The Kresge Foundation announced a $3.6 million funding opportunity to strengthen partnerships between community colleges and nonprofit human services organizations that connect people with low incomes in cities to critical human service supports and educational pathways that advance social and economic mobility.

“Just as many community colleges seek to help students overcome non-academic barriers, human services nonprofits are searching for ways to connect clients to educational opportunities that lead not simply to jobs, but to careers that help them support their families,” Bill Moses, Kresge Education Program managing director, said. “We’re hopeful this opportunity will forge new partnerships and deepen collaborations between colleges and nonprofits, and ultimately, improve student outcomes.”

Boosting Opportunities for Social and Economic Mobility for Families (BOOST) builds on Kresge’s commitment to strengthen urban higher education ecosystems and work across teams to accelerate social and economic mobility using a racial equity lens.

“By bringing human services nonprofits that use strong two-generation, whole family approaches together with community colleges, we can eliminate the barriers that limit access to higher education and create career pathways that move families up the social and economic ladder,” Raquel Hatter, Kresge Human Services Program managing director, said. “We are excited to be working with our partners in the community and the education team at the foundation to advance our shared vision of success for families.”

Through the BOOST funding opportunity, Kresge will award up to eight grants of up to $450,000 each to qualifying partnerships between community colleges and human services nonprofits.

To be eligible:

• Partnerships must include at least one community college and at least one nonprofit human services organization
• Human services nonprofits should advance the social and economic mobility of their clients using a two-generation, whole family approach and exhibit the qualities of Next Generation human services organizations, which:
  • Are person-centered.
  • Are outcomes-based.
  • Are data-driven.
  • Apply a racial equity lens.
  • Focus on greater sector impact and systems change.
• Community colleges must be members of the Achieving the Dream Network.

To download an overview of this funding opportunity, please click here or visit the Current Funding Opportunities page.

For additional information, please refer to the following resources:

• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
• A preview of Narrative Questions in the application
• An example budget template
• A Fluxx Guide and Preview that provides instructions for the application process

Completed applications are due by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on July 26, 2019.

To learn more, register to attend an informational webinar at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2019.