Bottom Line Announced as Evergreen National Education Prize Winner for 2020

DENVER, Sept. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Evergreen National Education Prize was awarded to Bottom Line at an awards ceremony on September 15, 2020, presented as part of the National College Attainment Network's virtual conference.

The Evergreen National Education Prize is an annual competition that identifies and helps to scale non-profit organizations that best help low-income youth achieve college and vocational school success.

Three finalists gave their pitches last week, vying for their share of a total of $125,000 in monetary awards to support college access and career-readiness organizations to further their reach and impact.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, Bottom Line was awarded the top prize of $100,000 to support their growth in reaching more low-income students through personalized one-on-one guidance and mentoring in both high school and college.

ScholarMatch was awarded the second place prize of $15,000 in funding. College Track Colorado earned third place, receiving $10,000 in funding.

"Ultimately, Bottom Line's comprehensive scope, impressive results, and ambitious plans for growth pushed Bottom Line over the edge," said Jerry Greenwald, Chairman of the Evergreen Prize. "Their focus on bridging the transitions from high school to college to career could be a model for programs across the country."

The Evergreen Prize Judge Committee, composed of education and business leaders, reviewed over 60 applications from organizations from across the country that work to help underserved youth get to and through college or a vocational degree. Members of the committee include:

• Caroline Altman Smith, Deputy Director, Education, The Kresge Foundation
• Richard Braddock, Former CEO, Priceline and FreshDirect
• Kim Cook, Executive Director, National College Attainment Network
• Dr. John Deasy, Former Superintendent, Stockton Unified School District
• Rachel Greenwald, CEO of Elevated Connections
• Katherine Haley, Vice President of Programs, Philanthropy Roundtable
• Dr. John B. King Jr., President and CEO of The Education Trust, former US Secretary of Education
• Saskia Levy-Thompson, Program Director, New Designs to Advance Learning, Carnegie Corporation
• Gary Z. Linnen, CEO, PeerForward
• Mac Nathanson, Chairman, Mapleton Investments & Co-Chair, Pacific Council on International Policy
• Dan Porterfield, President, Aspen Institute
• Dr. Brook Stafford-Brizard, Director of Education, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

To be considered for the prize, each finalist pitched their organization's impact, a plan to scale the number of low-income students they serve, and explained how the Evergreen Prize would help them achieve their organizational goals.

About the Evergreen National Education Prize

The Evergreen National Education Prize is an annual competition that recognizes nonprofit and government organizations that best help low-income youth access and complete college or vocational degrees. The goal is to identify and grow exciting new programs that significantly boost low-income 18 to 25 year-old students toward college and vocational school success. The Evergreen Prize is offered by the Greenwald Foundation and is guided by a steering committee, a group of talented individuals from philanthropy, education, and other fields who are committed to the Prize's mission. The Prize is managed by America Succeeds.

About Bottom Line

Since its founding in 1997, Bottom Line has helped thousands of first-generation students from low-income backgrounds stay in college and complete their degrees. They believe that students need a mentor and a guide during the college application process and throughout college to succeed. Bottom Line currently serves over 8,000 students through two program areas – College Access and College Success. The College Access program serves high school seniors by providing one-on-one guidance from Bottom Line advisors. Advisors support students throughout the college application and decision process. The program gives students the support and guidance they need to make an informed decision about attending college. Through the College Success program, college students receive support and guidance based on Bottom Line's DEAL rubric for up to 6 years or until they graduate. On-campus support is personalized to each student, and ensures they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to persist and graduate from college with a career plan in place. 

SOURCE Evergreen National Education Prize