What Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) does

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is a Lansing-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 (with 2009 antecedents) whose mission is to raise Michigan's working-age postsecondary attainment rate to 60% by 2030 ("Sixty by 30"). Michigan's attainment rate stood at 47.5% in 2023, up from 35.8% in 2009, marking a 10th consecutive year of increase. MCAN operates as a statewide platform organization with no traditional "customers" — its direct beneficiaries are low-income high school students, first-generation college-going students, students of color, adult learners, and incarcerated learners; its institutional partners include 355+ College Bound Michigan (CBMI) high school host sites, Local College Access Networks (LCANs), 15+ Michigan public universities, community colleges, workforce development agencies, and the Michigan Department of Corrections.

MCAN's product portfolio is structured as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core data asset is the Impact Map, an interactive public dashboard (hosted on Data Insight Partners' MyEducationData platform, with Google/Microsoft/Clever SSO) that visualizes seven statewide attainment metrics across ISD, county, region, and legislative district geographies. Layered on top are programmatic modules: CBMI (a suite of Michigan College Month, College Cash Campaign, and College Decision Day initiatives), four AmeriCorps advising programs (AdviseMI, College Completion Corps, MSU College Advising Corps, plus FAFSA-focused VISTA), and a new Match/EAB direct-admit integration launching for 2026. Capacity-building products include the School Counselor Fellows program (with San Diego State University's CEPA), Michigan Leadership Fellows (with MASSP), the new Gateway Course Redesign Faculty Academy (with Almy Education and Sova), and re-grant programs (Innovative Program Grants, Reconnect Now! Grants, Summer Melt Grants, Educated Workforce Pathway Grants, Aspire Grants). MCAN also serves as fiscal sponsor for the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP, 14 institutions, 17 facilities, 1,300 incarcerated learners) and co-publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of College Access (>50,000 downloads).

MCAN's revenue model is a nonprofit hybrid anchored on a state appropriation (Michigan line item of $3M in FY27, down from $4M) with a federal AmeriCorps layer ($2.1M, terminated April 2025) and foundation grants (including a $750K three-year Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant for MiCHEP in January 2026). Programs and tools are delivered free to schools and students; MCAN funds operations through state appropriations, foundation grants, pass-through re-grants from partners including the Ballmer Foundation and Kresge Foundation, conference and event revenue (annual conference, Take Flight Pitch Competition, College Access Impact Awards), and donor development via Constant Contact newsletters. Distribution is a mix of direct field service (75+ embedded AmeriCorps advisers, recently displaced), statewide convening via MIHEART (a 20+ member cross-sector coalition), and self-serve public dashboards.

Name

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN)

Legal name

Michigan College Access Network

Website

https://micollegeaccess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is a Lansing-based statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to raise Michigan's postsecondary attainment rate to 60% by 2030. It serves low-income, first-generation, students of color, and adult learners through embedded advising, college access programs, fellowships, grants, and data tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Loan Programs & Servicers (Public/Nonprofit) (EDADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Correctional Education Programs (Community College-Delivered) (EDAHADAN), Corrections & Reentry Adult Literacy (Justice-Involved Learners) (EDAAAAAL)

Keywords

• College access services
• Postsecondary attainment programs
• Education nonprofit advocacy
• Higher education policy
• Workforce credentialing

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. State Government Appropriation: Continued State appropriation recommended at $3 million for fiscal year 2027 (reduced from $4 million in prior year). State funding is the core recurring revenue stream supporting MCAN's college access and success work.
2. Foundation Grants: Multi-year foundation grants (e.g., three-year $750,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant for MiCHEP / higher education in prison programming) and quarterly Innovative Program Grants funded from foundation support to community organizations.
3. Federal AmeriCorps Funding (Discontinued): Federal AmeriCorps grants historically supported four programs (AdviseMI, College Completion Corps, VISTA/FAFSA, Pathways Planning Grant) totaling $2.1 million, terminated April 2025 by Department of Government Efficiency order. MCAN sustained programs through May 30, 2025 without further federal reimbursement.
4. Grant-Making Revenue (Pass-Through): MCAN re-grants funds to Local College Access Networks, community colleges, schools, and nonprofits (e.g., $150,000 Reconnect Now! Grants, $43,000 Summer Melt Grants, $30,000 Innovative Program Grants, $30,000 Educated Workforce Pathway Grants, $26,000+ Spring 2026 IPGs). The Ballmer Foundation and others pass funding through MCAN to Detroit College Access Network and others.
5. Conference & Event Revenue: Revenue generated through annual conference registration, sponsorship (e.g., Michigan Virtual sponsored the Take Flight: Sixty by 30 Pitch Competition), and exhibitor fees supporting the 13th-15th annual conferences.
6. Donor/Constituent Subscriptions: Email subscriber acquisition and donor development via Constant Contact newsletter subscription list (mcan) at lp.constantcontactpages.com, supporting mission-related fundraising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is a statewide nonprofit that operates programs, grants, and policy advocacy aimed at increasing Michigan's postsecondary attainment to 60% by 2030 (Sixty by 30). Its core offerings include the College Bound Michigan (CBMI) program suite for high schools, embedded AmeriCorps college advising and completion coaching, the Impact Map public data dashboard, multiple grant programs for community organizations, fellowship programs for school counselors and principals, and fiscal sponsorship of the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP). Services are provided at no cost to students, schools, and partner organizations.

