 National Network Receives New Grant Awards
Last year, Gateway to College National Network (GtCNN) was awarded a three-year, $3.5 million Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (EMCF). The award will allow us to continue bringing Gateway to College to new communities, engage in a strategic business planning process, and conduct a comprehensive randomized control trial of the Gateway to College model. With the SIF award came the requirement to raise another $3.5 million in matching funds, and we are pleased to formally announce a number of significant investments that have brought us very close to meeting that goal. In December, GtCNN received a one-year, $270,000 grant from Tipping Point Community, a public foundation that focuses on underserved populations in the San Francisco Bay area. This grant will help support the startup of Gateway to College at Contra Costa College and provides $10,000 each to City College of San Francisco and Laney College to enhance the services they are able to provide to their Gateway students. GtCNN has also received $400,000 in matching funds from The James Irvine Foundation. Dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society, The Irvine Foundation's grant will help support Gateway startup at Contra Costa College and another California college to be identified in the fall. Another twelve co-investors, including Tipping Point Community, have come together in a public/private partnership of coordinated, collaborative investment to provide the capital to help expansion-ready nonprofits such as GtCNN to make an impact on the lives of more young people and build a stronger body of evidence about "what works." Called the True North Fund, this innovative funding model created by EMCF will provide GtCNN with $1,115,000 in SIF matching funds over the next two years. With these three grants, we are well on our way toward meeting our $3.5 million match goal. We are grateful for the support of these funders as we work to bring life-changing educational opportunities to more young people across the country. |
Program Directors Share Fundraising Advice
Gateway to College National Network is committed to a culture of collaboration, providing multiple opportunities throughout the year for Gateway to College program directors to come together and share best practices for serving students. What's less often discussed at these gatherings is fundraising, a nevertheless important aspect of running a successful program. In the spirit of collaboration, three Gateway to College directors recently shared some of their fundraising successes and the methods they use to develop local partnerships.
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A Montgomery College
student taking part in
Gateway to the Arts
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Montgomery College joined the National Network in 2004 as one of the first community colleges to replicate the Gateway to College model. Shortly after the program started serving students, the college's development office contacted Amy Crowley, the director of Montgomery's Gateway to College program, about a funder who was looking to do something different with a gift. The development office didn't yet know the specifics about Gateway to College and wanted to see if there was a possible fit. The college dean, the development office, and Crowley collaborated to establish Gateway to the Arts, an initiative that the donor funded and, just as importantly, launched a productive relationship between Gateway and the development office.
"The key is getting the development office to understand the program and what niche it can serve in their fundraising efforts," says Crowley. "You have to compete on what the program does and use that to your advantage."
Crowley recommends sending reports on all grant-funded projects, even if they aren't required. For Gateway to the Arts, a program that opens students up to new experiences in the arts, she takes photos of the events and activities the grant provides for her students and writes up short narratives about the program's benefits. Despite the extra work involved, Crowley recognizes there are multiple audiences for the report. She notes, "It's not just the funders you are writing to. You also want your president to know the wonderful things about your program."
Cynthia Aguilar, director of college readiness at El Paso Community College, also credits a strong relationship with the grants office, but she adds how important it is to network. "It takes a lot of legwork, talking to people, getting your program out there," says Aguilar.
When employees from JP Morgan Chase came to campus to teach a financial literacy class, Aguilar seized the opportunity to tell them about Gateway to College. After that conversation, she was invited to apply for a grant that she eventually landed.
Aguilar admits that it's not easy to network when there are so many competing demands on her time. "You have to make time for it," she says. "You have to constantly be on funders' radar screens. Don't take no for an answer. Keep persisting until you get the answer you want."
Wendell Covington is another Gateway to College program director who has learned to find time for fundraising amidst multiple priorities. When school district funding became tight, he wrote a grant for supplemental funds, so he wouldn't have to cut enrollment. "I used the same grant application for multiple funders - tweaking it for each." Covington received three grants from that one application, two of which provide an ongoing source of funding for the program.
"Many of us limit ourselves before we even start." He stresses planning with the end goal in mind and thinking big. "Dream up what you want, and then think up the action steps to help you achieve your ultimate goal."
Through fundraising, these directors have deepened their programs' connections to the community and helped open students up to new experiences. "You can't wait for someone else to do it for you," Covington adds, but with the help of these creative and persistent directors, you can see how it is possible to do it for yourself.
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Prentice Davis Named PCC Diamond Alum
Portland Community College celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. As part of the festivities, the college established the PCC Diamond Alum Award to honor graduates who "go on to do remarkable things" - those who have made a positive impact through service or by creating opportunity for others. We are pleased to announce that Gateway to College National Network's own Prentice Davis was selected as one of the fifty alumni to be recognized by the college.
