Censeo Pro Bono Partner Higher Achievement to Secure $12 Million Department of Education Grant

Higher Achievement, a DC-based nonprofit organization and pro bono partner of Censeo Consulting Group, will soon be awarded nearly $12 million as a winner of the Department of Education’s prestigious Investing in Innovation (i3) grant.

Selected as a “highest-rated applicant” for the Department of Education’s nationwide i3 contest, Higher Achievement will be an official grant winner upon securing matching funds.

“This reinforces what we at Censeo have known all along: Higher Achievement’s model works,” noted Raj Sharma, CEO of Censeo and a member of Higher Achievement’s Board of Directors, a pro bono partner of Higher Achievement. “This grant will help them double the amount of scholars they serve, enabling them to close the opportunity gap for countless more underserved students.”

Higher Achievement is a rigorous after-school and summer program for middle school students. These scholars spend 650 hours each year learning an advanced curriculum in addition to their regular studies. After eighth grade, students are placed in academically rigorous high schools. Ninety-six percent of Higher Achievement students graduate high school, almost double the rate of their peers.

With aligning social-impact missions, Censeo began its partnership with Higher Achievement in 2012, and has subsequently contributed over $750,000 in documented pro bono work.

“It’s impossible to overstate the significance of Censeo’s pro bono work. Helping us focus on outcomes, manage our cost structure, and share data across all affiliates has been instrumental to our success this past year,” explained Higher Achievement CEO Lynsey Wood Jeffries.

Censeo won Consulting Magazine’s 2014 Excellence in Social and Community Investment award for its work with Higher Achievement.

“Enabling accessible, affordable, and quality education is something Censeo cares about deeply,” said Mark Finlan, director of Censeo’s education practice. “Our business in the education space continues to grow, and so does our commitment to Higher Achievement.”

Of the 434 organizations that applied for the i3, Higher Achievement was one of four organizations to receive a grant of this size. More information about the 2014 highest-rated applications can be found at i3 2014 Highest Rated Applications and i3 2014 implementation sites.