Webinar

The Affordability Gap: How Philanthropy Can Support Postsecondary Education Attainment

In order for postsecondary education to be an asset for learners, two things must be true: Learners must complete their education degree or credential in a timely manner and they must not take on more debt than they can reasonably afford. Financial concerns can limit postsecondary options for students, and even once enrolled, they can negatively impact retention and completion.

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) studies college affordability annually and documents the variance in cost for students with Pell-Grant eligible incomes. In 2020-21, using their definition of affordable (institution net price + emergency expenses must be less than part time wage earnings and federal student loans), NCAN found that just one-third of public B.A. granting colleges and universities were affordable, and that low-income students at those schools faced a gap of over $2,000.

This webinar will focus on educating philanthropy regarding the growing gap between the full cost of postsecondary education attendance and the resources available to the student holding an average Pell Award at each type of public postsecondary institution. This session will highlight the necessity of state-by-state affordability strategies and the role philanthropy can play to plug the gap directly and systemically.

Grantmakers who participate in the session will:

  • Understand how the affordability gap for low income students affects the cost of attending postsecondary education institutions and how this topic is inextricably linked to equitable wealth building
  • Be inspired to take next steps to identify and implement strategies for investing in postsecondary education affordability and the opportunity for place-based funding

Accessibility Statement
Captioning will be provided.  If you have any other accessibility requests or questions, please email Nikki Armstead at nikki@assetfunders.org.  Requests for reasonable accommodations must be received by September 18, 2024, to ensure our ability to meet your request.