Partnership for College Completion
Partnership for College Completion is a Chicago-based nonprofit that advances equity in Illinois higher education through original research, policy advocacy, and institutional partnerships with the state's colleges, universities, and state agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Partnership for College Completion does
Partnership for College Completion (PCC) is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization founded in 2016 that advances equity in Illinois higher education through research, policy advocacy, and direct institutional partnerships with the state's colleges and universities. Its portfolio includes research publications (e.g., 'Seamless Success: Transforming College Transfer in Illinois' and the 'Second Progress Report on Reforming Developmental Education in Illinois'), interactive data visualization tools (the Illinois College Transfer Pathways Dashboards), policy frameworks (the 'Effective, Equitable, and Efficient' accountability paradigm), and institutional partnership programs including ILEA and IDEEA, which collectively serve dozens of Illinois community colleges and four-year institutions, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Community College Board.
The organization's underlying technology is modest: its proprietary features center on domain-specialized data analytics and research platforms that surface Illinois-specific transfer and developmental education outcomes, rather than on scalable software infrastructure. PCC distributes these assets through its website, quarterly newsletter, conferences, and a coalition-driven go-to-market model that convenes students, faculty, university leaders, labor partners, and advocates — exemplified by the annual Higher Education Advocacy Day in Springfield, which drew nearly 400 participants in 2026. As a nonprofit, PCC's revenue model is grant-funded and donation-based, with no fees charged to beneficiaries; documented anchor funders include Lumina Foundation, ECMC Foundation, and Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, alongside individual and corporate donations.
PCC's leadership team is led by Executive Director Lisa Castillo Richmond (Ph.D.) and Board Chair Dr. Doug E. Wood, supported by a Director of Policy and Research (Mike Abrahamson), Director of Institutional Partnerships (Rebecca Popelka), Policy Manager (Alejandra Villa-Moges), and a research and policy staff. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and maintains an Investors Council for stakeholder engagement. As PCC enters its 10th year in 2026, it is preparing to debut a new strategic plan and is expanding programmatically into the higher-education-in-prison vertical through a recent ECMC Foundation grant.
Partnership for College Completion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Partnership for College Completion
- Legal name
- Partnership for College Completion
- Website
- https://partnershipfcc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Partnership for College Completion is a Chicago-based nonprofit that advances equity in Illinois higher education through original research, policy advocacy, and institutional partnerships with the state's colleges, universities, and state agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Partnership for College Completion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Equity Advocacy
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF), Articulation & Credit Transfer Partnerships (EDAIABAE), Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)
Keywords
Where Partnership for College Completion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Partnership for College Completion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grants and Foundation Funding: PCC receives grant funding from foundations such as ECMC Foundation and Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust to support research, advocacy, and coalition-building activities.
- Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support its mission of advancing equity in higher education.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Partnership for College Completion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Partnership for College Completion is a nonprofit organization that advances equity-centered solutions to historic inequities in Illinois' higher education system. The organization produces research publications and interactive data dashboards on transfer pathways and developmental education, advocates for equity-centered state legislation and higher education funding (including MAP grant funding), and partners directly with Illinois colleges and universities through initiatives such as the Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA) and the Illinois Developmental Education Equity in Action Network (IDEEA).
Product overview
Partnership for College Completion (PCC) is a nonprofit organization that advances solutions addressing historic inequities in Illinois' higher education system. PCC offers a portfolio of research publications, interactive data visualization tools, policy advocacy resources, and institutional partnership programs. Core offerings include the Seamless Success transfer research report, Illinois College Transfer Pathways interactive dashboards, and the ILEA equity partnership program. The organization also provides the Resource Library with advocacy toolkits and collaborates with Illinois colleges and universities through initiatives like the Illinois Developmental Education Equity in Action Network and DERA partnership programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seamless Success: Transforming College Transfer in Illinois Comprehensive report analyzing barriers to transfer for Illinois community college students, including findings that only 20% of students who intend to transfer actually complete a bachelor's degree, with policy recommendations for improving affordability and transfer pathways.
- Illinois College Transfer Pathways Dashboards Series of interactive data visualizations identifying patterns in Illinois' undergraduate community college transfer student rates and patterns throughout the state.
- PCC's Second Progress Report on Reforming Developmental Education in Illinois Report evaluating successes and areas of improvement for Illinois' higher education system since the Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) was implemented nearly five years ago.
- Effective, Equitable, and Efficient: A New Paradigm for Holding Universities Accountable Higher education accountability framework that centers students, prioritizes adequate resourcing, and promotes transparency, collaboration, and measurable progress across Illinois' public university system.
- Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA) Partnership program where Illinois colleges and universities develop and deploy equity-centered strategies to eliminate racial and socioeconomic disparities in degree completion on their campuses.
- Illinois Developmental Education Equity in Action Network (IDEEA) Network supporting community colleges in Illinois to reform their developmental education programs, with second cohort of fourteen community colleges committed to reform efforts.
