INDIANAPOLIS – On April 19, 2017, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the creation of the Indianapolis Promise Task Force. Charged with assembling recommendations on how to improve access to post-secondary educational opportunities for all Marion County residents, the Task Force met regularly over the last year with representatives from state and local government, institutions of higher education, workforce development and education nonprofits, as well as major corporate employers.

Today, Mayor Hogsett announced the recommendations of that group, and launched Indy Achieves, a comprehensive program to make post-secondary credentials and degrees available to every Indianapolis resident.

“More than 60% of jobs in our state require a post-secondary credential or degree, but only 42% of our residents currently possess one,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Indy Achieves will bring together existing resources to send the message that no matter whether you are a current high school student, or an adult looking to move your career to new heights, everyone in Indianapolis can achieve the education they need to compete in a 21st Century economy.”

The Indy Achieves program will have three major responsibilities:

(1) administer the Indy Promise scholarship, which will guarantee free tuition, books, and fees for every Marion County 21st Century Scholar recipient beginning in 2019; (2) administer the Indy Achieves Completion Grant, which is expected to provide more than a million dollars a year in grants to Marion County students of all ages who are pursuing high-demand degree programs; and (3) marshal private and philanthropic resources to provide wraparound services for Marion County residents pursuing a post-secondary degree, including increased participation in state and federal scholarship programs, on time FAFSA completion, and postgraduate connection to employment through groups such as EmployIndy and Ascend.

All of these programs will be available to Marion County residents who are attending Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis or IUPUI.

“Marion County is a donor county, and Indiana is a donor state — and I'm proud the program will be funded by bringing those tax dollars back to Indianapolis and putting them to work on behalf of taxpayers,” added Mayor Hogsett.

Indy Achieves will be housed within EmployIndy as a standalone organization, with an expected staff of nearly a dozen once fully launched. It will be funded exclusively through an annual appropriation that will not require any new taxes, as well as through financial agreements with both Ivy Tech and IUPUI who will financially participate in the program.

“As we continue to guide Marion County’s workforce to meet the talent needs of employers, we are excited to house Indy Achieves within EmployIndy’s walls,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, President and CEO of EmployIndy. “Our ever-growing ecosystem of connections and partnerships will provide a solid foundation for this important program.”

In addition to these programs, both Ivy Tech and IUPUI have agreed to strengthen and launch services for Indy Achieves students aimed at increasing on time college completion. Coupled with the Indy Promise Scholarship and Completion Grant programs, Mayor Hogsett announced a goal of raising Indianapolis' college attainment number to 65% by the year 2027.

“Ivy Tech is proud to be an educational partner with the City of Indianapolis in this important program,” Dr. Lee, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Indianapolis. “Indy Achieves will help remove educational barriers and is in line with Ivy Tech’s goal of helping more Hoosiers attain high-value degrees and certificates.”

“At IUPUI, we are looking forward to working with the City of Indianapolis, EmployIndy and Ivy Tech Community College to expand the talent pipeline in Indianapolis and create opportunities for more Marion County residents to pursue college degrees,” said Nasser H. Paydar, Chancellor of IUPUI. “Working together, we can eliminate educational barriers at the same time as we prepare students for success in the classroom and ultimately in the workforce.”

To view the full recommendations of the Indianapolis Promise Task Force, click here.

For more information about Indy Achieves visit IndyAchieves.org.