News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 06, 2004

Lumina Foundation continues multimillion-dollar grant program to improve college access

Sixteen organizations receive grants totaling more than $1 million

INDIANAPOLIS—Lumina Foundation for Education today announced 16 grants totaling $1,033,600 to support college-access programs for underserved students nationwide.

The grants are part of Lumina Foundation's McCabe Fund, which supports organizations that enable students—particularly first-generation college students, low-income students and students of color—to broaden and make the most of their opportunities in postsecondary education.

The McCabe Fund provides competitive grants for programs that work directly with students to improve access to postsecondary education. These programs expand successful models or propose new approaches that are ready to be tested in the field. The Foundation invited grant proposals from known organizations that work to help historically underserved youth gain access to college. To date the McCabe Fund has awarded grants totaling nearly $3.8 million.

"Programs supported by the McCabe Fund assist students who need extra help to make college possible," said Martha D. Lamkin, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. "Through the McCabe Fund, Lumina Foundation helps give a boost to students facing additional barriers—from providing information to parents on how to navigate the college enrollment process to providing college counseling to teen parents struggling to improve their situations, for example. This additional assistance can help students overcome their hurdles and achieve their dream of a postsecondary education."

The most recent McCabe Fund grant recipients are:

Action Center for College Educational Services and Scholarships (ACCESS) (Boston, MA): A $75,000 grant to expand to 1,000 sophomores, juniors and their parents a pre-college access program currently serving high school seniors.
Aid for College Opportunities (Springfield, OH): A $49,600 grant to expand pre-college awareness and access information to 5,000 first-generation high school students.
Calumet College of Saint Joseph (Whiting, IN): A $50,000 grant to provide pre-college awareness services to low-income, first-generation students through a summer bridge program.
Cathedral Trustees, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN): A $75,000 grant to help 22 low-income high school students obtain a rigorous college-preparatory education through the Starfish Initiative—a consortium of 10 private Marion County high schools.
Community Education Coalition of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation (Columbus, IN): A $75,000 grant to offer pre-college access programs to 200 ninth- and 10th-grade, first-generation students.
Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN): A $75,000 grant to expand the School to College Transition program to help 70 teen parents prepare for college.
Fulfillment Fund (Los Angeles, CA): A $75,000 grant to expand pre-college awareness and access information to 75 first-generation, African-American high school students.
Japanese Community Youth Council (San Francisco, CA): A $75,000 grant to offer pre-college access programs to an additional high school serving 250 first-generation Latino youth.
Lund Family Center, Inc. (Burlington, VT): A $47,200 grant to provide a high school college-preparatory curriculum and online college classes for pregnant teens and teens parents.
Marin Education Fund (San Rafael, CA): A $50,000 grant to increase higher education access for 50 low-income, first-generation students through mentoring and training.
National Heritage Foundation (Falls Church, VA): A $50,000 grant that will allow the Center Pole Foundation of Garryowen, Mt., to assist 100 Native American middle- and high school students gain access to postsecondary education.
Philadelphia Futures for Youth (Philadelphia, PA): A $50,000 grant to expand academic preparation and pre-college access for 60 low-income high school students.
Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO): A $63,200 grant to form school- parent- student partnerships that create pre-college action plans for middle school students.
The Regents of the University of California (Irvine, CA): A $73,600 grant to expand an existing pre-college access program for Latino middle- and high-school students and their families.
University of Portland (Portland, OR): A $75,000 grant to enhance a tutoring and mentoring program for 100 African-American male teens.
University of South Florida (Tampa, FL): A $75,000 grant to enhance educational programs for 150 first-generation Latino youth with a new component to increase access to postsecondary education.

The McCabe Fund is named for Lumina Foundation's founding chairman of the board, Edward A. McCabe. A distinguished leader in government, law, business and higher education for nearly half a century, McCabe has been deeply interested in making a college education possible for disadvantaged and underserved students.

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based, private, independent foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school. Through research, grants for innovative programs and communication initiatives, Lumina Foundation addresses issues surrounding financial access and educational retention and degree or certificate attainment—particularly among underserved student groups, including adult learners. The Foundation bases its mission on the belief that postsecondary education remains one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that society can make in its people.

For more information, contact David Powell at dpowell@luminafoundation.org or 317.951.5834.