12 January 2012

The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) announces seven communities will collectively receive $175,000 to support college access and success initiatives. The  collective impact grants are designed to help Michigan communities establish and strengthen local college access networks. Currently, MCAN supports 41 local networks across the state.

Collective Impact grant recipients:

• Brightmoor Career and College Access Network
  
• Montcalm Ionia College Access Network
• Muskegon Opportunity – Muskegon County
• Pontiac Promise
• Project ACE- Western Wayne County
• St. Clair County KnowHow2GO
• Sturgis SUCCESS

16 December 2011

Loss of Federal Dollars to Impact Michigan Students Wishing to Earn Degrees

December 16, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The leaders of a statewide organization helping to get more Michigan students to go to college and earn degrees today called on Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to preserve federal grant funding for college access work in Michigan.   Federal officials had earlier denied Michigan’s request for a waiver needed to maintain funding for the state’s College Access Challenge Grant, but a November 23^rd letter from Superintendent Mike Flanagan asked Secretary Duncan to reverse that decision.

“The same federal department that has praised our use of this grant is now prepared to take it away from Michigan, simply because the collapse of our manufacturing economy made cuts inevitable across out budget,” said Michigan College Access Network Executive Director Brandy Johnson.  “If Secretary Duncan puts what’s best for students first, he’ll make sure Michigan’s grant is restored.”

Since 2008, officials at the US Department of Education have applauded Michigan’s catalytic use of these federal funds.  MCAN, Michigan Department of Education, and other partners have leveraged the grant to secure millions of additional matching funds from The Kresge Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and more than a dozen local community foundations.  MCAN has used the grant to provide seed funding to 43 “local college access networks” which are community-based collaboratives committed to a coordinated strategy laser-focused on dramatically increasing their local college-going and college-completion rates.  In addition, funding from the federal grant has allowed Michigan to hire 32 full-time recent UM and MSU graduates who serve as college advisers in 40 high need high schools throughout the state.  MDE is using the funds to strengthen the efforts of 10 communities working to establish place-based universal scholarship programs inspired by The Kalamazoo Promise.  MCAN has also awarded sub-grants to Michigan community colleges committed to employing innovative strategies to ensure students leave their doors with a degree or postsecondary credential in hand.

Board members of MCAN say without Duncan’s action, college access work will be cut back in more than 40 Michigan communities in the weeks ahead.   The MCAN Board statement came on the heels of an announcement by the US Education Department that Michigan had for the third time been rejected for funding through the Department’s Race to the Top competition.  The College Access Challenge Grant, in contrast, is awarded to the states by formula.  Federal officials, however, have said they will revoke Michigan’s grant because they disagree with state spending decisions for 2010.

Federal statutes specifically grant the Education Secretary the ability to waive the “Maintenance of Effort” requirement of the CACG when the economic and fiscal conditions of the state warrant that action.  The budget in question in Michigan (FY 2010) was set in the immediate aftermath of the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler when General Fund Revenues declined by more than 18%.

“In order for Michigan to help President Obama and Secretary Duncan reach their goal of once again regaining our prominence as the most well educated country in the world, we need support from our partners in Washington,” said Johnson.  “Michigan’s exceptional and uncontrollable economic circumstances in late 2009 clearly warrant a waiver approval.”

MCAN’s Board emphasized that developing an educated workforce in Michigan will serve as the critical impetus to rebuilding and sustaining Michigan’s economic strength and the health of its communities.

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About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color.  In order to build and sustain a vibrant economy and strong communities based on a highly educated population, MCAN works to ensure everyone in Michigan has the opportunity to access and succeed in postsecondary education.   For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org.

Media Contact:
Brandy Johnson, Executive Director
517-316-1713 office
313-454-1387 cell
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20 October 2011

 

October 19, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) announces eleven communities will collectively receive $282,000 to support college access and success initiatives. The planning, startup, and collective impact grants are designed to help Michigan communities establish and strengthen local college access networks. Currently, MCAN supports 41 local networks across the state.

