Arizona Human Capital ConferenceNovember 18, 2011

National Perspectives on College Access and Success Networks: The Potential of AzCAN

Presented by

Carrie Warick and

Sara Melnick

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NCAN’s Mission

To build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those underrepresented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams.

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Strategic Plan• Build member capacity to increase completion

of postsecondary education.

• Maintain the role of the federal government in college access and success.

• Develop large-scale projects that• build member capacity to increase completion of

postsecondary education, and• generate best practices that inform our work.

Networks as Strategy

• Capacity building

• Developing best practices

• Coordinated policy

Importance of Networks

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Collective Impact

The commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem.

http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/collective_impact/

What distinguishes Collective Impact?

• Common Agenda/Shared Vision

• Shared Measurement Systems

• Mutually Reinforcing Activities

• Continuous Communication

• Backbone Support Organizations

http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/collective_impact/ 7

Doing More Together

• Efficiency of Services – Inventory

• Efficacy of Services – Best

Practices

• State and Local Advocacy

• Sustainability

Operational Status

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Status Overall Networks

(N=39)

Statewide Networks

(N=26)

Regional Network

(N=7)

Citywide Networks

(N=6)

<1 year 36% 38% 43% 17%

1-3 years 18% 23% 0 17%

3-5 years 23% 15% 15% 67%

> 5 years 23% 23% 43% 0

Networks Surveyed in 2011

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Scope # %

Statewide Networks 26 67

Regional Networks 7 18

Citywide Networks 6 15

Total 39 100

Types of Networks

• Local: Michigan and Washington

• City: Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable

• Regional: Texas CAN North

• Statewide: AzCAN

• National: NCAN

Network Structure

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Structure Overall Statewide

Stand-Alone 31% 31%

Informal 8% 3%

Formal 23% 18%

Embedded 69% 69%

IHE 8% 5%

State Agency 26% 26%

Guarantor 8% 8%

Nonprofit 13% 5%

Foundation 3% 0

Elsewhere 13% 5%

Networks Working Together Nationally

• Big Goal

• Data

• Advocacy

• Social change

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Advocating Together

• College Access Challenge Grant

• Pell Grant Program

• Financial Aid Award Format

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Technical Assistance for Networks

• All network webinars

• Discussion list serve• Conference track and pre-conference

session

• Guidebook

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Where are They?

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Region Overall Networks

(N=39)

Statewide Networks

(N=26)

Regional Network

(N=7)

Citywide Networks

(N=6)

Northeast 13% 15% 0 17%

Mid-Atlantic 13% 23% 28% 33%

Midwest 26% 4% 42% 17%

South 10% 12% 0 17%

Southwest 10% 12% 14% 0

West 28% 35% 14% 17%

Network Budget/Size

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Budget Overall Networks

(N=39)

Statewide Networks

(N=26)

Regional Network

(N=7)

Citywide Networks

(N=6)

<$100k 21% 23% 14% 17%

$100k - $500k 26% 15% 42% 50%

$500k - $1m 13% 15% 14% 0

>$1m 15% 23% 0 0

$0 or “don’t know” 25% 23% 28% 33%

Primary Sources of Funding

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Source # %

Foundation grants 17 52

Federal grants 10 30

State funding 4 12

Corporate contributions 1 3

Membership dues 1 3

Network Missions

• Creating a college going culture.• Increasing enrollment and graduation.• Providing direct services to students and/or families.• Advocacy for supportive policies (and against harmful).• Convening and communication to promote collaboration,

sharing and networking.• Building capacity/professional development.• Improving economic outcomes/workforce development.• Being a hub for research, data and information.

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Services to Members

• Meetings/conferences 74%

• Website 74%

• Sharing best practices 72%

• Listserv/email 72%

• Policy/advocacy 62%

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Services to Members (cont.)

• Advisor training 62%

• Technical assistance 59%

• Other networking 56%

• Newsletter 51%

• Grants 38%

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67% did strategic planning

• 62% involved higher ed• 54% involved K-12, government agencies• 51% involved CBOs• 36% involved the philanthropic sector• 26% involved business• 18% involved students• 15% involved parents/families• 5% involved faith based

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Other Network Data

• 62% have a champion

• 77% had seed money to get started

• Has the work of your network increased college going in your state?

– 13% yes

– 18% no

– 69% not sure

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Other Network Data

• 26% have been evaluated

• 51% collect data on programs or programs of members

• 90% have a website

• 49% use social networking

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Services to Students

• FASFA counseling 56%• College Goal Sunday 54%• College admission counseling 51%• Website 51% • Statewide scholarship database 41% • College tours 36%• Texting or emailing reminders

to students 33%

 

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28% Say Sustainability is Their Greatest Challenge

• Of these

– 55% were 1-3 years old

– 27% were 3-5 years old

– 18% were < 1 year old

• Only one was a “stand alone” nonprofit

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What Members Value Most

• Networking in a “safe place”

• Learning how to leverage one another’s resources

• Greater collaboration with and access to P-12 and higher education institutions

• Seed funding and technical assistance

• Exposure to state-focused research

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What does this all

mean for AzCAN?

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Contact Information

Carrie Warick, Director of Partnerships and Policy

warickc@collegaccess.org

Sara Melnick, Deputy Director

melnicks@collegaccess.org

202 347 4848

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