Advancing Innovation in Work and Learning | AUG. 12, 2021
Strada Interim CEO Tom Dawson shared a story Wednesday that crystalizes how much the realm of education philanthropy has changed — and how quickly that change happened.
A little more than a decade ago, Dawson worked for a foundation when it engaged in its first “program-related investment” — the funding of a program with demonstrated success meeting a need the foundation wanted to address. “We thought, oh, my goodness, this is so revolutionary and innovative,” Dawson recalled. “There were so few foundations that did them.”
Today new models of education philanthropy have shifted toward the kind of investments that seemed so novel just a few years ago, from acquisitions to venture investments in for-profit companies to programmatic grants, a trend Dawson and other education philanthropy leaders discussed Wednesday in a panel at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego.
The leaders shared how traditional categories of grant-giving and impact-investing are changing — and what brought on the shift. And they outlined three ways they approach education philanthropy to ensure their work is relevant and meeting modern needs:
Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate. More than ever, education philanthropies are working with like-minded organizations to maximize impact.
Seek out solutions that are effective, scalable, and equitable.The challenge is in identifying and investing in solutions that have potential in all three areas.
Embrace philanthropy’s role in creating solutions government can’t — and taking risks businesses won’t. “There needs to be a certain amount of risk and innovation,” Dawson said. “If our sector doesn’t do it, no one else will. The private sector will — but they don’t share our goals and motivations.”
VOTE NOW FOR SXSW PANELS Starting this week, you can peruse the proposals for sessions at SXSW EDU 2022 — and vote for the panels and presentations that offer the mind-opening insights the education community has come to expect from SXSW EDU. The conference will take place in March 2022 both in person in Austin, Texas, and virtually. Strada has proposed three sessions for you to consider:
“Pathways to Impact: New Approaches for Funders,” where Interim CEO Tom Dawson and leaders of other social impact organizations will explore the approaches of mission-oriented funders.
In “Pandemic Perspectives: Student Views on Higher Ed,” Strada’s Dave Clayton, Excelencia’s Deborah Santiago, and Western Governors University’s Michael Morris will unpack what the data say about the promises and perils of higher education in a post-COVID world as seen through the eyes of students.
CAEL and the Energy Providers Coalition for Education will team up in “Energy Workforce: The Future Power Source” to discuss how partnerships between educators and employers develop future-ready employees. Energy employers will describe how a 20-year partnership with postsecondary education providers creates access to quality online education, helps manage internal talent pipelines, and retains employees who respond to changes in the industry.
WHERE THE ROADTRIP BEGAN
Roadtrip Nation President Mike Marriner joins Dustin Liu, United Nations Youth Observer for the United Nations Association-USA, for a conversation on the Changemaker Compass podcast. Listen on Spotify, Google podcasts, or Apple Podcasts. The two discuss Marriner's work at Strada affiliate Roadtrip Nation, where he leads the creation and distribution of best-in-class career exploration content, products, and experiences to help individuals pursue fulfilling careers based on what’s important to them. In the podcast, they discuss Marriner's personal career journey, which began after college graduation when he and two college friends traveled the country in a green RV to interview leaders about how they got to where they are.
HOW ONE SCHOOL BROADENED CPL
Awarding credit for prior learning helps students complete degrees while saving time and money. National Louis University students are enjoying increased access to credit for prior learning as the university broadens its processes of equitably validating experiential knowledge. In a post on the CAEL blog, Tracy A. Costello, assistant director of prior learning at NLU, writes that "students now have the means to acquire major course credit and graduate level course credit through the acknowledgment and recognition of the learning that comes from their professional and work-related experiences." Like many postsecodary institutions, NLU has offered CPL options since the 1970s. But CPL credit was limited to elective and general education credits, and the new efforts allow students to use CPL to fulfill their major requirements and some graduate-level programs.
COACHES TO TURN TO IN CRISIS
The need was both great and immediate: students in crisis looking for help to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges so they could continue their education — challenges that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Through a grant from ECMC Foundation and Strada, InsideTrack implemented the On-Demand Coaching Network, a way to help students facing challenging situations get the support they needed so they could continue their higher ed journey. Some were dealing with job loss, difficulty in finding childcare, family medical issues, or feelings of being ovewhelmed by the additional responsibilities brought on by COVID-19. By the end of 2021, more than 900 students at 20 participating institutions will have turned to coaches.
Lessons Earned
In our podcast, we explore bold ideas to help Americans navigate between learning and earning throughout their lives.
.jpg?upscale=true&width=1200&upscale=true&name=story17-email%20(1).jpg)