- DERA Implementation Partnership Partnership program supporting Illinois community colleges in implementing the Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) and related equity-centered practices.
- A Framework for Equity in Illinois Policy playbook for Illinois lawmakers on making more equity-centered higher education appropriations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40% reduction in developmental education placement (from 46% in 2016 to 29% in 2021)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Partnership for College Completion
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Partnership for College Completion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Partnership for College Completion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Coalition for Transforming Higher EducationflagshipPCC co-convenes the Coalition for Transforming Higher Education Funding with monthly meetings bringing together students, faculty, university leaders, labor partners, policy experts, and advocates to advance equitable higher education funding policies including HB 1581/SB 13.
- Illinois Coalition for Higher Ed in Prisons (IL-CHEP)corePCC partners with IL-CHEP to advocate for higher education in prison programs, working together on legislative initiatives and budget advocacy for HEP funding through IBHE and ICCB.
- Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)corePCC collaborates with IBHE on policy initiatives including the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Formula Act and strategic planning through A Thriving Illinois framework.
- Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)corePCC works with ICCB on developmental education reform initiatives, supporting implementation of the Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) and related equity-centered practices.
- Illinois Colleges and Universities (Institutional Partnerships)flagshipPCC partners with Illinois colleges and universities through programs including DERA implementation, IDEEA (Illinois Developmental Education Equity in Action), and ILEA (Illinois Equity in Attainment) initiative to support equity-centered campus strategies.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Partnership for College Completion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Campaign for College Opportunity: California-based nonprofit that conducts research, policy advocacy, and coalition-building to increase college access and completion for underrepresented students. Highly comparable as a state-focused higher-education equity advocacy organization with parallel research-and-policy structure.
- Excelencia in Education: National nonprofit accelerating Latino student success in higher education through research, policy advocacy, and practice. Comparable as a higher-education equity advocacy organization that combines data products, coalition work, and state-level policy engagement.
- The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS): Independent nonprofit research and policy organization focused on making higher education more affordable, accessible, and equitable. Comparable research-driven, advocacy-oriented structure focused on student financial aid and equity in higher education.
- Southern Education Foundation: Regional nonprofit advancing equity in education across the American South through research, policy, and advocacy. Comparable as a regional equity-focused education policy organization with research, advocacy, and institutional partnership functions.
- The Education Trust: National nonprofit that promotes high academic achievement, equity, and access for students of color and low-income students from preschool through college. Comparable mission, research-driven advocacy model, and focus on closing equity gaps in higher education completion.
- Young Invincibles: National nonprofit advocating for young adults' economic opportunity, with significant focus on higher education affordability, college access, and student debt. Comparable mission around equity in higher education through research, advocacy, and coalition-building.
- Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit driving workforce and postsecondary education transformation to expand economic opportunity. Comparable research, policy, and practice role focused on equitable postsecondary pathways and student success, especially for underrepresented learners.
Broad incumbents
- State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO): National membership organization for state-level higher education leaders and agencies that coordinates state policy and produces data products on higher education outcomes. Comparable as an established higher-education policy and data organization, though broader in scope than PCC's equity-advocacy niche.
- Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U): National membership association advancing liberal education, equity, and quality in higher education. Comparable focus on higher education equity and student success, though broader scope and a membership model rather than equity-advocacy niche.
Others
- HCM Strategists: Strategic communications and policy advocacy firm working with education and social-impact clients. Comparable as a strategic partner working in education advocacy communications and policy campaigns, but as a for-profit services firm rather than a mission-driven nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Partnership for College Completion social profiles
Digital presencePartnership for College Completion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Partnership for College Completion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Partnership for College Completion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Partnership for College Completion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Partnership for College Completion
What does Partnership for College Completion do?
Partnership for College Completion is a nonprofit organization that advances equity-centered solutions to historic inequities in Illinois' higher education system. The organization produces research publications and interactive data dashboards on transfer pathways and developmental education, advocates for equity-centered state legislation and higher education funding (including MAP grant funding), and partners directly with Illinois colleges and universities through initiatives such as the Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA) and the Illinois Developmental Education Equity in Action Network (IDEEA).
Is Partnership for College Completion a public or private company?
Partnership for College Completion is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Partnership for College Completion founded?
Partnership for College Completion was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Partnership for College Completion based?
Partnership for College Completion is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Partnership for College Completion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grants and Foundation Funding is the primary driver. The others are individual and Corporate Donations.
Who are Partnership for College Completion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Campaign for College Opportunity, Excelencia in Education, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Southern Education Foundation, The Education Trust, Young Invincibles and Jobs for the Future. Broad incumbents are State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) and Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). HCM Strategists is listed as an others.
Does Partnership for College Completion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Partnership for College Completion.
What industry is Partnership for College Completion in?
Partnership for College Completion's product category is Higher Education Equity Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADALAF, Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender, with a secondary code of EDAHADAF, Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.