New Futures provides financial assistance to help very low income, “at risk” young people complete post-secondary education and become financially self-sufficient.  Most of these youths would not be able to fulfill their dreams without this assistance. Unlike other scholarship organizations, we understand that not everyone has the same goal. New Futures therefore funds both those who want to obtain non-college, professional accreditation as well as those bound for community colleges or four year programs.

We have a unique model of operation.  New Futures pioneered the creation of a partnership with some of DC’s most effective community-based organizations.  These organizations nominate their most deserving young people to our Selection Committee, and continue to mentor and monitor those selected throughout their post-secondary education. New Futures' financing program is as follows:

1. The scholarship will finance up to 90% of the non-financed balance to a total of $12,000 for non-college certification programs and vocational training in diverse fields such as computer technology, medical technology, nursing, cosmetology and culinary arts.
   
   

2. The scholarship will finance approximately $1,500 per semester, up to a total of $12,000, for tuition and other documented expenses for college bound scholars. This funding will help to close the critical financial gap that remains after Pell grants, student loans and other financial assistance sources have come up short.

Our target group has experienced a range of poverty’s afflictions that may include drugs, immigration problems, dysfunctional families and teen pregnancy.  The youth selected to participate in this program are a highly committed group, who have already overcome enormous obstacles to obtain their GED or high school degrees and are ready to take the next step by attending post-secondary education.

These young people have little access to alternative sources of funding and would not be able to complete their post-secondary education without our assistance.

To date we have provided assistance to 136 young people, amounting to over $1,200,000.  About 80% of the awardees who began their studies have successfully completed or are progressing well through their educational programs.  Twenty-four graduates hold excellent jobs in their chosen fields. By any measure, these are impressive results.  However, we cannot continue this effort without additional funding.

The initial capital from the Estate of Allen Gould, the brother of our founder, was fully committed by the end of 2007.  Further donations from a small group of generous foundations was not going to be sufficient to sustain our mission.  

Our community partners unanimously told us that the New Futures scholarship was unique and crucial to the youth they served. In 2007 we undertook a major fund raising effort to raise the funds necessary to sustain the program and to provide scholarships to 20 new scholars each year.  We reached this goal in 2007, and hope to continue to sustain and grow our program in the future.