NSF and New America partner on $3M strategic initiative to empower community and technical colleges nationwide
Funding from Ascendium Education Group will support a new 'Accelerator for Community Colleges in the Innovation Economy'
The U.S. National Science Foundation and New America, a nonpartisan think and action tank, announced an initiative to turbocharge the capacity, effectiveness and impact of community and technical college partners across 10 NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines). Authorized by Congress via the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," the NSF Engines program represents one of the most significant investments in place-based research and development in the nation's history — uniquely placing science and technology leadership as the central driver for regional economic competitiveness.
New America is initiating the Accelerator for Community Colleges in the Innovation Economy, with a $3 million grant from Ascendium Education Group, to provide community colleges engaging with NSF Engines with a community of practice, technical assistance, best practices, research insights and recognition, capacity-building funding and broader support structures to enable institutional policy, programmatic and practice innovations necessary to maximize their impact nationwide.
"I am thrilled to see our NSF Regional Innovation Engines program continuing to unlock investment and resources to expand pathways to opportunity all across America," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "This initiative by New America, made possible by Ascendium Education Group, will help stand up the training and workforce readiness programs that will ensure working families can access good-paying jobs in critical technologies that are vital to American economic competitiveness."
Additionally, New America will collaborate with the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP), and the NSF Engines Builder Platform, to disseminate insights among the NSF Engines workforce leaders around best practices for cultivating a robust and diverse skilled technical workforce through community and technical colleges.
"We couldn't be more excited to partner with NSF to help realize the promise of a more competitive, representative and vibrant American innovation economy," said Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America. "Community and technical colleges are essential to that mission. We look forward to deepening our support of their work and the NSF Engines."
The project builds on New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative pioneered around community and technical college contributions to emerging technology workforce development, industrial strategy and regional innovation ecosystems.
The collaboration with New America is the latest in NSF's ongoing efforts to ensure a strong, skilled technical workforce in emerging and advanced technology areas. NSF TIP has expanded funding and support of community and technical colleges in emerging technology areas in new ways, such as through the NSF Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies and Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity programs.
About New America: New America is a think and action tank dedicated to renewing the promise of America in an age of rapid technological and social change. Its work prioritizes care and family well-being, advances technology in the public interest, reimagines global cooperation, builds effective democracy and ensures affordable and accessible education for all. Learn more at newamerica.org.
About NSF Engines
Launched by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, the NSF Engines program envisions fostering multiple flourishing regional innovation ecosystems across the country, providing a unique opportunity to spur economic growth in regions that have not fully participated in the technology boom of the past few decades. Each NSF Engine catalyzes robust partnerships rooted in scientific and technological innovation to positively impact the economy within a geographic region, address societal challenges and advance national competitiveness. For the latest NSF Engines information, subscribe to the email list.