Tools of the Trade Apprentice Scholarships
Scaling
Wisconsin Technical College System|$1,035,000|8/2020 - 4/2023
This grant supports the Tools of the Trade Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to construction
and industrial trade apprentices attending a Wisconsin Technical College System college. Each spring, apprentices with financial need receive funds to help cover the cost of equipment, work clothes and other related expenses.
Tools of the Trade Apprentice Scholarship: Jim Elliott
Scaling
Milwaukee Area Technical College|$257,500|8/2013 - 2/2023
This grant supports the Jim Elliott Tools of the Trade Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to students in apprenticeship programs at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Each spring, 20 apprentices with financial need receive funds (initially $1,000, increased to $1,500 in 2018) to help cover the cost of equipment, work clothes and other related expenses.
Development of a Comprehensive Transfer Blueprint
Exploration
Kent State University Foundation Inc|$1,092,414|7/2019 - 6/2022
This grant supports Kent State University in developing transfer pathways with three partner community colleges that streamline student progress to a degree.
Redesigning StudentTracker
Scaling
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center|$1,343,000|5/2020 - 12/2021
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.
Next Generation Sector Partnerships National Benchmarking & Rural Affinity Group
Validation
Next Gen Sector Partnerships|$408,375|1/2020 - 12/2021
This grant supports the formal analysis of the impact of the more than 80 Next Gen Sector Partnerships currently operating nationwide. The analysis will inform the codification of best practices and the development of training materials for use in the expansion of rural public and private partner networks working toward regional vitality and expanded opportunity.
Degrees When Due
Validation
Institute for Higher Education Policy|$618,000|1/2018 - 12/2021
This grant supports the Institute for Higher Education Policy in conducting the impact research component of the Degrees When Due initiative, a national effort to advance degree reclamation for the “some-college, no-degree” population. This research includes an examination of current degree reclamation strategies and student-level postsecondary and employment outcome data.
Implementing Competency-Based Education at Scale
Exploration
Kentucky Community and Technical College System Foundation Inc|$613,915|6/2020 - 11/2021
This grant supports the Kentucky Community and Technical College System in developing and executing an in-depth planning process to understand the system, academic and structural changes necessary for a statewide implementation of competency-based education within its general education, career, and technical and workforce training programs.
Strengthening Guided Pathways through Workforce
Scaling
Aspen Institute Inc|$1,089,700|10/2019 - 9/2021
This grant supports The Aspen Institute in operationalizing the Ascendium-funded Workforce Playbook by engaging community college leaders in a variety of contexts through additional curricular materials and embedding the Workforce Playbook into the existing guided pathways framework.
Expansion of the Promise Ecosystem Initiative and Employer Symposiums
Scaling
College Promise Campaign|$250,000|1/2020 - 6/2021
This grant supports the College Promise Campaign in the expansion of their efforts to build awareness and generate momentum for the College Promise movement across the country, with a particular focus on tying Promise programs to career and workforce development.
Tackling Transfer Phase II
Scaling
Aspen Institute Inc|$1,200,000|7/2018 - 6/2021
This grant supports The Aspen Institute in helping three states—Minnesota, Texas and Virginia—adopt transfer reforms to promote bachelor’s degree attainment among students who begin at community colleges. This project will also produce learnings about the conditions and strategies for replicating or adapting comprehensive transfer reforms in other states.
