The recipient entity's physical address:
           448 N 11th Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           448 N 11th Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  7597

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $250,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Board of Directors:
Lisa Gray Adamek: 6113 Chandler Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Jessica Tucker Baghian: 794 Longwood Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Karen R. Breaux: 732 Ross Turn Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Dr. Jewel Willanda Crockett: P.O. Box 752, Port Allen, LA 70767
Jonathan Halperin Earle, PhD: 307 French House, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Carissa Joy Vanderleest Graves: 2805 Kleinert Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Edward “Ted” C. James: PO Box 4991, Baton Rouge, LA 70821
David Allen Luecke: 3611 Stanford Oaks Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Mikki Ceasar Mathews: 118 S Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119
Chaunda Allen Mitchell, PhD: 13018 Quail Meadow Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Laura Claverie Poché: 2116 Woodchase Court, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Linda Orlansky Posner: 3136 Murphy Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Garrett Bartholomew Temple
Raedtha Aurora Vasquez: 7086 Etage Court, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Corey Kendrick Wilson: 15903 Parkside Court, Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Executive Officer:
Lucas Andrew Spielfogel: 483 Castle Kirk Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Key Personnel:
Catherine Molleno: 4307 Winside Drive, Baker, LA 70714
Kenya Warren-Hollis: 1180 Bayberry Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70807

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           To benefit from the economic value of a college degree, you first must have one, but only 15% of students from low-socioeconomic (low-SES) backgrounds nationwide earn bachelor’s degrees within eight years of high school graduation. That’s why the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition’s (BRYC) mission extends beyond entering college and includes persisting through to graduation and becoming economically mobile. Throughout BRYC’s 15-year history, 76% of our 667 Alumni have earned bachelor’s degrees or are on track to do so; that figure rises to 82% when factoring in two-year degree completion. For those who begin on and maintain a bachelor’s track, it reaches 86%. Simply put, BRYC’s methods work. Today, we humbly and gratefully request a contribution of $250,000 for BRYC’s 2024-2025 Persistence & Career Services Program.

During the 2024-2025 school year, BRYC will provide resources and guidance to 425 College Fellows (college students) and 337 Alumni (college graduates) — collectively, CF/As. BRYC’s CF/As disproportionately face academic, financial, and socioemotional challenges that make persistence (college completion) and entrance to professional fields difficult. Our deeply committed team is excellent at directly addressing CF/A concerns, but this team is small compared to our caseload. Thankfully, in December we welcomed BRYC’s first-ever Director of Career Services Kenya Warren-Hollins. Kenya joins Director of Persistence Catherine Molleno, who has been operating as a team of one since 2021.

To amplifying our still-limited persistence resources, BRYC developed five “Pillars of Persistence” that have a force-multiplying effect:

Start Strong: BRYC’s College 101 seminar introduces high school seniors to the persistence team and readies them for successful first-year matriculation. In July, BRYC hosts Summer Sendoff, a celebration designed to combat “summer melt,” i.e., a “melting” of motivation to matriculate that commonly afflicts low-income students. Throughout the year, the persistence team visits local campuses one day each month for drop-in sessions.

Join Forces: In August 2021, BRYC signed memorandums of understanding with LSU, Southern, BRCC, and the University of Louisiana System, which comprises nine universities. These M.O.U.s stipulate that BRYC Fellows at these institutions will have access to fee waivers, dedicated liaisons, designated gathering spaces, and other supports that reflect their merit as applicants and future students.

Prioritize Need: Individualized Fellow Support (IFS) is BRYC’s system for collecting data on CF/A wellbeing; diagnosing needs; and deploying useful supports. IFS happens on a monthly cycle initiated by “Pulse Week,” when alumni complete short surveys to share about their academic and personal well-being. Next is “Response-to-Intervention Week,” when the team examines data and designs their next three weeks of interventions.

Launch Careers: Kenya has expanded BRYC’s career services to include professional workshops focused on job application and interview materials; an internship partnership program that will see at least 20 BRYC supporters offering Alumni-exclusive paid internships; a summer alumni conference; and “Career Communities,” which will drive networking and professional development among Alumni in related fields.

Stay Connected: We know that the more alumni meaningfully engage with BRYC, the more likely they are to take advantage of BRYC’s resources. Engagement initiatives include CF/As serving as mentors to high school Fellows; donating to BRYC; attending events; and participating in panels, career fairs, etc.

If this request is funded, BRYC will have capacity to invest significantly more resources in persistence and career services initiatives, which by 2030 is primed to serve over 2,000 college students and graduates across Louisiana.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $215,000
          Professional Services. . . $0
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $40,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          When you consider that, since 1990, the cost of college has increased nearly eight times faster than median wages have, it’s hard to believe a bachelor’s degree remains a ticket to the middle class. But it does. Despite constant questioning of its value, a four-year degree, albeit exorbitant, is still worth the expense, yielding a 14% internal rate of return — a metric analysts commonly use to gauge the long-term profitability of different kinds of investments.

