FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
Contact:JessicaCollis
Telephone:202.547.2222
HCMSTRATEGISTSANNOUNCESFINALROUNDOFFEDERALFINANCIALAID
ADVOCACY(FFAA)FUNDGRANTRECIPIENTS,MARKING$1MILLIONINGRANTS
AchievingtheDream,VirginiaFoundationforCommunityCollegeEducationandMinerva
Consultingwillreceive$70,000ingrantsfortheiradvocacywork
Washington,D.C.–Feb.7,2017–HCMStrategists,oneofthenation’sleadingadvocacyand
publicpolicyfirms,hasannouncedthefinalrecipientsoftheFederalFinancialAidAdvocacy
(FFAA)Fund,aportfoliosupportedbytheBill&MelindaGatesFoundation.Achievingthe
Dream,VirginiaFoundationforCommunityCollegeEducationandMinervaConsultingtogether
willreceive$70,000ingrantsforadvocacycapacity-buildingwork,whichbringsthetotal
amountoffundingtosupportadvocacyeffortssurroundingfederalfinancialaidthroughthe
FFAAFundto$1million.
“WearethrilledbythediversityofprojectsrepresentedbytheFFAAFundgrantrecipients,and
thesefinalthreefurtherenhancetherealmofadvocacy—andadvocates—takingplacearound
federalfinancialaid,”saidTerrellHalaska,managingpartneratHCMStrategists.“Itisexciting
toseealltheseorganizationsengageinalargermovementtoimprovepostsecondary
educationaccessandachievementforstudents.”
ThethreefinalFFAAFundgrantrecipients,approvedprojectsandindividualgrantamountsare:
• AchievingtheDream($30,000):AchievingtheDream(ATD)isanationalreform
networkdedicatedtocommunitycollegestudentsuccessandcompletion,witha
primaryfocushelpinglow-incomestudentsandstudentsofcolorcompletetheir
educationandobtainmarket-valuedcredentials.ATDwillusethegranttoidentifybest
strategiesandtacticstoamplifyitsvoiceandimpactonbehalfoffourmillion
communitycollegestudents.
• VirginiaFoundationforCommunityCollegeEducation($20,000):TheVirginia
FoundationforCommunityCollegeEducationgrantwillsupporttheworkofthe
organization’sGreatExpectationsEducationProgramforFosterYouth.Great
ExpectationswillconnectwithVirginiastudentswhohaveexperiencedfostercareand
increasetheirawarenessofstateandfederalfinancialaidavailableforpostsecondary
FinalRoundofFFAAFundGrantRecipientsAnnounced
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education.Activitiesincludefocusgroupsonfinancialaidinbothurbanandruralareas,
paneldiscussions,thedevelopmentoffinancialaidmaterials,andtrainingstudent
leadersandpeeradvocates.
•
MinervaConsulting($20,000):ForitsFFAAFundproject,Minervawilldesignand
conductahalf-daysocialmediaseminartoaidotherFFAAFundgranteesinmaximizing
theiruseofsocialmediaintheiradvocacywork,aswellasthedevelopmentofabest
practicestoolkittobesharedwithFFAAFundapplicantsandotherinterested
advocates.
TheserecipientsjoineightotherFFAAFundrecipientsselectedin2016:CampaignforCollege
Opportunity,NationalCollegeAccessNetwork,ThurgoodMarshallCollegeFund,Generation
Progress,TheInstituteforCollegeAccess&Success,InstituteforHigherEducationPolicy,
NationalSkillsCoalitionandYoungInvincibles.
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AboutHCMStrategists
HCMStrategistsisapublicpolicyandadvocacyconsultingfirmfocusedonadvancingeffectivesolutionsinhealth
andeducation.HCMutilizesanetworkofrelationshipsatthestateandfederalleveltoworkcollaborativelywith
nonprofits,foundationsandcorporations.
• WeALIGNbyconnectingaproblemtoapolicyandtopractice.
• WeADVOCATEbycapturingattentionandstrengtheningpublicwilltoaction.
• WeADVANCEbypursuingchangethroughfindingcommonground,proposingspecificsolutionsand
forgingstrongalliances.
TerrellHalaska,KristinConklinandMichaelManganiellojoinedforcesbecausetheyshareavisionofandpassion
forchange.Achievingpolicychangetakesacombinationofhigh-levelgovernmentexperience,anunderstandingof
people’sstruggles,anetworkofstrongrelationships,akeenanalyticalability,andtheskillstofindfresh,creative
approachestoaddressingissues.Whenyoucanenlightenallparticipantsbycapturingtheirattention,finding
commonground,andbuildingstrongalliances,successiswithinreach.Theresultischangethatimprovesour
communitiesandenhancesqualityoflife.