MSIs can help Lumina reach its goal of higher college-success rates

Indianapolis — Lumina Foundation for Education is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for its Minority-Serving Institutions–Models of Success program.

Minority-serving institutions (MSIs) — specifically, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities — educate more than 2.3 million students, or about one-third of all American students of color. Lumina Foundation believes that MSIs play a critical role in achieving Lumina’s goal to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality, two- or four-year college degrees and credentials from 39 percent to 60 percent by 2025.

“Higher education is one of the driving forces to changing our economy for the better,” says Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina. “Clearly, minority-serving institutions already help meet a huge national need. As they consistently demonstrate, MSIs bring expertise to inform the policies and practices of all higher education institutions, especially in terms of how to provide an engaging and enriching environment for students of color.”

Lumina Foundation will partner with MSIs as well as with other funding organizations to elevate the presence and relevance of MSIs as an important and unique sector within higher education. Through the MSI–Models of Success program, Lumina Foundation aims to amplify the collective voice and national leadership of MSIs to improve institutional practice and develop policy to more effectively educate all students of color.

To assist in its efforts to dramatically increase the rates of college participation and success, especially among first-generation students, low-income students and students of color, Lumina seeks proposals that demonstrate a high potential to achieve the following outcomes:

• Improve the capacity of MSIs to collect, analyze and use data to inform decisions that promote student success.
• Create a collective voice for policy advocacy on behalf of MSIs.
• Strengthen policy and practice to improve developmental education.
• Increase MSIs’ commitment to transparency and effectiveness in improving student learning outcomes.
• Increase the postsecondary completion rates of traditionally underserved students, especially men of color.

Applications for the MSI–Models of Success program can be found online at: Minority-Serving Institutions–Models of Success.

Proposals must be completed and submitted (either in writing or via e-mail) by June 8, 2009. Incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Award recipients will be notified on or before Aug. 31, 2009.

Selected proposals will receive a maximum award of $500,000 over three years. Depending on the size and scope of the proposals, the program initially will fund eight to 10 projects.

“Increasing the proportion of the U.S. population from the current 39 percent who earn high-quality college degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025 will require collaborative approaches with stakeholders, innovative thinking and evidence-based decision-making,” says Merisotis. “It is Lumina’s belief that the work of the best MSIs holds great potential to help other MSIs and mainstream institutions improve their own student access and success efforts.”

For more information on the RFP process for the grant program, including the proposal application, supporting materials and a FAQs document, go to: Minority-Serving Institutions–Models of Success. In addition, all potential applicants are invited to participate in an informational Web conference scheduled for 3:30-5 p.m. (EST) on April 15, 2009. Please mark your calendar to participate in the conference and learn more about this grant opportunity. To register for the Webinar, please go to: luminafoundation.webex.com.

Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based private foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access to and success in education beyond high school. Through grants for research, innovation, communication and evaluation, as well as policy education and leadership development, Lumina Foundation addresses issues that affect access and educational attainment among all students, particularly underserved student groups such as minorities, first-generation college-goers, students from low-income families and working adults. 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 a society can make in its people. For more information, contact Dianna Boyce.