Giving Compass' Take:

• A new report from Aspen College Excellence Program’s American Talent Initiative and College Greenlight illustrates how college access and success community-based organizations (CBOs) can be instrumental partners in this effort. 

• How can donors work with colleges and CBOs to embark on this essential work together? How can funders help to improve, expand, and/or start programs informed by this research? 

• Here's how jobless college students are helping their community by mentoring young people. 

Amid unprecedented times in higher education, colleges and universities across the country must reimagine the ways in which they engage, and build relationships, with the tens of thousands of talented students that could thrive at their institutions—but lack the supports, guidance, and advising needed to realize their potential.

A new report from Aspen College Excellence Program’s American Talent Initiative and College Greenlight highlights the proven impact of CBOs on expanding postsecondary access and opportunity and also includes:

  • A three-stage partnership development framework rooted in insights from admissions staff at colleges across the country and an assortment of national CBOs;
  • Actionable recommendations and examples in practice; and
  • In-depth case studies of how the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and University of Richmond developed and scaled CBO partnership strategies to serve more students from underserved communities across America.

Read the full article about the benefits of college and CBO partnerships by the team at The Aspen Institute.