Awarded Grants | Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy - Grants Page 10 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 Plans to Reconnect Black Rural Residents with Postsecondary Education and Training

The Institute for College Access and Success Inc|$700,000|10/2024 - 4/2026
This grant supports The Institute for College Access and Success in addressing the barriers to postsecondary attainment for adults with some college credits but no credential, and elevating evidence-based strategies to help those learners complete degrees. The project will focus specifically on understanding the unique barriers to completion for Black residents in rural southern communities with disproportionately low rates of postsecondary attainment.

Supporting Provosts for Student Success Transformation in State Systems

Sova Solutions|$1,773,700|9/2023 - 3/2026
This grant supports Sova, in partnership with the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, in accelerating institutional student success reforms in four states by aligning those reforms with state-level policy and creating a network of state teams to provide cross-state learning and support.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

University of Idaho|$499,600|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports the University of Idaho in examining which institutional programs and practices—including first-year programs, career advising and other strategies—may best support retention, completion and successful transition to the workforce for rural learners from low-income backgrounds.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc|$500,000|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports Georgia State University in evaluating the impact of a statewide online instruction initiative on the enrollment, completion and employment outcomes of rural learners.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

The Urban Institute |$500,000|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports the Urban Institute in refining and testing the Family Friendly Campus Toolkit, which helps institutions better serve parenting students, to fit the context of rural tribal colleges and universities.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

North Carolina State University|$490,200|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports North Carolina State University in investigating the effectiveness of its statewide Rural College Leaders Program in contributing to student success reforms.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Western Illinois University|$311,100|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports Western Illinois University in investigating whether its Paraprofessional Teacher Education Option program reduces barriers for non‐traditional, rural learners from low-income backgrounds to earn a bachelor’s degree in education and teacher licensure.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

University of Washington|$449,535|3/2023 - 2/2026
This grant supports the University of Washington in exploring whether rural learners from low‐income backgrounds benefit from postsecondary mentorship programs and identifying best practices for implementing mentorship programs in rural contexts.

Documenting Opportunities for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Learners

Strada Collaborative LLC|$700,000|2/2024 - 1/2026
This grant supports Roadtrip Nation in producing a documentary film and additional video assets that showcase the voices and experiences of justice-impacted individuals who participated in postsecondary education opportunities while incarcerated. The documentary aims to build awareness about the positive impact of access to postsecondary education in prison and help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners see the relevance of postsecondary education to their life and career goals.

Building a Multi-Sector Consensus for Expansion of Postsecondary Education in Virginia's Prisons

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy|$749,900|2/2024 - 1/2026
This grant supports the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) in establishing a statewide coalition focused on increasing high-quality postsecondary education in prison in Virginia. VICCP will raise awareness about postsecondary education in prison and Pell Grant restoration for incarcerated learners and identify and recruit coalition partners.