RICHMOND PROMISE INC
440 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA 2ND FLOOR, RICHMOND, CA 94804 www.richmondpromise.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY BY REMOVING BARRIERS AND CREATING PATHWAYS TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS IN RICHMOND HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, EXCEL FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO HIGHER EDUCATION, ATTAIN A POSTSECONDARY DEGREE OR CERTIFICATION, THRIVE IN THE FIELD OF THEIR CHOICE, AND BECOME A LEADER OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD.

TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.

LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2016, THE RICHMOND PROMISE IS A COMMUNITY-WIDE COLLEGE SUCCESS INITIATIVE TO BUILD A COLLEGE GRADUATING CULTURE IN RICHMOND, CA. THE RICHMOND PROMISE WAS CREATED WITH THE BELIEF THAT ALL RICHMOND STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, REGARDLESS OF RACE, INCOME LEVEL, OR PERSONAL BACKGROUND. WE SEE A DAY WHEN ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN RICHMOND HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, EXCEL FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO HIGHER EDUCATION, ATTAIN A POSTSECONDARY DEGREE OR CERTIFICATION, THRIVE IN THE FIELD OF THEIR CHOICE, AND BECOME A LEADER OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD. THROUGH A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP, COLLABORATIVE CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS, AND SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMMING, THE RICHMOND PROMISE AIMS TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS IN RICHMOND EXCEL TO AND THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION, REACH THEIR CAREER GOALS, AND BECOME CHANGE-MAKING LEADERS IN THE RICHMOND COMMUNITY. THE RICHMOND PROMISE INVESTS DIRECTLY IN OUR STUDENTS' FUTURES THROUGH THE RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP. SCHOLARS RECEIVE $1,500 EACH YEAR AT ANY NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR 4-YEAR COLLEGE OR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE STRIVE TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS IN RICHMOND TO REACH THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION GOALS, WHICH IS WHY ANY RICHMOND STUDENT GRADUATING FROM AN ELIGIBLE HIGH SCHOOL CAN ACCESS THE SCHOLARSHIP.WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CITY OF RICHMOND, CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND LOCAL BUSINESS AND PHILANTHROPY TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARS AT THREE KEY MOMENTUM POINTS THROUGH COLLEGE AND CAREER.-PRE-COLLEGE: DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE FOCUS ON BUILDING COLLEGE AWARENESS. WE HIRE CURRENT RICHMOND PROMISE COLLEGE SCHOLARS TO HAVE FUTURE CONVERSATIONS WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PUT THEM ON THE PATH TO COLLEGE AT THIS PIVOTAL AGE. THIS NEAR-PEER MODEL CONNECTS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO SHARE THE SAME IDENTITIES. THIS SHARED PERSPECTIVE CREATES AN IMMEDIATE TRUST THAT LEADS TO REAL IMPACT.-HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE TRANSITION: IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THE TRANSITION TO COLLEGE, WE FOCUS ON ENSURING COLLEGE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE - IN THE CLASSROOM. - TO WORK ON FINANCIAL AID COMPLETION AND THE RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION. OUR SCHOLARSHIP OF $1500 A YEAR CAN BE USED AT ANY 2-YEAR OR 4-YEAR SCHOOL OR CTE PROGRAM. THE SCHOLARSHIP CAN BE USED TOWARDS THE FULL COST OF ATTENDANCE - INCLUDING TUITION, HOUSING, BOOKS, AND TRANSPORTATION. WE PROVIDE SUMMER SUCCESS WORKSHOPS THROUGH WHICH OUR SCHOLARS LEARN ABOUT HOW TO SUCCEED IN THEIR FIRST YEARS AT SCHOOL.-FIRST YEAR THROUGH COLLEGE SUCCESS: AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL, OUR FOCUS IS ON ACHIEVING A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE, AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES, NETWORKS, AND MENTORS TO THRIVE IN THE FIELD OF THEIR CHOICE. WE BUILD FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH COLLEGES, INCLUDING CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE AND BERKELEY CITY COLLEGE, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AT THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL. WE ALSO OFFER INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING TO OUR MOST AT-RISK STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, WE LEVERAGE THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TO PAIR SCHOLARS WITH RICHMOND MENTORS TO START PREPARING FOR THEIR CAREERS. IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS:-AS OF FALL 2020, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,500 RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLARS ACTIVELY ATTENDING OVER 100 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE.-THROUGH OUR NEAR PEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE HAVE REACHED OVER 600 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH OUR EARLY COLLEGE AWARENESS MODEL. 85% OF STUDENTS SAID THAT WORKING WITH OUR NEAR-PEER AMBASSADORS HELPED THEM TO LEARN HOW TO SET GOALS AND TAKE STEPS TOWARDS THEM.-ESTABLISHED THE RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLAR EMERGENCY FUND TO MEET OUR SCHOLARS' BASIC NEEDS, RAISING OVER $100,000 AND SUPPORTING OVER 500 SCHOLARS SINCE MARCH - SOMETHING WE AIM TO SUSTAIN AS A VITAL PILLAR OF SUPPORT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC!-ACCEPTED TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TO ADDRESS POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS' BASIC NEEDS ALONGSIDE THE CITY OF RICHMOND,CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, AND 12 OTHER CITY TEAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ENGAGING AS A CITY TEAM THROUGH 2021-22! -WELCOMED OUR LARGEST CLASS YET - 503 RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLARS, JOINING A NETWORK OF 1,500 SCHOLARS ACROSS 100 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THIS FALL.-PARTNERED WITH THE COLLEGE PROMISE CAMPAIGN TO A PUBLISH A POLICY BRIEF "APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FIGHT TO CURB SUMMER MELT THROUGH COVID-19 AND BEYOND," DOCUMENTING LESSONS AND PROMISING PRACTICES TO SUPPORT A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE TRANSITION DURING AND BEYOND THE PANDEMIC.-ACHIEVED DOUBLE-DIGIT GAINS IN FINANCIAL AID COMPLETION THROUGH OUR CLASSROOM-BASED STRATEGY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KENNEDY & DEANZA HIGH SCHOOLS, SERVING OVER 500 STUDENTS. -EMPLOYED OVER 100 CURRENT RICHMOND PROMISE SCHOLARS TO DATE, INCLUDING 30 THIS PAST YEAR THROUGH OUR NEAR PEER AMBASSADOR & SUMMER ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, SUPPORTING YOUNGER STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL AID COMPLETION, AND SUPPORTING A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. -EXPANDED COLLEGE SUCCESS COACHING PARTNERSHIP WITH BEYOND 12 - OVER 200 SCHOLARS PAIRED WITH A COLLEGE SUCCESS COACH THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE, WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHOLARS! -FINALIZED OUR 2021-24 STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, OUTLINING OUR BLUEPRINT TO ENHANCE THE RICHMOND PROMISE'S EQUITABLE IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

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