I Know I Can staff display yard signs that will be placed outside the homes of local high school seniors to celebrate the students’ upcoming graduations. (Photo Credit: I Know I Can)
States and cities across the country are receiving grants as part of an NCAN-led effort to ensure the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t stop the high school classes of 2020 and 2021 from enrolling in college.
To address these historic and inequitable disruptions, NCAN made grants available to amplify state-level FAFSA completion initiatives and enhance local postsecondary advising and matriculation support in select metropolitan areas.
NCAN was excited to receive 142 proposals from organizations aiming to better support students of color and students from low-income backgrounds in this critical time. The proposals showed the commitment, creativity, and tenacity of our members to make
sure their students can transition to college and experience success once there.
While there were many proposals worthy of support, NCAN selected the following 23 to fund with grants ranging from $25,000-$100,000 each. The organizations selected are diverse in terms of geography, leadership, and service model.
Students work on filling out their FAFSAs at a recent School District of Lancaster (Pennsylvania) event. (Photo credit: Alejandra Zavala)
“We are inspired by the wide range of innovative and resourceful approaches communities are using to help ensure students graduating from high school during this pandemic are not left behind,” said Kresge's Education Program Deputy Director Caroline Altman
Smith. “Students always need postsecondary advising and FAFSA completion support, but they are absolutely critical this year, given the disruptions students and families have faced on their path to college."
The situation calls for immediate action because research shows that students who delay postsecondary enrollment after high school
are 64% less likely than their "on-time" peers to complete a bachelor's degree and 18% less likely to complete any college credential.
“NCAN is grateful to The Kresge Foundation for recognizing the urgency of repairing the high school to college pipeline,” said NCAN Executive Director Kim Cook. “The initiatives that these grantees proposed demonstrate what is possible when schools and
districts, college access and success organizations, state departments of education, colleges and universities, philanthropic organizations, and other partners come together to ensure every student can succeed. We must make sure the high school classes
of 2020 and 2021 get the postsecondary opportunities they need and deserve.”
The following are examples of some of the new approaches and strategies these grant recipients will pursue:
Michigan will extend its state FAFSA priority deadline until May 1, offer $30,000 in FAFSA completion prizes to high schools, provide $10 gift cards to at least 5,000 students completing the FAFSA, and promote a one-week opportunity to apply
to 74 Michigan colleges and universities without an application fee.
I Know I Can (Columbus, OH) will host two events to get the class of 2021 excited about graduation and post-graduation plans. Staff and volunteers will visit the homes of seniors and place door hangers with postsecondary milestone reminders
(in six languages) as well as celebratory graduation yard signs. IKIC access advisers will staff five high schools during the summer to work with students enrolled in summer school. Additionally, IKIC will also make a one-time increase to its
Go To College Grant, from $1,200 to $2,000, for the 2021-22 academic year.
The School District of Lancaster (PA) will develop a “Post-graduation Plan Index” to help students navigate any remaining steps to achieve their goals. Office staff will call all seniors to set up appointments for FAFSA completion, and the
district will hire a short-term employee to assist all cyber and alternative education students. The local community college will also hire two part-time staff members to solely advise students from the district. With many students being English
language developers, the community college and Literacy Council will offer a course to develop language skills to enhance college success.
Both NCAN and Kresge congratulate and commend these grantees for their efforts to keep students on a postsecondary path.
In the coming weeks and months, NCAN will work to share more strategies and activities the grant recipients undertake to address the steep declines in postsecondary enrollment.
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