These local college access networks will coordinate programs, services and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and first-generation students and students of color, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.  In each community, leaders in education, the nonprofit sector, business, government and philanthropy will work together to design a local strategy to foster a college-going culture and dramatically increase the college participation and completion rates.

Four communities were awarded $8,000 planning grants to convene a leadership team to explore the community’s current college access needs. They will then design a plan to build a college-going culture and deliver a comprehensive set of college access services.  Three communities were awarded a $50,000 startup grant to begin implementation of its college access strategy. Four communities were awarded a $25,000 collective impact grant to support community-based local college access networks that are coordinating individuals from broad cross-sector entities within their community to affect larger-scale social change.

Planning grant recipients:

• Allegan County College Access Network
• Huron Valley College Access Network - serving Commerce, Highland, Milford, White Lake Townships, Milford Village
• Lenawee County College Access Network
• Marquette Alger College Access Network – serving Marquette and Alger Counties

Startup grant recipients:

• Barry County College Access Network
• Keweenaw College Access Network – serving Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw Counties
• Lansing College Access Network

Collective Impact grant recipients:

• Montcalm Ionia College Access Network
• Muskegon Opportunity – Muskegon County
• St. Clair County KnowHow2GO
• Sturgis SUCCESS

 

"These local college access networks play a critical role in helping build and sustain a vibrant economy in Michigan," said Brandy Johnson, executive director of the Michigan College Access Network. "By developing a cross-sector alliance, the community works together in identifying current assets and gaps to ensure they are building a strong and highly successful college access strategy."

Currently, 35.6 percent of Michigan’s 25 to 64 year olds possess at least an associate’s degree, ranking Michigan 33^rd among all states. Michigan’s rate lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025.

Funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Access Challenge Grant made this round of MCAN grants possible. The next round of grants will be awarded in March 2012.

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About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college students, and students of color.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).

For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

11 October 2011

Kresge Foundation Awards $1.2 Million to Encourage Michigan
Community Foundations to Expand Local College Access
Partnerships

(Grand Haven, MI – October 10, 2011) With an additional investment of $1.2 million from The Kresge Foundation, the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) will continue the highly successful Community Foundation Challenge Grant initiative that encourages Michigan community foundations to expand, enhance, strengthen and sustain their local college access partnerships.

The Kresge Foundation and CMF believe that community foundations are ideal candidates to support local college access programs because of their long-standing support of college scholarships, their leadership and commitment to local college access efforts, and their position as vital leaders in Michigan communities. The purpose of the Community Foundation Challenge Grant initiative is to leverage local private investment to engage and sustain college access partnerships, thereby increasing the college-going rate and culture in Michigan.

“The Kresge Challenge worked!”
The first round of Community Foundation Challenge Grants, completed in August 2011 with $500,000 in Kresge support to 13 Michigan community foundations, leveraged $890,060 in local funding, far exceeding the 1:1 match requirements. It also encouraged the establishment of $483,566 of permanently endowed funds at Michigan community foundations to support local college access activities and programs in perpetuity.

With this latest $1.2 million Kresge investment , CMF will enhance the initiative statewide, reaching additional Michigan community foundations and supporting a learning community with toolkits, networking opportunities, youth grantmaking incentives and second-tier funding to strengthen the sustainability of the local partnerships. The Kresge Community Foundation Challenge works in tandem with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), whose mission is to dramatically increase college participation and completion rates, particularly among Michigan’s low-income and/or first generation students. MCAN’s goal is to increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees or high-quality credentials to 60% by the year 2025.

"CMF is excited to build on the momentum and incredible success of the Kresge Foundation’s partnership with Michigan community foundations." said Donnell S. Mersereau, CMF vice president of community foundations. "New local college access networks are in startup stages in communities all over Michigan and community foundations are eager to leverage their collective strength to build college attainment in their own backyards, and across the state."

“Kresge is thrilled that so many community foundations throughout Michigan are playing a leadership role in local college access efforts. By funding a second round of challenge grants, we hope to encourage even more community foundations to become engaged partners, attract new donors, and build local endowments to fund future college access efforts,” said Caroline Altman Smith, Kresge’s Program Officer for Education. “Our state is making great strides in building a college-going culture, but we still have a long way to go.”

