By Ascendium Education Group
Ascendium is on a mission to make education and training beyond high school a reality for learners from low-income backgrounds. Through its national education philanthropy, the nonprofit funds initiatives that help this population of learners attain upward mobility. Ascendium also invests locally, giving back to the Madison community where many of its employees live and work.
In alignment with its mission, Ascendium supported two local workforce training providers in 2024 that offer programs responsive to current labor market needs. These organizations also focus on helping historically underserved populations of learners and workers move into good jobs within the community.
A three-year grant to Literacy Network supports program growth
Literacy Network celebrated 50 years of transforming lives through literacy in 2024. The organization supports Dane County residents by offering literacy services to improve their skills in English language communications, reading comprehension and information technology.
Ascendium’s grant enables Literacy Network to grow its Literacy for Opportunity programs. These programs offer core English language and essential literacy services through group classes and one-on-one tutoring. With the grant, Literacy Network is working to increase the annual number of program participants by 17%, add at least one English as a Second Language (ESL) class at the most-requested level, and add at least one ESL tutoring group session. It also plans to add much-needed support for student services and program capacity for English speakers working on their reading, writing and digital skills.
Personalized education services and language development support from Literacy Network put Dane County residents on the path to making a positive impact on their communities. With improved skills, they can advance in their careers, help their children succeed in school, become U.S. citizens, and obtain their high school diploma or other credentials.
Black Men Coalition of Dane County and eCornell collaborate to offer online certificates
The Black Men Coalition of Dane County (BMC) provides an array of services to Dane County residents, including community involvement, mentorship, education, employment skill-building and placement, and supported employment housing. The organization strives to open doors for the most vulnerable residents to have available opportunities and positive representation in their community.
In 2024, BMC engaged in a transformative collaboration with eCornell, an online learning platform of New York-based Cornell University, to provide hundreds of learners with free access to online professional certificate programs annually. With a grant from Ascendium and local philanthropist Diane Endres Ballweg, a handful of certificate programs are now available at no cost to those looking to improve certain skills and advance in their careers.
This collaboration uplifts underserved residents by offering them the tools they need to succeed. Ascendium’s grant funding allows for new growth opportunities and removes the financial burden for learners so they can focus on their education and successfully complete their programs.
A continued commitment from Ascendium in 2025
As 2025 begins, Ascendium remains committed to strengthening the Madison community through these types of investments. The nonprofit will continue to collaborate with local organizations to understand and address the challenges and opportunities facing the Madison community. To learn more about Ascendium, visit ascendiumedu
cation.org.
