OVERVIEW: Woodward Hines supports college access, college completion, and community colleges in the state of Mississippi.
IP TAKE: WHEF is a major education funder in Mississippi that prioritizes low-income and minority students. Of late, WHEF is laser focused on accelerating the percentage of Mississippians with postsecondary degrees, so nonprofits aligned with that goal should reach out directly to the organization. Additionally, grantseekers working towards postsecondary educational support for niche populations, like the incarcerated, may find WHEF a welcome place for more information. However, this funder does not accept unsolicited applications, which requires that grantseekers network deeply in order to get their work noticed. It offers general operating support and funds for capacity building. Don’t hesitate to contact WHEF with questions.
PROFILE: Established in 1995, the Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) is based in Jackson, Mississippi, and supports postsecondary education in Mississippi. It seeks “to expand equitable access to and completion of postsecondary credentials, certificates, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment for more Mississippians.” This is the foundation of Jack Woodward, who created a secondary market for student loans in the state, as banks were reluctant to provide such loans. Woodward teamed up with J. Herman Hines and created the Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation and later the Education Services Foundation in 1995. The foundation’s current name was announced in 2017 to honor the work of these two men.
WHEF’s Theory of Change outlines this funder’s roadmap for change for 2023 to 2028. The foundation’s giving priorities all focus on education: the K-12 to post-secondary pipeline; college completion; and strengthening education with postsecondary workforce needs.
Grants for Education and Work Development
WHEF’s education grants prioritize investments in minority students, as well as the gap between postsecondary credentials and job skills. In this light, WHEF’s education grants intersect with work development grants because some support intends to “strengthen postsecondary alignment with workforce needs, build relationships with business and industry to align curricula to meet job demands, connect students with work skills, and provide learn-and-earn opportunities. Increased college access, college persistence, and college completion are all important to this funder. WHEF announced a five year strategic plan (2023-2028) centered around achieving Ascent to 55%, Mississippi’s postsecondary attainment goal that seeks 55% of Mississippians having obtained degrees and credentials beyond high school by 2030, “including four-year bachelor’s degree, two-year associate degree, and short term certificate and credential programs.”
- According to WHEF’s strategic plan, its grantmaking under Ascent to 55% has expanded and gained three focus areas: Student services and support grants “will be predicated on colleges and universities initiating or enhancing specific, high leverage services and supports for currently enrolled students”
- Postsecondary exposure and identity grants target “not only exposure for high school students (the earlier, the better) to colleges across Mississippi via campus visits, so that they can literally ‘see’ themselves at college, but also ensuring that K12 districts and institutions of higher education help attending students see a pathway to college, especially understanding the academic and administrative steps to get there”
- Issue area acceleration grants “emphasize innovation and emerging opportunities to make a positive impact in issue areas aligned to WHEF’s ultimate and intermediate outcomes,” ultimately representing a smaller but still meaningful chunk of WHEF’s grantmaking.
- A recent recipient of a large grant under Ascent to 55%, the Public Education Forum (PEF) of Mississippi, received a four year, $1 million grant in 2022.
Amid the Ascent to 55% strategic push, WHEF still hosts a signature program, Get2College (G2C), which provides college access services in Jackson, Ocean Springs, and Southaven. Through its access to employment programs, WHEF seeks to bridge the gap between postsecondary institutions and employers.
WHEF partners with Achieving the Dream, a network of over 222 institutions nationwide that helps community college students succeed, as well as with the State Financial Aid Department to help the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning develop an interactive and collaborative website to increase engagement and be a resource for K-12 and post-secondary audiences.
WHEF has also supported the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, which has 34 chapters in 15 Mississippi community colleges, contributing to scholarships that go to low-income Mississippi community college students.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $1,000 to $1,000,000, and average around $50,000. There is no minimum or maximum amount awarded.
- WHEF invites information about grant seekers’ work related to two-year, four-year, apprenticeship, and certification programs.This funder prioritizes funding community college student retention and completion.
- Grant eligibility requires organizations to serve communities in Mississippi and demonstrate impact to increase postsecondary access, persistence and attainment; however, grants are not generally made to K-8 programs, high school drop-out programs, athletic events, music trips, fundraisers, or individuals requesting scholarship assistance.
- Grant applications are by invitation only. There is no application form on the funder’s website, but it encourages interested groups to contact the staff by email about work that aligns with WHEF’s funding priorities.
- WHEF operates on a rolling cycle, with grants awarded quarterly.
- Organizations typically are only funded once per year.
- WHEF considers general operating support, at times.
- Learn more with WHEF’s application guidelines.
The foundation staff can be reached with general questions by phone at (601) 321-5555, at info@woodwardhines.org, or via a contact page. Grantseekers may also reach out to grants@woodwardhines.org.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
Last updated on