Prentice started as a training coordinator while the Gateway to College program was still a part of PCC. Prentice's role has grown along with the organization, and he is now the Senior Manager of Gateway to College Training & Partner Support. "Prentice is a valued colleague and an outstanding role model for young people, in our community, and across our network," said Laurel Dukehart, President of Gateway to College National Network. To read more about Prentice and the other Diamond Alums, visit PCC's awards page.  | | Prentice Davis is congratulated on his award by Jim Harper, member of the GtCNN Board of Directors and Trustee on the Portland Community College Board of Directors |
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Learning Beyond the Classroom: Project DEgree Students
Go on an Alternative Spring Break
While some Georgia Perimeter College students enjoyed time off from school, 52 individuals, including seven Project DEgree students and their resource specialist, David Clark, spent their spring break in service of others. With their bags packed, they climbed aboard a bus and embarked upon a 10-hour trip to Slidell, Louisiana to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
The Project DEgree students, mainly young women, took on the tough tasks of putting up insulation and working with dry wall. According to Clark, they left Slidell with a new understanding of loss and an appreciation for what they have, motivating them to evaluate their priorities, set goals, and work towards accomplishing those goals. "[The trip] caused them to reflect on what really is important in life," he says.
The impacts of the visit were also felt among Project DEgree students who did not participate in the service project. Mr. Clark was intentional about student reflection and learning and encouraged peer-to-peer discussions about the experience. "The trip changed some of [the students]. They began to do more things together and set a pace for the rest of the group," says Mr. Clark. Other students in the learning community saw the change and sought out the student leaders who participated, which evolved into a team building opportunity.
The experience sparked interest in campus involvement, with many of the students pursuing opportunities in clubs like the Student Activities Board. They hope to spread the word about life-changing and eye-opening opportunities like alternative spring break.
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Riverside Gateway to College in the Spotlight
Recently, Riverside Gateway to College Program Director Jill Marks had an opportunity to engage in national and local dialogues about innovation in education and the way Gateway to College is addressing the high school dropout crisis. In April, Marks appeared on the PBS program Plugged Inland. She was joined by Brittany Lopez, a current Gateway to College student, and Saul Baron, a graduate of the program who is studying at Riverside City College with the goal of transferring to a four year institution to pursue mechanical engineering. The three discussed the Gateway to College model and how it meets the needs of high school dropouts and at-risk youth in the Riverside area. A few weeks later, Marks represented Gateway to College at the American Graduate Initiative Teacher Town Hall, a televised event sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Three hundred teachers and educators attended to discuss the current state of education and the challenges ahead. The first part of the evening included a panel that featured Melinda Gates. During the discussion, Gates reconfirmed the Foundation's commitment to professional development and effective teacher evaluation. The panel was followed by an interactive town hall discussion amongst teachers that allowed Marks and other Riverside staff to share their perspectives and further a conversation around the factors that affect high school graduation rates.  | | Jill Marks (left), Brenda Forsse (right), and Robin Acosta (middle) at the Teacher Town Hall. |
We're proud that Gateway to College is among the nation's innovative approaches addressing the important issue of high school graduation and grateful to Jill for her efforts to continue to champion the program on such an important stage. To watch Jill, Brittany, and Saul on Plugged Inland, click here. |
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Staffing Update from the National Network Office
Gateway to College National Network is pleased to welcome three new staff members to the team: Rachel Antrobus, Aubrey Perry, and Sarah Ohlsen.
Rachel is our new Manager of Strategic Partnerships & Government Relations. Most recently, she was the director of an interagency initiative in San Francisco to improve outcomes for 16 to 24 year-olds. Rachel has a broad youth policy and practice experience, working in foster care, nonprofit, education, workforce development and civic engagement organizations for the past 13 years throughout California. Rachel has a master's degree in public administration and bachelor's degree in communication studies, both from Cal State Long Beach.
Aubrey joins the Research and Evaluation team as the Coordinator of Data Collection & Analysis after serving as a research and evaluation lab assistant at Portland State University. He is an evaluation advocate with experience in quantitative, qualitative, and observational research and analysis methodologies. Aubrey earned dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and mass communications from Oklahoma City University.
Sarah Ohlsen joins us after spending eight years at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. She has extensive experience in social science research, conducting internal program evaluations, developing and conducting training presentations, and creating and maintaining partnerships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders that will aid her in her new role as Coordinator of RCT Support & Research Projects. Sarah earned her master's degree in criminology from George Mason University and her bachelor's degree in political science from Guildford College.
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Rachel Antrobus, Sarah Ohlsen, and Aubrey Perry (left to right)
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| Upcoming Events
June 7, 8: College Knowledge: Implementing Structures for Student Success
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT
Details: What does it mean to be 'college ready' and how do GtC programs design intentional experiences that foster college readiness among students? Join us for a conversation based on David Conley's book, College Knowledge, where we'll explore the idea of college readiness, key cognitive strategies, and share tips on what programs can do to cultivate college readiness.
To register: Click here for the webinar on the 7th. For the webinar on the 8th, click here.
June 13: Managing Student Information for your First Term
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PDT
Details: What student information is critical for your program to successfully start your first term?The successful implementation of a Gateway to College program requires good management of the flow of information both inside and outside your program. During this webinar, we will ask you to share your thoughts and practices around managing this information. More specifically we will ask you to share what is working well and your challenges, how you are managing your team to ensure the information is being collected and entered properly, and what you need to do to report to your stakeholders. Lastly, we will help you to strategize about the flow of information in the next few months so that you are prepared for the start of your fall 2012 term.
To register: Please email Niles McGiver, Coordinator of Evaluation, at nvm@gatewaytocollege.org.
July 23-25, 2012: Peer Learning Conference
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Gateway to College National Network is a recognized non-profit organization under IRS Section 501(c)(3) (Tax ID 32-0237828), so your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
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