Awarded Grants | Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy - Grants Page 5 Skip to main content

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.

Supporting Scaled Implementation of Student Success Reforms in Louisiana

Louisiana Board of Regents|$3,815,000|11/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the Louisiana Board of Regents in providing technical assistance to all 28 of the state's public institutions to implement reforms that improve learner outcomes in persistence and completion.

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

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.

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

University of Saint Mary|$249,000|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the University of St. Mary in refining and packaging a survey instrument to support student preparation and program implementation. This survey will contribute to the field by providing a tool with which individual programs and the field more broadly can gain insights into the specific challenges that incarcerated learners experience related to their physical
needs, safety, sense of belonging, esteem, and self-actualization, which, if addressed, could improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates.

Investing in CodePath's Evidence of Effectiveness

Codepath Org|$1,000,000|12/2022 - 12/2026
This grant supports CodePath in establishing a body of rigorous evidence about the impacts of its programming at more than 70 colleges and universities, including technical internship placement, completion of degrees in computer science and labor market outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.

Strong Start to Finish - Accelerating Scaled Implementation

Education Commission of the States|$2,500,000|9/2022 - 12/2026
This grant supports Education Commission of the States, through its Strong Start to Finish initiative, in accelerating the implementation of complex developmental education reforms at scale in up to eight state higher education systems.

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

University of Baltimore|$320,800|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the University of Baltimore in refining and packaging its Reentry Support Services Roadmap to support incarcerated students’ preparation for reentry and successful degree or certificate completion after release. This reentry roadmap and peer-navigator model will contribute to the field by sharing a statewide approach to providing students with in-prison
peer support, guides to support reentry, and formalized postrelease peer supports.

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

The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Berkeley campus|$324,781|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports the Regents of the University of California in refining and packaging a research guide and data-collection instruments for postsecondary education in prison program evaluation and improvement. This resource will contribute to the field by outlining a participatory research model and data
collection instruments and materials.

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

Emerson College|$324,200|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports Emerson College in refining and packaging a suite of resources aimed at program implementation and continuous improvement. These resources contribute to the field by illustrating high-impact practices in program implementation and provide program benchmarks that other programs can adapt and replicate.

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

Pennsylvania State University|$324,875|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports Pennsylvania State University in refining and packaging a Reentry Simulation Toolkit to support and drive culture change regarding the integration of incarcerated students back into communities post-release. This Reentry Simulation Toolkit will contribute to the field by raising awareness of common challenges and barriers experienced by formerly incarcerated students who are navigating reentry, and enabling critical discussions about the ways prison postsecondary programs and reentry providers can better promote the successful reentry, transfer, degree completion, and workforce success of students.

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

Saint Louis University|$108,600|12/2024 - 12/2026
This grant supports St. Louis University in refining and packaging the curriculum for a Prison Education College Preparation Program to support incarcerated learners’ success in a postsecondary program.