources in Higher Education in Prison

Exploration
Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison Inc|$325,000|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, Inc., in refining, expanding, and packaging the Hudson Link Employer Toolkit. This toolkit contributes to the field by sharing guidance and resources related to Fair Chance hiring policies and practices that can be used by employers, reentry organizations, campus-based career services staff, colleges and universities, and programs to promote the successful reentry and workforce success of formerly incarcerated students and graduates.

Identifying and Scaling Programmatic Technical Assistance Resources in Higher Education in Prison

Exploration
Loyola University New Orleans|$325,000|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports Loyola University in refining and packaging their data collection inventory tool to help define metrics and track the progress and success of incarcerated learners.

Establishing a State University of New York Prison Education Network

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The Research Foundation for SUNY|$3,751,200|1/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the State University of New York (SUNY) in expanding its postsecondary education in prison programs and solidifying the SUNY Office of Higher Education in Prison as the convener of and technical assistance provider for programs on 20 SUNY campuses.

Identifying and Scaling Programmatic Technical Assistance Resources in Higher Education in Prison

Exploration
University of North Alabama|$324,900|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the University of Northern Alabama in refining and packaging a community-building toolkit to support postsecondary education in prison program implementation.

EnGAge: Building and Mobilizing a Community of Practice for Higher Education in Prison in Georgia

Exploration
Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison|$1,019,166|11/2023 - 11/2026
This grant supports the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison in convening stakeholders in Georgia to streamline and strengthen prison education across the state. In addition to increased state-wide cooperation, the project will result in the successful launch of two new postsecondary education in prison programs in facilities with high need and few current postsecondary offerings.
View All Ascendium Grants