Brand-Building at Community Colleges
In an age of information overload, how do you tell the story of who your college is to students and your community? How do you take charge of your own narrative and showcase all that your college has to offer?
Featured Resources
Some highlights of Lumina's work
We're sharing tools and takeaways from our efforts to create a better-educated nation.
The Great Admissions Redesign
Lumina Foundation is seeking to work with states, higher education systems, and groups of colleges and universities ready to transform how potential students apply, enroll, and access their institutions.
A Stronger Nation
We're tracking America's progress toward the nation's 60% attainment goal.
Community College Challenge
The Million Dollar Community College Challenge team is shining a spotlight on the great work of community colleges around the country.
REACH Collaborative
We're supporting community colleges in six states to create short-term credential-to-degree pathways for adults who are Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Native American.
Changing the Narrative on Student Borrowers of Color
A collection of essays from student loan experts sets the record straight on borrowing among students of color.
Community Grants
Our community grants portfolio supports local organizations in our hometown of Indianapolis and around central Indiana.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Hear stories about how HBCU's help students thrive.
Tuition Reimbursement
Meet a few of the workers and employers participating in tuition reimbursement programs.
Lumina Impact Ventures
Lumina Impact Ventures is the Foundation's impact investing arm partnering with mission-aligned social enterprises.
Local Talent Handbook
A guide for local leaders to build talent pool in their communities.
I Want That Job!
A series from WorkingNation on promising career paths for early career workers
History of Federal Student Aid
A film series documenting the policy and the political origins of federal financial aid programs
Beyond Financial Aid
How colleges can strengthen students’ financial stability, leading to higher completion rates
Degree Qualification Profile
A learning-centered framework for what college graduates should know and be able to do to earn the associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree.
More Than Just Food
Nov. 12, 2026
Not having enough food can make it harder to stay in college and finish a degree. Surveys of participating colleges suggest that roughly four in ten students experience food insecurity.
FutureReady Profile on Alabama
Nov. 10, 2026
Alabama is working to make the skills people gain in school, on the job, and through military service count toward better career opportunities.
From Application to Enrollment
Nov. 9, 2026
Direct admissions can make college easier to enter, but an early offer helps most when students also face fewer application steps and costs.
Expanding Possibilities
Nov. 9, 2026
Direct admissions can help students discover colleges they had overlooked and feel more confident that their college plans are within reach.
Turning Opportunity into Action
Nov. 5, 2026
A direct admissions offer can open a door to college only if students notice it, understand it, and know what to do next.
P-TECH in Texas
Nov. 5, 2026
Texas students in P-TECH programs were more likely than classmates outside the programs to finish high school, enroll in college, and earn a college credential.
What Drives Censorship on College Campuses?
Oct. 28, 2026
Campus conversations can give a misleading picture of what students believe when those with moderate views are less willing to speak up.
Affordable only on a good day
Oct. 27, 2026
The way policymakers define college affordability differs from how students and families actually experience it.
Unlocking Student Success
Oct. 21, 2026
Getting into college is only the beginning: Students also need the academic guidance, financial stability, and everyday support that make finishing possible.
Redesigning Time to Degree
Oct. 14, 2026
A three-year bachelor's degree should offer a shorter path to a full education, not simply remove a year's worth of learning.
Catalyzing Growth Through Human Connection
Oct. 7, 2026
Personal coaching can help students turn educational goals into manageable steps while giving colleges a clearer view of the obstacles that interrupt progress.
Driving Toward a Degree 2026
Oct. 5, 2026
Colleges face growing pressure to help students finish their degrees and prepare for careers, even as advisors juggle heavy caseloads and tight budgets.
Building Collective Prosperity
Sept. 29, 2026
Immigrants help sustain the Philadelphia region's economy as workers, business owners, homeowners, consumers, and neighbors.
Degrees of Value
Sept. 24, 2026
For adults returning to college, a degree's value includes better job opportunities, greater confidence, and a different future for their families, alongside the money and time it takes to finish.
Who is likely to benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit?
Sept. 23, 2026
A new federal tax credit for education donations could widen funding gaps between wealthy and low-income communities.
High Cohort Default Rates May Be Looming. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Sept. 22, 2026
Colleges may soon face renewed pressure to prevent student-loan defaults.
Beyond job readiness
Sept. 21, 2026
A college credential should prepare people to do good work, not simply help them get hired or earn a higher salary.
Knowing what to do is only the beginning
Sept. 21, 2026
What does it mean to do good work when the consequences may directly affect another person's health, safety, dignity, or life? When we spoke with healthcare students and employers as part of our Good Work Value Alignment Study, participants universally valued expertise: healthcare professionals need deep knowledge and technical competence. But no one described good…
From Goals to Graduation to Post-Completion Success
Sept. 14, 2026
Community college students need more than a list of required courses: They need a realistic plan connecting their interests, daily responsibilities, and career goals to graduation.
A Case Study of the Better Builder Program in Texas
Sept. 14, 2026
Better construction jobs require more than promises of fair pay and safe conditions: Someone must check that those promises reach workers on the job site.