The College for All Texans Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 2001 by three Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) members. Officially designated as a support organization for THECB, the Foundation operates to generate the resources needed to ensure the success of the state’s higher education plan, Closing the Gaps by 2015 as led by the THECB.

The Foundation’s greatest priority is to solicit private sector funding for two programs designed to improve the educational attainment of Texans by increasing the numbers of historically underrepresented students who enroll in and complete college: Advise TX College Advising Corps and Generation TX . Both programs are currently supported by a federal College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) which requires non-federal matching funds of $1 for every $2 in federal support. These complementary programs have been designated as the priority college access programs for the THECB and are funded through the federal CACG through August 2014.

Advise Texas (Advise TX) is a college access program affiliated with the National College Advising Corps. This near-peer model for improvement of college access could well be likened to the “Teach for America” of advising, in that it recruits highly talented recent graduates from partnering universities, intensively trains them as college advisers, and places them into high schools with a high proportion of minority students and low college-going rates. In these schools, Advise TX provides one-on-one assistance to students in matching their career goals and academic abilities to the best postsecondary options to help them achieve their dreams.

Generation Texas (GenTX) is a statewide campaign to increase the educational attainment of Texans… inspiring students to become the greatest generation ever. An online community mobilizes supporters and connects students who set educational goals. Local community events provide information and help for students to enter postsecondary education. The future of Texas depends on an educated workforce, and GenTX is a growing, grassroots movement to achieve that.

Since 2001, the Foundation has received over $18 million in donations and pledges to support the programs and initiatives of the THECB. The Foundation has supported many successful programs including the construction, distribution, operation and spread of Mobile College Preparation Centers (Mobile GO Centers), the expansion of the Collegiate G-Force Grant Program (student mentors that promote a college going culture), Financial Aid Month Telethons, College Recruitment and Preparation Centers (GO Centers) in high schools and community venues, funds for TEXAS Grants (Need-based scholarships distributed by Texas higher education institutions), College for All Texans AmeriCorp and AmeriCorp*VISTA volunteer programs, development of the Higher Education Policy Institute, and other projects which expand and enhance the education research infrastructure in Texas and scholarships for students.