Media Partnerships | Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy - Grants Page 4 Skip to main content

EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

Media Partnerships

Our philanthropy amplifies important information across the nation, helping good ideas become systemic change for learners from low-income backgrounds.

MediaPartnershipsHero2x v2
gettyimages 1373466140 170667a

WHY MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS?

High-quality reporting and storytelling are vital for investigating, proposing, and disseminating systemic solutions to challenges faced by learners from low-income backgrounds. When media highlight problems alongside evidence-based solutions, successful practices have the potential to scale up. Media amplification can also encourage individual policymakers, communities, and government agencies to address critical issues in improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes. By framing and amplifying the issues critical to improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes, media partners get important information in front of those who can advocate for and make real, systemic change.

Learn more about how our media partnerships support learners from low-income backgrounds.

Scaling Math Pathways in Alabama

Exploration
University of Texas at Austin|$50,000|10/2024 - 9/2025
This grant supports the Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin in working with state and system-level leaders in Alabama to plan for scaled implementation of redesigned math pathways across the state's colleges and universities.

Supporting National Reporting on Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training

Other
Teachers College, Columbia University|$350,000|8/2023 - 7/2025
This grant supports The Hechinger Report (Hechinger), a publication of the Teachers College at Columbia University, in producing high-quality reporting on emerging trends, challenges, and promising solutions in postsecondary education and workforce training. While continuing to distribute content through its primary website and newsletter outlets, Hechinger will broaden its reach via social media and by partnering with 200+ national news outlets.

Integrating Data Driven Strategies

Exploration
Thrive for Life Prison Project Inc|$50,000|7/2024 - 6/2025
This grant supports the Thrive for Life Prison Project in enhancing its data infrastructure and capacity through the development of a customized software technology designed to effectively support learners impacted by incarceration as they navigate transitions from incarceration to reentry.

Highlighting Lessons Learned from the Developmental Education Reform Movement

Other
Georgetown University|$223,740|6/2024 - 5/2025
This grant supports FutureEd in producing a comprehensive review of learning from more than a decade of national developmental education reform efforts, highlighting promising strategies and issuing a renewed call for action.

Bolstering the Impact of "The Class" Documentary

Scaling
Senior Class Project LLC|$150,000|6/2024 - 5/2025
This grant supports Senior Class Project, LLC, in expanding the national reach and impact of its docuseries, The Class. The Class showcases the journey of six students to postsecondary education and highlights how they overcome challenges in pursuing a college degree.

Reporting on the Future of Work, Postsecondary Education and the Skills Gap

Other
American Public Media|$148,028|6/2024 - 5/2025
This grant supports American Public Media’s Marketplace program in producing content about the changing postsecondary education and workforce landscape and the impacts of those changes on learners and U.S. global competitiveness. Marketplace reporting will explore ways to align skills-development opportunities with employer needs.
View All Ascendium Grants