But this figure belies two concerning realities. First, just 15% of lower-income students in the U.S. earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25. In other words, young people who most need this powerful vehicle of economic mobility have the least success attaining it. Second, affluent and lower-income students do not get the same value from their degrees. Affluent students enter college more academically prepared; with less (or no) financial burden; and better positioned, often because of their race, to navigate the bureaucracy of higher education. They are relatively unencumbered to maximize the value of college. Lower-income students, on the other hand, have less rigorous academic training; significantly more debt and family responsibility; and less cultural capital with which to self-advocate.

Since 2009, BRYC has worked to limit inequitable education and resource gaps that prevent lower-income, first-generation college students from excelling in high school, earning degrees, and becoming gainfully employed. BRYC’s after-school program prepares Fellows to succeed in college by training them to be self-regulated learners and self-advocates and guiding them toward strong-fit schools with responsible payment plans and networks of supportive peers. But we don’t stop there. BRYC’s Persistence & Career Services Program helps CF/As not only stay in school but access academic and non-academic opportunities that will lead to long-term professional success. BRYC is not interested in college graduation for its own sake; rather, we want to help our CF/As position themselves for careers that will lead to economic mobility and different options for their children.

In 2023-2024, BRYC is serving 300 8th–12th-graders and 667 CF/As who have earned over 200 degrees and $85.11 million in scholarships. Annually, BRYC’s 16 full-team members achieve outsized impact by coordinating 200 long-term volunteer mentors and leveraging campus, community, and industry partnerships. In 2024-2025, we will expand BRYC’s footprint to include a second full-sized campus in South Baton Rouge, joining our flagship downtown campus and Iberville satellite sites, and launch an in-school program pilot; in total, we will serve 650 teens and 762 CF/As.

We have learned over the past 15 years that it requires an enormous investment of time and resources to help even one financially disadvantaged student navigate high school, enter college affordably, graduate, and secure employment. This path is daunting under optimal circumstances, which isn’t our Fellows’ experience. They face a relentless onslaught of daily challenges, which we’ve seen can derail even the most driven student. BRYC’s intent is to be equally unrelenting and resource-intensive in our approach, because that’s what’s required to help Fellows actually attain economic mobility and shift their generational trajectory. Our theory of change for the Persistence & Career Services Program is: If BRYC prepares 8th-12th-grade Fellows to maximize the economic value of their college degrees and supports College Fellows therein, then College Fellows will graduate from college prepared to secure and excel in career track jobs, interrupt generational poverty cycles, and contribute meaningfully to their community.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          BRYC’s objective for the Persistence & Career Services Program is for BRYC Fellows to gain acceptance to the two-year, four-year, or technical school of their choice; matriculate with an affordable payment plan; graduate; and secure a career-track job. BRYC’s Persistence & Career Services Program is successful if:

Short-term:
– At least 80% of graduating seniors earn a four-year TOPS-qualifying ACT score of 20 or higher.
– 100% of graduating seniors receive at least one college acceptance.
– At least 80% of graduating seniors matriculate with $5,500 or less per year of student loan debt.
– At least 90% of first-year college students persist through their freshman year and return for sophomore year.

Long-term:
– At least 80% of BRYC College Fellows (college students) earn a two- or four-year degree within six or fewer years of high school graduation
– At least 80% of BRYC Alumni (college graduates) secure a career-track job, graduate school admission, or national service commitment within six months of college graduation.

BRYC maintains a record of the Persistence & Career Services Program’s success by:

1. Tracking the following data for high school seniors: ACT scores; college acceptances; total gift aid received and redeemed; and total student loan debt load. (BRYC maintains records of my.act.org login information for ACT scores, college acceptance offers, and financial aid offers; Fellows self-report loans.)

2. Tracking the following data for College Fellows: college matriculation; major; minor; scholarship aid; degree(s) earned; and graduation year. (BRYC utilizes the National Student Clearinghouse, monthly surveys, and 1:1 outreach to maintain accurate data.)

3. Tracking the following data for Alumni: past and present employment status; past and present employment details; graduate degree admission and performance; military service; engagement with BRYC events, workshops, seminars, etc.; and awards/honors. (BRYC utilizes the National Student Clearinghouse, monthly surveys, and 1:1 outreach to maintain accurate data.)

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           BRYC proposes a one-year timeline beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025.

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 Corey Kendrick Wilson: 15903 Parkside Court, Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Office: Superintendent, Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC)
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 Carissa Joy Vanderleest Graves: 2805 Kleinert Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Elected Official: Congressman Garret Graves, 6th District of Louisiana, 2805 Kleinert Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Relationship: Spouse

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 0

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                  Corey Wilson: BRYC Board Member Carissa Graves: BRYC Board Member

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               N/A

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
               N/A

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
                N/A

          What is the nature of the relationship?  N/A

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                 – East Baton Rouge Parish School System
– City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               East Baton Rouge Parish School System: In October 2023, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System granted BRYC $1.5 million, payable by June 30, 2024, to seed development of a second Baton Rouge-based campus and fund fiscal year 2024 operations. To date, BRYC has received $750,000 of the contracted amount.

City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council: In January 2024, BRYC was awarded $100,000 from the Metropolitan Council, payable by December 31, 2024, to support fiscal year 2024 operations. To date, BRYC has received $25,000 of the contracted amount.


Contact Information
name:  Lucas Spielfogel 
                                       address:  483 Castle Kirk Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
                                       phone:  561-289-3493
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  lucas@thebryc.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Executive Director