The Community Scholars Initiative has resulted in:

8000

Students supported to access and succeed in college

710

Student scholarships awarded

35000

+

Students received basic needs support

As of July 2024

Increasing Educational Equity

The Community Scholars Initiative (CSI) helps San Diegans prepare for, pay for and persist through college by providing financial support and critical wraparound services that bolster academic achievement to increase equity, build a representative local workforce and create resilient communities.

Since 2017, the initiative has supported 574 first-generation college students from low-income families and underrepresented communities with over $1.6 million in scholarships. CSI has supported community-based partners with over $1.8 million in grants to support vital college readiness programs and over $142,000 for emergency assistance and additional scholarships to CSI students.

In 2023, CSI underwent a program evaluation to understand how the program could pivot to meet the current needs of the region better. The evaluation process concluded that to increase educational equity in the region CSI has an opportunity to narrow our focus on specific student populations facing the greatest barriers to completion:

  • English language learners
  • Students experiencing homelessness
  • Students with disabilities
  • Foster youth

The Community Scholars Initiative helps to:

Impact Stories & Insight