1. Building Community Partnerships to Serve Immigrant Workers Funded by the Ford Foundation Nonprofit and Community College Collaborations

2. The Aspen Institute Research on Collaborations  Increasingly nonprofit organizations and community colleges are partnering together to help low skilled individuals successfully navigate community college programs and overcome hurdles to complete their educational goals and find good jobs.  In 2013 the Aspen Institute launched a survey of their Courses to Employment partners to better understand these partnerships and how they work (Responses received from 177 non profits and 88 community colleges).

3. Key Findings  Non-profit and community college partnerships are located throughout the country and are growing!  Partnerships focused on preparing students for employment and targeted various industry sectors and specific populations of students.  Partnerships help community colleges more effectively serve underserved populations.

4. Key Findings  Partnerships help community colleges provide students with support services not typically offered (case management, transportation, child care, etc.).  Partnerships reported improved student educational and employment outcomes.  Partnerships can leverage and integrate funding sources to provide more resources to students.

5. Key Findings  Partnerships help institutions better engage industry and business partners.  Partnerships allow non-profits to expand the range of training available to students.

6. Key Findings  Funding, data collection and sharing and working across institutions are challenges to implementing partnerships.  College bridge programs, career navigators and wrap around services are considered best practices and innovations.

7. Recommendations for Nonprofits and Community Colleges  Leverage other resources in the community to improve student outcomes and responsive- ness to employers by partnering with other organizations and institutions.  Think beyond the short term and build relationships that will last with well articulated goals, roles, and systems.

8. Recommendations for Nonprofits and Community Colleges  Communicate about partnerships to attract resources.  We are all in this together! It is all about the students and the community.

9. Recommendations for Investors and Policy Makers  Invest in and encourage partnerships that will help non-profits and community colleges better serve students and employers.  Invest in opportunities for partners to share information and develop skills to create and sustain partnerships.  Build the field’s capacity to collect and share relevant student data between partners.

10. Facilitated Discussion

11. Discussion Questions  How did your partnership happen?  Who was or is the champion?  What have you determined to be the key elements to your partnership?  How did you build trust?  What do you think are barriers to success?