Bridges to Brighter Futures is a funding initiative based in Chicago.

We support programs and institutions that propel students through postsecondary pathways that incur limited debt and lead to careers that provide living wages and advancement to economic wealth.  These include effective workforce development and community college programs, including community college transfer to Bachelor’s degree completion.

Our Strategy
Bridges to Brighter Futures invests in organizations working in Chicago to address the challenges that low-income postsecondary students face on the path to graduation, which can set them up for securing quality jobs that offer long-term economic security. We advance different strategies in these efforts including: 

• Supporting students who have already earned a High School diploma or GED
• Supporting students to complete Associate’s degrees and transfer to Bachelor’s degree programs
• Eliminating barriers for students on transfer pathways so as to minimize time to degree and maximize credit transfer
• Supporting students through valuable workforce training and into living wage jobs, including alumni services for graduates
• Providing barrier reduction funding for students, so that students can complete degrees and advance in careers
• Conducting research on affordable postsecondary career pathways or convening stakeholders, including researchers, academic institutions, and employers

Transfer Innovation Impact Model (TIIM): Eliminating Barriers to Education and Career Success
In 2025, the Transfer Innovation Impact Model (TIIM) was launched to focus on supporting Chicago-area community college students in bachelor’s degree completion. TIIM creates a funding opportunity for institutions to partner with a community college and a wraparound support organization to create innovative new models and strategies to make transferring more accessible to students. Initial grant recipients have been identified and fundraising is underway for $10 million for this four-year initiative.