Lumina Foundation Education grants

[From Philanthropy News Digest]

The Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation for Education has announced third-quarter grants totaling more than $25 million to organizations in twenty states and the District of Columbia working to enhance college access and success.

The grants will support efforts to prepare students academically, financially, and socially for success beyond high school; improve college completion rates; and increase higher education productivity and capacity to serve more students. Grant recipients include Washington, D.C.-based HCM Strategists, which was awarded more than $2.8 million to manage state contracts and coordinate technical support for Lumina's productivity initiative; the Education Trust, which received almost $1.8 million to support the next phase of the Access to Success initiative; and the Rutgers University Foundation, which received $799,700 to help adults finish their degrees online through a state workforce development system.

The foundation also awarded $800,000 to the American Association of Community Colleges to build on community college programs with proven success, $252,300 to the Brookings Institute to improve public-institution and state financial aid policies, and $800,000 to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation to strengthen the RAPID completion program.

"In striving to reach Lumina's Big Goal of increasing the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025, we've learned very quickly that Lumina is-and must be-more than just a grant making organization," said Jamie Merisotis, the foundation's president and CEO. "We increasingly recognize that, as an independent foundation pursuing a vital mission, we must also be a leadership organization."

For a complete list of third-quarter grants, visit the Lumina Foundation Web site.

“Lumina Foundation for Education Announces Third-Quarter Grants.” Lumina Foundation for Education Press Release 11/30/10.