College Now Greater Cleveland

1500 West 3rd St., Suite 125, Cleveland 44113 | 216-241-5587 | collegenowgc.org

The College Now Mentoring Program matches College Now and Say Yes scholarship recipients with a mentor who helps guide them through their postsecondary journeys. | KEVIN KOPANSKI PHOTO

WHAT WE DO: College Now Greater Cleveland is the nation’s oldest college access organization. Its mission is to increase postsecondary educational attainment though college and career access advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services.

College Now serves over 30,000 students and adult learners each year in 200 schools, businesses and community locations across northeast Ohio, as well as virtually. In addition to providing advising support services on topics like financial aid or college applications, College Now also awards more than $6.5 million in need-based, renewable scholarships and matches each of its traditional scholarship recipients with a mentor from the community.

College Now also manages the Say Yes Cleveland scholarship and pairs each Say Yes Cleveland scholarship recipient with a mentor. Over 1,700 community members, representing more than 500 local employers, serve as mentors to College Now and Say Yes scholarship recipients.

Additionally, College Now works with adults to help them return to — or begin! — their college journeys and earn their degrees, thereby increasing their abilities to find sustainable careers. Learn more at collegenowgc.org.

COVID RESPONSE: Education remained one of the most important services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and College Now was steadfast in its mission to help students continue to receive support and guidance, even when schools turned to virtual learning. College Now also turned its advising services virtual — both for high school students and adult learners. Additionally, College Now worked with scholarship recipients to ensure that they had access to technology and necessary social services during campus closures or moves to remote learning. And it has continued to offer virtual services to clients through its Resource Center.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS:

Mentor Mondays is a month-long mentor recruitment blitz, featuring news coverage of the College Now Mentoring Program and information about how to get involved. Mentor Mondays was hosted in March 2022, in partnership with WKYC Channel 3, CMSD, Say Yes Cleveland and the Young Latino Network.

Bags & Bourbon is a biennial fundraising event, formerly called Bag Lady, that supports the College Now Mentoring Program and features a silent auction of designer handbags, bourbon tastings and other experiences. Held on April 28, 2022, Bags & Bourbon netted $454,000 in support of the College Now Mentoring Program.

HOW TO HELP: Community members can volunteer with College Now as mentors in the College Now Mentoring Program. Learn more at collegenowgc.org /become-a-mentor. Monetary donations can be made to College Now to support any of the organization’s programs or areas of operation. To learn more, visit collegenowgc.org/donors.

OVERVIEW

EMPLOYEES: 250 2021 REVENUE: $18,465,003 YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1967

SOURCES OF REVENUE:

Foundations: 30% Government grants: 23% Say Yes Cleveland fiscal administration: 19% Corporations: 14% Fee for service: 8% Individuals and organizations: 3% Other: 3%

LEADERSHIP

TOP EXECUTIVES & BOARD MEMBERS

Lee Friedman,

chief executive officer

Mike Cogan,

chairman of the board (Northern Trust)

COLLEGE NOW BOARD OFFICERS

Mark Ross, immediate past chair (PwC, retired) Brian Barren, secretary (Cleveland Guardians) Gabe Bruno, treasurer (Lincoln Electric)

COLLEGE NOW EXECUTIVE STAFF

Dr. Michele Scott Taylor, chief program officer Kittie Warshawsky, chief external affairs officer Alenka Winslett, chief operating officer

View a full list of staff and board members at: collegenowgc.org/staff-and-board.