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The Kresge Foundation is a $2.9 billion private, national foundation that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Fostering greater access to and success in post-secondary education for lowincome, minority and first- generation college students is the focus of Kresge’s Education grantmaking. In 2010, Kresge awarded more than $23 million in grants to support higher education in the United States and South Africa, including approximately $2 million in Michigan. For more information, please visit www.kresge.org.

Founded in 1972, the Council of Michigan Foundations is nonprofit membership association of more than 350 foundations and corporate giving programs working together to strengthen, promote and increase philanthropy in Michigan. Learn more at www.michiganfoundations.org.

Official Press Release - click here

Contacts:
Cynthia Shaw, Director of Communications
The Kresge Foundation
248-643-9630
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Donnell S. Mersereau, Vice President
Council of Michigan Foundations
616-850-2132
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09 September 2011

September 9, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is pleased to announce the Kalamazoo Area College Access Network (KACAN) has received a $50,000 Startup grant to begin implementation of its college access strategy. 

Local college access networks coordinate programs, services and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and/or first-generation, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.  Leaders in education, the nonprofit sector, business, government and philanthropy work together to design a local strategy to foster a college-going culture and dramatically increase the college participation and completion rates.

By working across Kalamazoo County’s nine school districts, KACAN will help to shift the college-access discussion to a more comprehensive effort made throughout Kalamazoo County and position it to be more economically competitive in the decades ahead.  According to Jason Luke, Education for Employment/Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency Counselor, “KACAN will assist many of our local young people in obtaining the higher education needed to begin their careers.” Each of the county’s nine schools districts and Kalamazoo RESA, as well numerous community agencies have shared the necessary funding for KACAN to begin. The local agencies that have contributed thus far are the City of Kalamazoo, Greater Kalamazoo United Way, Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Kresge, Upjohn Institute, and Western Michigan University.  

Kalamazoo Area CAN’s mission is to dramatically increase college awareness and access among students in Kalamazoo County, with an emphasis on low-income and first generation college-goers. KACAN will coordinate and support county-wide college awareness and career preparation activities to facilitate an engaged community that supports college access for all students.

“Local college access networks play a critical role in helping build and sustain a vibrant economy in Michigan,” said Brandy Johnson, director of the Michigan College Access Network. “By developing a local network, the community works together in identifying current assets and gaps to ensure they are building a strong and highly successful college access strategy.”

Currently, 35.6 percent of Michigan’s 25 to 64 year olds possess at least an associate’s degree, ranking Michigan 33^rd among all states. Michigan’s rate lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025.

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income and first-generation college students of all ages.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).  

For more local KACAN information, contact Jason Luke at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

29 August 2011

August10, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is pleased to announce Jackson Community College (JCC), Lake Michigan College (LMC), and North Central Michigan College (NCMC) have each received a College Completion Innovation Grant to scale and institutionalize current interventions that support student success.

The College Completion Innovation Grant is a three-year grant program that supports current Achieving the Dream community colleges in Michigan that have identified interventions through data collection and analysis that support student success.  Each community college will each receive $150,000 over a three-year period.

Grant recipients were asked to identify at least one research-proven student success intervention to bring to scale and/or institutionalize.  Jackson Community College will use its grant funding to scale up Supplemental Instruction, an academic assistance program that utilizes peer-assisted study sessions.  JCC plans to expand Supplemental Instruction by adding other high-risk courses and by adding built-in mandatory in-class Supplemental Instruction to some math sections.

Lake Michigan College will use its grant funding to scale up and institutionalize its New Student Advising initiative through the addition of services including new student orientation, faculty training for advising, and enhanced career planning and transfer services. This initiative is expected to significantly increase student persistence, degree completion, and successful post-graduation outcomes, both for students going on for baccalaureate degrees and for those entering the workforce.

North Central Michigan College will use its grant funding to scale up its First Year Experience (Student Success) course to all students whose test results indicate a need for developmental work in English or Math, and to students in area high schools, through the CharEm College Access Alliance, who want to prepare for the challenges of a college experience prior to enrollment at a college or university..

