The Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville (BGCN) is poised to improve the lives of local students with the aid of a $100,000 Good Neighbor Grant from Ascendium.
The nonprofit is the only Indiana-based organization to receive the award, which is given to nonprofit organizations committed to increasing education and workforce training outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.
BGCN is well-positioned to take advantage of this funding. Almost a quarter of the club’s members come from low-income backgrounds. Spreading the Good Neighbor Grant funds between transportation for members, tutor stipends, scholarships for children from low-income families, and other essentials will allow the organization to better serve the Noblesville community.
Terry
“We are honored to be a recipient of Ascendium’s Good Neighbor Grant,” BGCN Executive Director Becky Terry said. “This continued support is significant as providing extended learning opportunities for youth to accelerate their learning is more critical than ever before. The funds will be used to foster academic success and combat learning loss using a multifaceted approach that includes homework assistance, group tutoring sessions, and evidence-based learning programs to ensure our members are on track to graduate.”
Good Neighbor Grants are funded by Ascendium, which is on a mission to make education and training beyond high school a reality for more people. The funding initiative gives Ascendium employees a chance to recognize those organizations they feel are doing good work in their communities. Employees nominate and vote for the award, which must be used in service of increasing education and workforce training outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds. In addition to the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville and two organizations based in South Dakota, seven nonprofits in Madison, Wis., where Ascendium is based, are being recognized with Good Neighbor Grants for a total of $1 million awarded.
According to Brett Lindquist, Ascendium’s vice president – strategic communications, the Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville’s decision to use the funds to improve student outcomes is exactly what Ascendium had in mind when it began the Good Neighbor Grants initiative in 2021.
“From the top down, we believe that we rise by lifting others,” Lindquist said. “Ascendium employees strive to better their communities through Volunteer Time Off, matching donations to nonprofits and other personal and professional commitments. The Good Neighbor Grants initiative is just one more way we strive to make an impact in the communities where our employees live and work.”
About Ascendium Education Group
Ascendium Education Group is the nation’s largest federal student loan guarantor, a leading postsecondary education philanthropy, and a provider of solutions to support academic achievement, long-term financial wellness, and student loan repayment success. Ascendium, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides information, tools, and counseling to help millions of borrowers nationwide avoid default and keep the door to re-enrollment open. Ascendium’s philanthropic mission is to elevate opportunities and outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds to access and succeed in postsecondary education, workforce training, and career success. To learn more, visit ascendiumeducation.org.