Connect2Success lands large private grant

January 29, 2009

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has awarded a two-year, $125,000 grant to support a wide-ranging initiative aimed at jump-starting the lives of those who have not completed high school.

Known as Connect2Success, the initiative taps organizations across Greater Cincinnati.

Their ambition: do whatever it takes to convince dropouts to go back to school and ultimately find a job that pays a sustainable wage.

To that end, the Connect2Success coalition has developed programs that allow students to go back to traditional or charter high schools, participate in credit recovery programs or obtain GEDs through partner institutions. Another phase of the initiative provides for post-secondary education at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and other institutions.

Connect2Success organizers are also raising money to provide life skill and job readiness training, subsidize day care, promote cooperative education opportunities and identify job options for those who require an income while completing the program.

In addition to Cincinnati State and Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates, the organizations coordinating the program, more than 25 other institutions and agencies are participating in Connect2Success. The list includes Cincinnati Public Schools’ ABLE and GED programs, the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Dohn Community School, Great Oaks, Job Corps, the Lower Price Hill Community School, the University of Cincinnati Center of Education, the Urban Appalachian Council, the Greater Cincinnati Urban League and the YWCA.  Connect2Success has received stage one endorsement from Strive, a program of the KnowledgeWorks foundation.

Connect2Success is changing lives for area young people.

“I used to hate to go to school; now I can’t wait to get there every day,’’ said Aisha Briggerman, 18, a College Hill resident who is participating in the program.  “I love to get up in the morning.”

Hamilton County Commissioners and the state of Ohio have already lined up more than $500,000 in public funding to support the initiative.

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation grant includes $12,500 from the Williamson Company Foundation Fund, $4,400 from the Miriam C. Sams and Howard L. Sams Charitable Fund and $2,800 from the Eleanor D. and Erik G. Nelson Fund. The foundation stipulated that $75,000 be paid the first year, $50,000 the second.

About the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Since 1963 the Greater Cincinnati Foundation has empowered donors to make a profound difference in the quality of human and community life in eight counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The foundation makes grants in six key areas: arts and culture, community and economic development, education, environmental health, and human services.

About Cincinnati State

Cincinnati State offers more than 75 associate degree and 40 certificate programs at campuses in Clifton, Evendale and the Cincinnati West Airport in Harrison, Ohio. Courses include health, business, engineering and information technologies, culinary arts, renewable energy and public safety, along with arts and humanities. About 8,580 students were enrolled in the late fall 2008 term; last year 14,000 separate students participated in credit and non-credit classes.

Cincinnati State has a 93% placement rate within three months of graduation, and its students have a 91% pass rate on required licensing and registry exams. It has the largest co-op program among two-year colleges in the U.S. 

About Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates

Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates (JCG), a non-profit organization, was created in 1982 by the Cincinnati business community.  JCG’s vision is to lead every student to graduation, a successful career, and life-long learning. The mission of JCG is to help high school students and dropouts graduate and make a successful transition from school to career. JCG accomplishes its mission by focusing on the social and work skills that are required for success in school and career. JCG is affiliated with a state organization, Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates, and a national organization, Jobs for America’s Graduates.