“Providing support initiatives for students, particularly low-income and first-generation students as they prepare for and enter college, is critical to ensuring their success in earning a credential or degree,” said Brandy Johnson, executive director of the Michigan College Access Network. 

Currently, 35.6 percent of Michigan’s 25 to 64 year olds possess at least an associate’s degree, ranking Michigan 33^rd among all states. Michigan’s rate lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025.

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income and first-generation college students of all ages.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).  

For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

About Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count

Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count is a multi-year national initiative to improve student success at community colleges. Seventeen of Michigan’s twenty-eight community colleges participate in the Achieving the Dream Initiative. For more information, visit www.achievingthedream.org.

04 August 2011

August 4, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network(MCAN) is pleased to announce the Greater Albion College Access Network has received a $50,000 Startup grant to begin implementation of its college access strategy. 

Local college access networks coordinate programs, services and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and/or first-generation, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.  Leaders in education, the nonprofit sector, business, government and philanthropy work together to design a local strategy to foster a college-going culture and dramatically increase the college participation and completion rates.

“This grant is a huge boost to our efforts to improve college access in our community. The funding will help network partners develop a variety of support systems and programs to ensure students and adult learners succeed,” stated Elizabeth Schultheiss, executive director of the Albion Community Foundation.

Greater Albion CAN will serve the greater Albion area, with a focus on the boundaries of the Albion Public School District. It is the Greater Albion CAN’s goal to increase the college participation and completion rate for greater Albion area residents, particularly among low-income and/or first-generation college students of all ages, by providing a comprehensive continuum of college preparation, access and awareness services.

“Local college access networks play a critical role in helping build and sustain a vibrant economy in Michigan,” said Brandy Johnson, director of the Michigan College Access Network. “By developing a local network, the community works together in identifying current assets and gaps to ensure they are building a strong and highly successful college access strategy.”

Currently, 35.6 percent of Michigan’s 25 to 64 year olds possess at least an associate’s degree, ranking Michigan 33^rd among all states. Michigan’s rate lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025.

MCAN supports the creation, expansion and sustainability of 37 local college access networks. Funding from The Kresge Foundation and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education made this round of grants possible. The next round of grants will be awarded in September 2011.

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About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income and first-generation college students of all ages.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).  

For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

04 August 2011

 

August 1, 2011 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is pleased to announce the Tri-Cities College Access Network has received a $50,000 startup grant to begin implementation of its college access strategy. 

Local college access networks coordinate programs, services and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and/or first-generation, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.  Leaders in education, the nonprofit sector, business, government and philanthropy work together to design a local strategy to foster a college-going culture and dramatically increase the college participation and completion rates.

“We are just thrilled to have been selected for this Start-Up grant,” said Ann Tabor, President of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. “Over the past nine months, dozens of people have been meeting to outline plans and programs that can be put in place for students of all ages – from preschoolers to adult learners. We are all ready to get these programs started in our community and begin changing those numbers.”

The Tri-Cities College Access Network is a comprehensive community effort to address the issue of growing poverty in the community by increasing both the number of young people and adults in the community who choose post-secondary education as a required part of their lives and who are prepared to succeed in earning a post-secondary degree or valuable credential.  Currently in Ottawa County, only 27% of residents have a B.A. degree.

“The MCAN grant review team thought the Tri-Cities Network had a well-crafted implementation plan with realistic timelines and strategies, along with strong support from the community and the local schools,” said Brandy Johnson, director of the Michigan College Access Network. “We were especially pleased to see the range of programming for students from Pre-K to adults returning to school.”

Currently, 35.6 percent of Michigan’s 25 to 64 year olds possess at least an associate’s degree, ranking Michigan 33^rd among all states. Michigan’s rate lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025.

MCAN supports the creation, expansion and sustainability of 37 local college access networks. Funding from The Kresge Foundation and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education made this round of grants possible. The next round of grants will be awarded in September 2011.

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About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income and first-generation college students of all ages.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).  

For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.