Community Giving

Fair Opportunity Project (Fair Opp) aims to ensure that learners from low-income and first-generation backgrounds have the tools to succeed in postsecondary education and workforce training. Through its School Boost program, Fair Opp offers personalized essay reviews, on-demand mentoring, and one-on-one FAFSA assistance to help students navigate complex application processes and secure financial aid.

With Ascendium’s support, Fair Opp is expanding its reach, providing more students with the guidance and resources they need to achieve their education and career goals and removing economic barriers that could hinder their success.

Many in our community, especially those who are unemployed, underemployed, or formerly incarcerated, face obstacles to improving their skills and finding stable, well-paying jobs. The Black Men Coalition of Dane County (BMC) is addressing this by collaborating with eCornell, the online learning platform of Cornell University. Through this collaboration, BMC provides free online professional certificate programs to hundreds of learners of low-income backgrounds each year, paving the way for a brighter future.

Support from Ascendium and co-funder Diane Endres Ballweg empowers BMC to expand its impact through education and skill development. Leveraging eCornell’s expertise, BMC helps participants gain valuable credentials, enhancing their employability and fostering community growth and resilience.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, student interest in public policy has skyrocketed in recent years. The La Follette School of Public Affairs aims to meet the high demand for public policy education while preparing more students than ever for careers in public service. Capitalizing on student interest in public policy now could mean solving problems that affect us tomorrow.

This grant from Ascendium supports La Follette in enlarging their capacity to educate the next generation of public policy leaders. Thanks to La Follette’s hands-on training, these leaders can improve postsecondary education at the systems level, thereby expanding opportunities for even more students to reach their academic and career goals.

Supporting new residents with language skill development is critical to maximizing their contributions to their local community and economy. Literacy Network offers literacy services to help those new to Dane County improve their English language skills, reading comprehension, and use of information technology. With improved skills, these adults advance their careers, help their kids succeed in school, become U.S. citizens, and obtain their high school diploma or other degrees.

This grant from Ascendium supports Literacy Network in expanding and strengthening its programs over the next three years. The expanded programming will include digital literacy instruction as well as new English as a Second Language class and tutoring offerings that meet student scheduling needs.

Operation Fresh Start empowers young adults on a path to self-sufficiency through education, mentoring, and employment training. One way it does this is through its training academies, which pay Dane County residents ages 18-24 to work with industry professionals as they gain hands-on experience in their chosen fields.

A $300,000 grant from Ascendium supports Operation Fresh Start in bolstering these efforts. The new-and-improved training will consist of traditional trades with expansion into several aspects of natural resource management, as dictated by the need for workers in emerging green industries.

Created by the Urban League of Greater Madison, the Black Business Hub will be a four-story, 76,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art center of commerce and entrepreneurism located on Madison’s southside. At present, only a miniscule percentage of Dane County businesses with more than one employee are Black owned. The Hub aims to change that by giving Black entrepreneurs the space and financial resources to grow.

Ascendium’s $2.5 million donation moves the project closer to its $26 million goal. Over the next few years, the Hub will house at least 100 Black-owned businesses, from startups to expansions. It will also offer training, coaching, loans, grants, technical help, and networking opportunities to business owners and entrepreneurs.