We empower our nonprofit partners to reach over 50,000 vulnerable children and youth through strategic investments and integrated collaboratives. That means over 50,000 young people have better access to quality education, health care, and career training. Over 50,000 young lives have a pathway to a better future.
*Numbers refer to unduplicated youth served by current and former investment partners across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
“An investment that is long term, that is stable, that is thoughtful, that has the technical assistance and support…. Investments like this are really about the long haul.”
BB Otero, Founder, CentroNia
Great results come from great organizations—and when great organizations work together, those results are exponential. That’s why we invest in some of Greater Washington’s most effective change-makers. By doing so, our investments keep on giving.
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“The investment that VPP made has made a true sustained difference because they invested at the highest levels. We were able to be much more efficient, to grow our enrollment, and to grow our outcomes.”
Pat Brantley, Chief Executive Officer of Friendship Public Charter Schools
The following outcomes are from VPP’s youthCONNECT initiative and serve as examples of outcomes that VPP investments and investment partners have achieved over time.
Few metrics have a greater impact on long-term career success. That’s why we worked with our youthCONNECT partners to identify interim indicators to predict eventual graduation from college. Our partners can now use a Common Outcomes Framework with real-time data to assess the likelihood of graduation rates and modify programming to better meet the most critical needs.
The result: During 2012–13, 91 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort successfully completed high school. By 2014–15, 99 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort successfully completed high school.
For too many low-income students, financial paperwork is what keeps them out of college. Whether it’s lack of supporting documents or lack of process knowledge, students miss critical financial aid because they never complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That’s why we helped develop a clear set of indicators that allowed our partners to better identify conditions that could derail a student’s college dreams. Using a Common Outcomes Framework, our investment partners are equipped to catch roadblocks early on and clear the way for success.
The result: During 2012–13, 51 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully completed the FAFSA. By 2014–15, 83 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully completed the FAFSA.
In order to graduate from college, students first have to apply. And for many, that’s an uphill battle, especially for those who aim to be the first college student in their family. Knowing that, we came alongside our partners to develop a framework for better understanding what factors motivate today’s students to be tomorrow’s college-ready seniors. From college readiness plans to FAFSA applications, we helped our partners break down barriers and pave the way to a college education.
The result: During 2012–13, 84 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully completed at least one college application. By 2014–15, 92 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully completed at least one college application.
The true first step in successful college career is actual enrollment. We looked at the range of factors that keep students from actual enrollment and worked closely with our partners to establish metrics for understanding the factors that lead to failure. Using that data, our investment partners were able to better predict when and where students would miss a step and to take the appropriate action ahead of time. In the end, that means more students in class on day one of college.
The result: During 2012–13, 66 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully enrolled in a post-secondary institution. By 2014–15, 78 percent of eligible students in the youthCONNECT cohort had successfully enrolled in a post-secondary institution.
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