North Carolina is reaping the benefits of a new program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that aims to support low-income youth from college to their first job.
The Gates foundation awarded Chapel Hill-based nonprofit MDC, Inc., planning grants equal to $1.8 million. MDC will work with Raleigh, Charlotte and two cities in Texas to develop a plan for post-secondary success.
After the planning period of about a year, each city will be eligible for an additional $1.5 million grant through a period of 21 months from the Gates foundation.
“A high school credential is no longer efficient to get living wage jobs,” said Bonnie Gordon, senior program director and manager for Partners for Post Secondary Success Initiative at MDC.
“The Gates Foundation asked MDC to think about what it takes for a whole community to accomplish the goals to make progress to a larger goal,” she said.
Gordon said the four cities were picked from a list of small to mid-sized cities with thriving industry and potential for local investment. Charlotte and Raleigh beat out seven other North Carolina cities for the opportunity to participate.
N.C. State University, along with six other higher education institutions in Raleigh, will work with MDC to develop the plan, said José Picart, vice provost for diversity and inclusion at NCSU.
The planning stages include research and data compilation.
“We’re going to listen to students about what might keep them away from graduating. One misstep can lead students to drop out of school,” said Brian Collier, senior vice president for community philanthropy at Foundation for the Carolinas.
