The Dallas County Promise, powered by Dallas College and the Commit Partnership, is pleased to announce a series of new investments, including an unprecedented $60 million multi-year investment from the O'Donnell Foundation to dramatically expand student supports to substantially increase economic mobility across Dallas County.
The O’Donnell Foundation investment, one of the largest education investments supporting economically disadvantaged students in North Texas history, will provide more students the opportunity to benefit from enhanced college and workforce programs as well as numerous other supports promoting student success. Of the $60 million investment, $30 million is directed to Commit to comprehensively support stronger middle school and high school advising across multiple school districts as well as data and other backbone supports, including coordination with employers, to enhance the overall Promise effort. The investment in Commit includes a $5.0M challenge grant to support data capacity/activation as well as alignment of K-12 and higher education systems with workforce needs.
The remaining $30 million investment from the O’Donnell Foundation represents a direct gift to Dallas College Foundation, the largest private gift in Dallas College’s history. These funds will be dedicated to a variety of student supports to support them in their journey to thriving wage careers. Specifically, the gift features a $6.25M challenge grant to help Dallas College continue to expand its Promise scholarship program, which, similar to programs recently announced by other higher education partners across Texas, offers last-dollar tuition-free scholarships to high-need students coming right out of high school. The gift will also expand tuition and other forms of support to additional groups of students, including returning adult students, parents of Promise students, and students engaging in workforce training programs.
“The Dallas County Promise holds the potential to become a national exemplar for materially improving postsecondary access and completion thanks to its thoughtful, comprehensive approach,” said William Solomon, Chairman, President and CEO of the O’Donnell Foundation.
“Dallas College is in the barrier-busting business,” said Dallas College Chancellor Justin Lonon, “and the Dallas County Promise, in its seven years of existence, has proven that it is an effective approach for helping students overcome the barriers they face just before they reach our doorstep. Expanding this partnership is a natural continuation of our relentless focus on what works best for the students we’re honored to serve.”
In addition to the O’Donnell Foundation investment, substantial investments to collectively accelerate the work in Dallas have been made by the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, the Moody Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and a first-time multi-year investment from The BlackRock Foundation.
“Working with local education and nonprofit leaders to empower the next generation workforce is critical to economic security and prosperity,” said Claire Chamberlain, President of The BlackRock Foundation. “In line with The BlackRock Foundation’s mission to help more people earn, save and invest – earlier, more often and for their futures – we are pleased to be supporting the growth and success of Dallas County families.”
This effort has the potential to materially transform the lifetime earnings for students being educated today across the county’s more than 100 public high schools and at Dallas College. It could add billions of dollars in incremental lifetime earnings to Dallas County’s regional economy through a holistic effort to cultivate the talents of students and young adults, enabling them to take full advantage of current workforce opportunities within a region which is a national leader in job growth and economic prosperity.
Numerous educational institutions, foundations, nonprofit organizations and business chambers – including Dallas, Garland, and DeSoto ISDs, the University of North Texas at Dallas, Education is Freedom, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Dallas Regional Chamber – will advise and collaborate on this effort as it seeks to materially broaden economic opportunity and mobility in a region that educates 10% of Texas and 1% of the nation.
