Who We Are
We are a collective of community leaders from every sector— education, business, government, industry, and nonprofit. We are an aligner & coordinator of collective efforts with shared ownership so we can have sustained progress. The network represents the Central Florida Region: Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties.
We like to say, “we are a ‘we’ not an ‘it’.” Comprised of nearly 50 partner organizations and more than 100 individuals from those organizations, upliftED strives to increase the number of Central Floridians who have a college degree or high-quality certificate. We want at least 60% of working age adults to be credentialed by the year 2030 which aligns with the state’s attainment goal: SAIL to 60.
We Are A Convener
We convene our partners in three ways:
1. Quarterly Regional Partner Meetings: At these general meetings, we provide transparent workgroup updates, bring in special guest speakers, and hold engaging, actionable discussions.
2. County-specific Meetings: These meetings are held on a bi-monthly basis to focus on the needs and issues impacting each of the counties in our catchment region.
3. Host Community Conversations: We bring stakeholders (students, teachers, counselors, business and non-profit leaders, public officials, philanthropic influencers, and more) together to share and learn about issues impacting students and their families. All of our convenings are data-driven and action-focused. The most recent series of Community Conversations was the “Help ALICE in Wonderland Prosper” Series in Osceola and Seminole Counties.
We Are A Connector
We connect individuals and organizations to like-minded organizations to leverage ideas and resources for a greater collective impact. We also amplify our partner messages to connect the community to available resources.
We Are A Collaborator
We collaborate with individuals, organizations, and institutions on the local, state, and national level. We harness the collective energy and the diverse experiences of inspiring individuals and organizations who understand that a vibrant, healthy community is inextricably linked to an educated workforce ready to succeed. Regionally, we facilitate Impact Teams focused on planning events and/or creating resources to address barriers to student access, persistence and completion.
UpliftED was the first Local College Access Network (LCAN) in Florida. UpliftED launched in 2013 in a very organic way with Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) leading the charge identifying barriers to college access and ultimately persistence and completion. Partners joined in the effort forming what was then called Central Florida College Access Network. Together, the collaborative created resources and tools for the partners to use with their students and families, no matter their age, background, or zip code.
In 2019, after our first strategic plan was complete and with guidance from the Leadership Roundtable in place at that time, we rebranded to upliftED to put an emphasis on expanding education for employment for a stronger Central Florida workforce. We are now 1 of 18 LCANs across the state representing nearly 82% of the population.
To accomplish our goal, much of our work focuses on breaking down barriers that block people from attaining a degree. By providing easier access to grants, scholarships, and tuition reimbursement, and supporting clear pathways to degree completion, people who thought college was out of reach can get the resources and support they need to succeed.
With the HFUW serving as its backbone organization and as a partner in the Florida College Access Network (FCAN), upliftED harnesses the power, connections and resources of nearly 50 community partners to connect more students to resources and opportunities that open pathways which will ultimately result in families earning a livable wage throughout the region.