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COLLEGE SUCCESS

43% of college students are first-gen, but only 34% of these students are graduating. How can more students earn degrees?

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Crimsonbridge invests in innovative practices, programs, and research that support learners pursuing associate and bachelor's degrees and preparing for meaningful careers. Critical services like advising, basic needs support, community connections, and career development are foundational to student success. With a strategic focus on high-impact, underinvested areas, philanthropy has a unique opportunity to partner with colleges, nonprofits, and high school networks to address the challenges of today's college students.  

Watch this short video to learn more about The College Completion Gap: An Action Guide for Philanthropy!

CREATING MORE FIRST-GEN COLLEGE GRADUATES

This work is building the capacity of the higher education ecosystem to serve communities and shape generations, creating more learners who can earn a degree and thrive in their careers and in life. Through grantmaking and engagement with local and national partners, Crimsonbridge is focused on these strategic priorities:  

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  1. Increase degrees for first-generation students and learners underrepresented in higher education.  

  2. Identify and elevate innovations and research that provide solutions to barriers that today’s college students face.  

  3. Collaborate with philanthropy to raise awareness about high-impact opportunities that support college success.

Nonprofits

High Schools

Community Colleges and Universities

Research 

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Nonprofits

Local and national nonprofits have a long history of working with institutions of higher education and communities to support students through college milestones, improve services and pathways, and identify and build innovations. Crimsonbridge investments have supported:  

 

  • The College Completion Colleagues (C3) Initiative, launched with the Scheidel Foundation and Spark the Journey, College Success Foundation=DC, Generation Hope, New Futures, CollegeTracks, and Collegiate Directions.

  • Wellness Program expansion and the development of a professional development Learning Academy (Collegiate Directions).

  • FamilyU, a national training cohort of colleges working to advance parenting student success (Generation Hope).

  • Modernization of the scholar application process (New Futures).

  • Development of a national Basic Needs Data Dashboard for colleges to assess students’ basic needs and improve offerings (Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice)  

Nonprofits

Across the nation, high school districts and networks are investing resources and staff time to support their high school alumni enrolled in colleges and universities. Crimsonbridge investments have supported:  

  

  • Development of a GradForce platform for alumni advising and services for graduates of 33+ Cristo Rey high schools.

  • Trauma-informed professional development series for counselors and mental health programming for KIPP high school alumni.

  • Expansion of a near-peer remote advising pilot for KIPP high school alumni in college  

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High Schools

High Schools
Community Collegs and Universities
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Community Colleges 

& Universities

Institutions of higher education shape communities and play a critical role in creating the infrastructure, support services, and partnerships for college success. Crimsonbridge investments have supported:  

 

  • Added communications capacity, advisory board engagement, and technical assistance to support first-generation student success in the Georgetown Scholars Program (Georgetown University).

  • Launch and development of the Take Flight program for first-generation college students and an Assistant Director (Catholic University of America).

  • Development of materials and Navigator for English language programs (Prince George’s Community College).

  • Instructional coaches training and train-the-trainer series for the Achieving the Promise Academy, serving 12,000+ undergraduates (Montgomery College).

  • Development of National Community Vibrancy metrics and technical assistance for a pilot of 15 community colleges in the 300+ community college member network (Achieving the Dream)

Institutions and organizations rely on research to advocate for and make data-informed decisions about improving student success. Crimsonbridge has invested in research to fill gaps in knowledge at both the state and national levels. Crimsonbridge investments have supported: 

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  • Creation of The College Completion Gap: An Action Guide for Philanthropy in 2023 with recommendations for individual donors and foundations.

  • Fact sheets, issue brief, and higher education guidance on career outcomes for first-generation college graduates (NASPA’s Center for First-generation Student Success).

  • National findings and fact sheets on Latino college student retention and completion for all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia (Excelencia in Education).

  • Postsecondary outcomes report on HSIs in California, Latino Academic Transfer and Institutional Degree Opportunities (LATIDO) project (MDRC) 

Competitive Analysis identifies and eval

Research

Research

COLLEGE SUCCESS PARTNERS

IMPACT

53,000

parenting students supported through local partner's technical assistance and coaching to 11 colleges from 2021-2023

665

Local college students received wraparound support, campus and community connections, and access to emergency aid from two university partners

70%+

of college students served by local nonprofit partners are the first in their family to earn a degree

RESOURCES FOR NONPROFITS, POLICYMAKERS, AND FUNDERS

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT COLLEGE COMPLETION 

AND PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

Crimsonbridge believes in the power of education technology to scale promising practices for student success. The growing use of artificial intelligence and advanced technology helps schools and organizations build an equitable future for students that removes graduation barriers and makes important relationships more accessible. As nonprofits and colleges continue to adapt to serve their students better, solutions must be scalable and focus on equity. These innovations have ushered in changes in teaching and learning, more integrated support services, and new avenues for connection-building and community engagement. Crimsonbridge's past investments in this area include support for the Cristo Rey Network's new advising platform for their high school alumni enrolled at 50+ partner universities and consultancy on the development of Georgetown University’s Georgetown Scholars Program platform for first-generation college students.

“The College Completion Gap: An Action Guide for Philanthropy is an invaluable tool for higher education practitioners. By articulating the four main challenges to student success and shedding light on the existing solutions, we have a tool that supports our efforts to secure resources that fund our work. It also serves as an instrument to advocate for the needs of our students in our institutions.”

Javier Bustamante

Director, Center for Cultural Engagement, The Catholic University of America

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