Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners Initiative

The Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners Initiative aims to improve postsecondary success for adult learners. Achieving The Dream (ATD) and Jobs for the Future (JFF) developed the initiative to expand upon and enhance current policies and/or practices that states and institutions have designed and implemented specifically to improve outcomes for adult learners in community and technical colleges. We define adult learners as individuals who are 21+ years old and have not yet completed a postsecondary certification or degree. This initiative will include regular coaching, peer learning events, technical assistance, and funding to enable states and institutions to implement changes.

This initiative seeks to build upon the current financial incentives and supports offered in many adult-focused programs to implement more transformative policies and/or practices to support the paths of adult students to economic advancement. Fundamentally, the student experience and pathways approach must be based on the understanding that adults who return to college do so with the express goal of career and economic advancement.

Through this RFP, JFF, and ATD will select teams in three states comprised of state higher education leaders and institutional leaders from three community and technical colleges within each state. Eligibility is open only to state-level organizations that oversee and/or influence policy, funding, and reporting within states with existing state-wide, evidence-based efforts designed to enroll and support adult learners in community and technical colleges. This may be a "College Promise" or "Reconnect" program that targets adults and offers free tuition (after other forms of aid) or another type of program that offers incentives for adults to enroll, including free tuition. States will determine which three colleges to partner with for this initiative. Only one organization per state should apply. The application opens on March 30, 2023 and closes on May 5, 2023.

Learn everything you need to know about the Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners initiative, the application process, and important dates.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact adultlearnersinfo@jff.org

• Improvements to student advising process including use of labor market data and review of prior learning experiences.
• Progress on implementation of at least two policy or practice changes at state and institutional levels.
• Support for adults most marginalized by existing systems: adults experiencing economic hardship and Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations.