NLC selects five cities to participate in its postsecondary success initiative

The National League of Cities (NLC) has announced five cities have been selected to participate in its 2021 Cities Addressing Basic Needs of Postsecondary Students initiative—Tampa, Fla.; Savoy, Ill.; Wichita, Kan.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Madison, Wis.

The year-long initiative is a grant-funded program that works with cities to recognize situations that prevent college students from successfully completing postsecondary degrees, certificates or other credentials needed to gain access to rewarding careers.

According to Mike Bartlett, program manager, Postsecondary Success Basic Needs Initiative, sometimes the reasons people don’t graduate from college are not academic, but more basic. “Sometimes they are food insecure, or homeless, or they have no childcare and can’t attend classes.”

The NLC says “This initiative is meant to increase equitable opportunities for low-income students and students of color and to position postsecondary completion as a strategy to increase pathways out of poverty and workforce success.” The program helps cities partner with local colleges and universities, workforce agencies, chambers and community partners to identify and remove barriers to basic needs such as food, housing, childcare, mental health services, transportation and digital access for postsecondary students.

To be considered, cities submitted proposals where they identified one local basic need issue (e.g., food insecurity, housing insecurity, transportation, digital access, childcare, or mental health) and develop a specific policy or programmatic action steps to tackle the problem. “They can be a simple as how to let college students know about available resources,” Bartlett said. “Or emergency rental assistance or digital access. The needs are as varied as the cities.”

Participants will engage in monthly peer-to-peer virtual learning opportunities and webinars and receive tailored support and assistance from NLC’s staff and national content experts to help advance the city’s efforts in breaking down the barriers students face in their area.

Since its start in 2019, the initiative has worked with 25 cities in addressing the basic needs of students. Along with the Cities Addressing Basic Needs of Postsecondary Students, the NLC also is launching the Cities Advancing Equitable Youth Economic Recovery and Empowerment initiative to support cities’ efforts to improve outcomes for young people who are marginalized from economic success, the NLC will support cities in creating equitable outcomes for marginalized youths. Applications for this program are now being accepted through Nov. 19. For more information, go to the initiative’s website.