ColaborativoPR secures $450K grant for student success
ColaborativoPR has received a $450,000, three-year grant from the ECMC Foundation to launch the Community of Practice for Student Success, an initiative aimed at improving the postsecondary experience for first-generation and low-income students in Puerto Rico.
Since 2015, the nonprofit has worked to expand college access and retention, reaching application and enrollment rates above 90% through mentoring, counseling and financial support for youth in historically underserved communities such as Loíza.
The grant will fund a three-year plan that includes an initial assessment with participating postsecondary institutions, the development of the first Community of Practice cohort and the implementation of pilot programs for first-generation and low-income students.
“The creation of this Community of Practice represents a monumental step in addressing the systemic barriers faced by postsecondary students in Puerto Rico,” said Leonor García-Guerra, executive director of ColaborativoPR.
“Thanks to the support of ECMC Foundation, we will be able to collaborate with postsecondary institutions to strengthen their capacities, share best practices and create comprehensive support programs that directly impact student retention and graduation,” she said.
Census data show progress in Puerto Rico’s educational attainment over the past decade. In 2013, only 13.4% of residents age 25 and older held a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 18.5% in 2023. The share of young people ages 18 to 24 with some college experience rose from 49.1% to 59.1% in the same period.
Still, ColaborativoPR leaders say economic and social barriers continue to hinder student success.
“Access to postsecondary institutions in Puerto Rico remains a challenge marked by structural inequalities,” García-Guerra said. “Given this reality, no single institution can solve it alone. The key lies in collaborative strategies that bring together academia, community organizations and the public and private sectors.”
The new Community of Practice will bring together academic leaders, student support specialists and policy partners to design a coordinated framework for student success intended to help more young Puerto Ricans enroll in and complete higher education.
“This partnership with ColaborativoPR will allow us to expand access and opportunity in Puerto Rico, directly supporting the students who need it most. Collaborating with an organization that has spent the last 10 years promoting postsecondary access and success is a step forward in the transformation we aim to achieve,” said Jonathan T. Reid, ECMC Foundation program officer.
