Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: College Now Greater Cleveland
Legal Name (if Different): College Now Greater Cleveland
Also Known As: Formerly Cleveland Scholarship Program
Mailing Address: 50 Public Sq., Ste. 1800
City: Cleveland
State: OH
Postal Code: 44113
Main Phone: 216-241-5587
Main Fax: 216-241-6184
Organization Website: www.collegenowgc.org
Employer ID Number: 34-6580096
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3) – Exempt

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 03/29/18
Requested Amount: $7,500.00

Project Title: Postsecondary Initiative (PSI)
Project Description:

College Now is the nation’s first and Ohio’s largest college access organization, celebrating 50 years of service this year. Our mission is to increase postsecondary educational attainment in Greater Cleveland through college and career access advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services.

Our Postsecondary Initiative (PSI) combines best-in-practice, school-based and community-based services that help students from low-income backgrounds gain access to and complete college.

As a result of our school-based college and career access advising services that help students achieve college-going milestones, students matriculate to college at an average 60% rate. Nationwide, just 52% of students from high poverty high schools enrolled in college in 2017 upon high school graduation (National Student Clearinghouse, or NSC, 2017).

In total for the 2016-17 academic year, we awarded $2.3 million in 1,100 4-year renewable scholarship awards to traditional students with high financial need and academic merit. Separate from this scholarship support, students garnered another $24.3 million in financial support (grants, scholarships, student financial aid) thanks to our student financial aid counseling services that help students locate, apply for, secure and maximize aid.

Awardees graduated from college in 2017 at 72% (NSC, 2017), a rate significantly higher than the national rate among students with federal Pell Grants (42%) (National College Access Network, 2017).

This high graduation rate can be attributed largely to the ongoing financial support afforded by our renewable scholarships and to our retention services, which includes our Mentoring Program. Launched in 2011-2012, our innovative online Mentoring Program has exceeded our expectations; we are nearing our ambitious 80% graduation rate goal. Program participation is now a scholarship requirement. The program pairs each student with a personal, volunteer mentor as they transition from high school to college. Pairs commit to a minimum 4-year relationship and mentors hail from 400 local companies.

Total Project Budget: $5,167,000.00

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Foundations 34%; Government 34%; Corporations 15%; Individuals/Organizations 4%; Fee for Service 8%; and Events 5%. Please find historic and comprehensive funding sources in our annual reports online at: https://www.collegenowgc.org/about/reports-to-the-community/ Our most recent annual report has been emailed to: familyfoundation@hotmail.com.

Project Duration: 08/01/17-07/31/18
Geographical Area Served: Cuyahoga (emphasis on Cleveland), Lorain, Summit and Medina counties
Age Group To Be Served: Teens and Young Adults

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Kittie
Contact Last Name: Warshawsky
Contact Title: Chief External Affairs Officer
Contact Phone: 216-241-5587
Contact Email: kwarshawsky@collegenowgc.org