Bridges to Brighter Futures aims to bridge the gap between Black, Latine, and low-income postsecondary students and good jobs that offer long-term economic security, by providing grants to organizations that address the challenges students are facing.
Each student is on a different path to a good career and to economic security.
Bridges to Brighter Futures is a funding initiative based in Chicago.
We support programs and institutions that propel students through postsecondary pathways that incur limited debt and lead to careers that provide living wages and advancement to economic wealth. These include effective workforce development and community college programs, including community college transfer to Bachelor’s degree completion.
Our Strategy
Bridges to Brighter Futures invests in organizations working in Chicago that support Black, Latine, and low-income students. We advance different strategies in these efforts including:
- Supporting students who have already earned a High School diploma or GED
- Supporting students to complete Associate’s degrees and transfer to Bachelor’s degree programs
- Eliminating barriers for students on transfer pathways so as to minimize time to degree and maximize credit transfer
- Supporting students through valuable workforce training and into living wage jobs, including alumni services for graduates
- Providing barrier reduction funding for students, so that students can complete degrees and advance in careers
- Conducting research on affordable postsecondary career pathways or convening stakeholders, including researchers, academic institutions, and employers
Why Bridges?
Our Community
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Examining and Working for Equity in Postsecondary Education
In 2023, we held a series of convenings of our grantees to examine the opportunities and challenges in supporting Chicago students. We collected our findings and recommendations into a report, Examining and Working for Equity in Postsecondary Education.
