Overview

Application Materials

• Program Request for Proposal (pdf)
• RFP Template (Word) 

Background

Partnerships between chambers of commerce and community colleges have the potential to significantly increase the number of adults completing high-quality, relevant short-term credentials and degrees. Given the current spotlight on upskilling and the resources that are being reallocated to fund short-term credentials, now is the time to capitalize on the potential for these partnerships.

Chambers of commerce have strong relationships with employers and industry partners and are an efficient way to connect with a wide range of businesses, including small and mid-sized businesses. They have a pulse on the demand for labor in their communities and work with businesses to understand labor needs and challenges. Chambers are known for being able to quickly rally their members and other members of the community to advocate for specific actions. However, employers are only one piece of the talent pipeline equation, and chambers need other partners to provide a full set of supports to employers and employees.

Community colleges bring a wide variety of tools to address degree and credential gaps for adult learners. They are actively engaged with their local students and partners and can institutionalize solutions and approaches in nimble and responsive ways. Integrating community colleges into this work will help to create more long-term sustainability for these efforts; this is not a fleeting strategy that will be here and gone.

Between chambers of commerce and community colleges, there are also countless links to other community partners and organizations in the workforce and economic development space. Convening and providing support to a cross-organizational core team taps into the expertise of all organizations and creates an opportunity to amplify individual successes.

To support the development of these partnerships and to increase the number of workers with in-demand credentials and degrees, the Lumina Foundation has provided a grant to jumpstart progress in cities or regions. ACCEF and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) will identify a virtual cohort of ten to fifteen cities or regions assembled into Core Teams. Each Core Team will be comprised of a chamber, a community college partner and an organization that directly represents a target population. A designated representative from each of these organizations will make up the leadership team for each Core Team and will participate in this 18-month Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort program. With guidance from ACCEF and AACC, teams will work together to drive the growth of credentialing and degree programs in their regions and to place workers from target populations in well-paid jobs with opportunities for career advancement.

Core Teams in each community will come together to identify both quick wins and longer-term solutions for increasing credential and degree attainment in their communities. Throughout the grant period, each Core Team will regularly engage with employers to solicit feedback and to identify pathways to quality employment and higher wages for those who have earned credentials. At the end of the grant period, each Core Team will have demonstrated results from key strategies that they have already begun to implement and a roadmap for moving forward to increase credential attainment for target populations.

Program Specifics

The goal of the Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort is to support communities in building partnerships that allow more workers from these target populations to gain the credentials or degrees they need to secure well-paid jobs with career advancement opportunities. At the end of the program period, each community will be expected to show how they have increased the number of credentials earned in their community and to have a roadmap for continued progress through 2027.

Each city or region team will have regular check-ins with ACCEF and its partners to support the development of customized, site-specific supports and guidance on moving the needle on attainment in their region. This will include:

• Working with each team to set milestones and metrics through regular technical assistance and on-demand supports.
• Providing direct one-on-one connections with local, state, and national experts to support teams as they work through barriers to attainment.
• Providing surveys, agendas and facilitation materials for engagement sessions with community organizations, small and mid-sized business, industry groups, and workers of color.
• Supporting teams as they develop a plan to deepen engagement with employers as a strategy for placing workers after they have earned a credential.

Core Teams will also have opportunities to connect virtually with other communities in the cohort and optional convening opportunities to share successful strategies and approaches for increasing credential attainment and employment for target populations. Possible convenings opportunities could include AACC’s annual Workforce Development Institute (January 2025), ACCE’s Annual Convention (July 2024 & 2025) and ACCE’s Annual Meeting of talent and economic development practitioners (May 2024). Throughout the program, ACCEF and AACC will also showcase the work of the Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort to the broader chamber of commerce and community college audiences.

Reporting and Evaluation

Each Core Team will be asked to report back on a few key metrics throughout the course of the grant. We anticipate that different members of the Core Team will be best suited to collect specific pieces of information. ACCEF and AACC will provide support on possible ways to collect this information. At the beginning of the grant, Core Teams will be asked to share some baseline data around the current population of credential/degree earners served and some additional information about the current credential/degree landscape in the community.

Throughout the 18-month period and at the end of the grant, each Core Team will be asked to share:

• Number of degrees/credentials attained (total and disaggregated by race and gender)
• Number of students enrolled in credential/degree programs (total and by race and gender)
• Number and type of new credential programs developed
• Number of jobs obtained by those who have earned a degree/credential

We anticipate that community colleges likely have existing mechanisms in place to report on the first three metrics, while chambers of commerce and nonprofit partners may be best suited to report on the final metric. Regardless of which partner is collecting these metrics, each Core Team is jointly responsible for these metrics. More information about reporting and evaluation will be provided to the Core Teams selected to participate in this grant.

Proposal Components

Eligible Organizations

Each Core Team will have a leadership team consisting of:

• a representative from the chamber of commerce
• a representative from the local community college
• a representative from a community organization that represents and works directly with the target population

The chamber of commerce representative will serve as the project lead for the team. Selected communities will need to demonstrate that they have previously worked together effectively and that they are well-positioned to address challenges related to credential and degree attainment for their target population.

Questions about eligibility can be addressed [email protected].

Submission Deadline and Format

Proposals should be submitted electronically in one email to [email protected] by November 17, 2023.

 Proposals should only include answers to the questions in the RFP and the requested letters of support. No additional documentation will be accepted.

Review Criteria

• Question 1: 30 points
• Question 2: 35 points
• Question 3: 20 points
• Question 4: 10 points
• Question 5: 5 points

Resources Available to Cohort Members

Selected communities will have an opportunity to submit a budget for up to $10K to accomplish this work. More details will be provided to Core Teams after selection.

Timeline

Applicants will be notified in late December 2023 about their selection to the Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort.

Application Materials

• Program Request for Proposal (pdf)
• RFP Template (Word)