The ECMC Foundation is focused on improving higher education so that it is equitable and student-centered, with a lens toward career success. The scope of higher education includes credit-bearing career and technical education (CTE), and other two- and four-year postsecondary credentials. The Foundation focuses particularly on improving outcomes for underserved populations and is committed to evaluation and learning from our grantmaking and field expertise to drive evidence-based innovation in higher education.
The Foundation makes grants and investments that fit within one of the following three strategic priorities and are particularly interested in those proposals that focus on implementing systemic reforms to improve postsecondary outcomes for students from underserved backgrounds. The Foundation's strategic priorities represent a three-pronged approach to creating systemic change in higher education that includes creating immediate change by removing obstacles that stand in the way of learner success right now; equipping institutions and organizations to better serve learners; and evolving the postsecondary ecosystem over time to become more adaptive, resilient, and capable of delivering more equitable outcomes.
Strategic priorities:
Previous awardees can be found here: https://www.ecmcfoundation.org/grants/grants-investments
The following projects are generally not funded:
Eligibility for ECMC Foundation grant funding is determined by the criteria outlined below. In some instances (e.g., Request for Proposal) criteria may be added for specific grant opportunities.
Organizations eligible to receive funding:
Types of requests ineligible for funding:
Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) are accepted on a rolling basis via ECMC's online system. All LOIs must demonstrate how the project-based concept fits within one of their three strategic priorities to improve postsecondary persistence and degree completion. You can preview the form LOI template here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nAsp5XxYcGjqxXge3fOuvZATsziQtxoHc6fEkZL1BwM/edit
LOIs that most closely reflect ECMC Foundation's strategic priorities will be invited to submit a full grant proposal. Proposals are accepted upon request only.
Awards vary by project type and size. Awards range between $100k- $2million