Ascendium Education Philanthropy Grantmaking
Ascendium Education Philanthropy funds evidence-based research and innovative solutions to help low-income learners succeed in postsecondary education and workforce training.
Funder: Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2026 (general grant application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Typically varies; Ascendium invests over $100 million annually across its grantmaking portfolio. Individual award sizes and durations are determined by project scope.
Summary: Supports innovative, evidence-based solutions to help low-income learners succeed in postsecondary education and workforce training.
Key Information: Most opportunities are invitation-only; unsolicited proposals are not typically accepted.
Description
Ascendium Education Philanthropy funds initiatives that expand opportunities and support success for low-income learners in postsecondary education and workforce training. The program emphasizes innovative solutions, promising practices, and evidence-based models that address systemic barriers, with a particular focus on race, rurality, and incarceration. Grants are awarded to organizations whose work aligns with Ascendium’s core strategies: expanding opportunity, supporting learner success, and connecting and aligning education and workforce systems. Funded projects are expected to generate proof points, scale effective solutions, build organizational capacity, improve data systems, and share learnings to inform the broader field.
