College Matters is a $14 million initiative of the Fairbanks Foundation. Launched in 2023, the initiative seeks to increase college enrollment rates for Marion County high school seniors.
Many high school students face challenges when considering college, including accessing coursework that prepares them for college, identifying college degree programs that align with their career goals, and securing financial aid. Without support, these challenges can prevent students from applying to or attending college.
To help remove some of these barriers and increase college enrollment, we awarded two phases of College Matters grants to public high schools and community organizations in Marion County. Grantees in the two phases – referred to as Meeting the Moment and Reversing the Trend – are using funding to support Indianapolis students and families as they navigate the college-going process, from exploration to enrollment and financial aid.
College enrollment rates among Marion County students have dropped over the past decade. In 2023, just 47% of Marion County high school graduates enrolled in college, down from 64% in 2013.
Yet, education beyond high school contributes to a higher annual income and improved financial stability. Additionally, increased educational attainment is associated with better health, happiness, quality of life, and civic engagement. Low college enrollment is also a challenge to our economic vitality. Indianapolis employers continue to report challenges in finding talent with the education and skills needed to fill positions. Fewer Marion County residents have college degrees than in many of our peer cities, putting us at a competitive disadvantage when attracting new businesses and better jobs.
Through College Matters: Meeting the Moment, the Fairbanks Foundation awarded nearly $5 million in grants to Marion County public schools, community organizations, and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education in September 2023. These grants provided support to students in two areas: completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and exploring, applying to, and enrolling in college. The funding offered additional capacity to schools as they navigated the new state requirement that all high school seniors file the FAFSA.
of Marion County high school seniors filed the FAFSA.
of Marion County high school seniors filed the form.
Annual FAFSA filing rates are available on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s FAFSA dashboard.
To assist students and their families in meeting Indiana’s FAFSA requirement, 37 Marion County public high schools within 17 school corporations* received two-year grants. To spend unused funds, some schools were awarded a one-year extension.
| School Corporation | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| Beech Grove City Schools | $160,000 |
| Christel House Indianapolis | $160,000 |
| Goodwill Foundation of Central & Southern Indiana | $200,000 |
| Herron Classical Schools | $200,000 |
| Indianapolis Public Schools | $240,000 |
| Irvington Community Schools | $145,500 |
| KIPP Indy Public Schools | $150,000 |
| MSD of Decatur Township | $200,000 |
| MSD of Lawrence Township | $240,000 |
| MSD of Pike Township | $200,000 |
| MSD of Warren Township | $240,000 |
| MSD of Washington Township | $177,750 |
| MSD of Wayne Township | $240,000 |
| Perry Township Schools | $240,000 |
| Phalen Leadership Academies | $150,000 |
| Purdue Polytechnic High School | $160,000 |
| Victory College Prep | $150,000 |
* The amount of grant funding was awarded based on a school’s organization type and total enrollment of high school seniors.
To reach students and their families in places other than schools, four Marion County community organizations received three-year grants to help students explore, enroll in, and finance college, including filing the FAFSA.
| Community-Based Organization | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| Center for Leadership Development | $300,000 |
| Indiana Black Expo | $300,000 |
| Indiana Latino Institute | $450,000 |
| Indianapolis Urban League | $300,000 |
To enhance marketing and communications to Marion County students and families about the FAFSA and to fund convenings and other opportunities for the Commission to connect with College Matters grantees, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education received a three-year grant.
Through College Matters: Reversing the Trend, the Fairbanks Foundation awarded a total of $7.5 million in grants to public school corporations in Marion County. These grants are designed to help schools design and implement systemic changes that would result in increased college enrollment among their students.
To launch this phase of College Matters, we invited Marion County public school corporations to apply for $20,000 planning grants, which were awarded in March 2024. The school corporations that received the planning grants used the funding to create four-year plans to increase college enrollment among their students. In late July 2024, the grantees submitted proposals for additional grants of up to $1.5 million each to implement their plans.
In September 2024, the Fairbanks Foundation awarded four-year implementation grant funding to five public school corporations:
| Public School Corporation | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| Franklin Township Community School Corporation | $1.5 million |
| Indianapolis Public Schools | $1.5 million |
| MSD of Warren Township | $1.47 million |
| MSD of Wayne Township | $1.5 million |
| Victory College Prep | $1.5 million |
These school corporations began implementing their plans during the 2024-2025 school year and will continue their work through the 2027-2028 school year. A portion of the funding will be used to develop long-term sustainability plans.
Below, you’ll find a variety of items used to inform the College Matters initiative, including data sources and relevant research. For more information on College Matters, contact our program team.