Product overview

MCAN operates as a single integrated nonprofit organization whose product portfolio centers on the Sixty by 30 statewide attainment goal and is delivered through a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core data product is the Impact Map, an interactive dashboard hosted on the MyEducationData platform that visualizes seven key postsecondary attainment metrics across Michigan geographies. Surrounding it is College Bound Michigan (CBMI), a modular suite bundling three sub-initiatives — Michigan College Month, College Cash Campaign, and College Decision Day — to build college-going culture in high schools. Field operations are delivered through four AmeriCorps advising programs (AdviseMI, College Completion Corps, Michigan College Advising Corps, and MSU College Advising Corps), while professional development and capacity-building are supported by the School Counselor Fellows Program, the Michigan Leadership Fellows Program (with MASSP), and the Gateway Course Redesign Faculty Academy. Advocacy is channeled through MIHEART (Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable) and policy work, with funding distributed through the Innovative Program Grants, Summer Melt Grants, Reconnect Now! Grants, Educated Workforce Pathway Planning Grants, and Aspire Grants. Specialized programming includes the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP), where MCAN serves as fiscal agent, and the peer-reviewed Journal of College Access. The annual conference hosts the Take Flight: Sixty by 30 Pitch Competition and the College Access Impact Awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sixty by 30: Statewide campaign and goal to increase the percentage of Michigan residents with degrees or postsecondary certificates to 60% by the year 2030.
• College Bound Michigan (CBMI)
• Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable (MIHEART)

Products and services

• College Bound Michigan (CBMI)

Quantifiable outcome

• Michigan's statewide postsecondary attainment rate grew from 46.8% to 47.5% from 2022 to 2023 (0.7 percentage point gain) — 10th consecutive year of increase.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• EAB / MatchcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2026Technology partner providing the Match direct admit platform for MCAN's College Bound Michigan sites as part of Michigan College Month 2026. Students create profiles and receive nonbinding admission and scholarship offers from partner universities without submitting traditional applications. Offered at no cost to students, counselors, and high schools.
• Central Michigan UniversitycoreOthers · 4 March 2026MCAN Executive Director Ryan Fewins-Bliss appointed to Central Michigan University Board of Trustees by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on March 4, 2026. CMU is also a participating institution in MCAN's Gateway Course Redesign Faculty Academy inaugural cohort.
• Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Groundbreaking collaboration to run the Michigan Leadership Fellows program — an 18-month, project-based fellowship preparing future principals. Now in its third cohort (2026) with six AP Fellows including Keytria Burt-Walker, Anthony DeGrazia, Douglas Livingston, Ray Miller, Nathaniel Moody, and Jessica Stage. MASSP supports more than 1,800 educators across the state.
• Michigan Works! AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Joined MIHEART coalition in September 2025. Brings critical insights into workforce needs and pathways, ensuring postsecondary education aligns with in-demand jobs. Many MWA staffers have completed MCAN training to become Certified FAFSA Specialists. CEO Ryan Hundt accepted the inaugural 2024 Pathway Award from MCAN.
• Launch MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Joined MIHEART coalition in September 2025. Reinforces connection between K-12 education and postsecondary success, advocating for policies such as a college and career standard to prepare students for future opportunities.
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Joined MIHEART coalition in September 2025. Emphasizes the economic imperative of a highly skilled workforce for business growth and attraction; plays key role in connecting postsecondary education with industry needs.
• Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Joined MIHEART coalition in September 2025. Represents the voice of 33,000 entrepreneurs across Michigan and highlights talent needs such as Michigan's Going PRO program and Michigan Reconnect expansion.
• Almy EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2025Co-collaborator with MCAN and Sova on the Gateway Course Redesign Faculty Academy — an 18-month, faculty-driven initiative supporting colleges and universities in redesigning key gateway courses (English, math, biology, chemistry) at scale. Participating institutions receive $10,000 in implementation funding.
• SovacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2025Co-collaborator with MCAN and Almy Education on the Gateway Course Redesign Faculty Academy. Provides expert-led technical assistance, tailored support, and cross-institutional collaboration to redesign gateway courses with equity and effectiveness.
• Michigan VirtualminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2024Sponsored and co-coached the Take Flight: Sixty by 30 Pitch Competition at MCAN's 13th Annual Conference. Michigan Virtual supported all four finalists ahead of the pitch competition with coaching and expertise.
• Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2024State agency partner for the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP). MDOC works with MiCHEP and its 14 member institutions to strengthen educational quality and access across 17 prison learning sites statewide serving 1,300 incarcerated college students. Director Heidi Washington publicly endorses the partnership.
• Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023MCAN serves as fiscal agent/sponsor for MiCHEP, a statewide consortium of 14 Michigan colleges and universities devoted to expanding and improving higher education for incarcerated students. MiCHEP was founded in May 2023 and appointed Jeff Abernathy as founding president (July 1 effective). Steering committee chaired by Richard Ray.
• MIHEART Coalition (20+ member organizations)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014MCAN convenes the Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable (MIHEART), a cross-sector collaborative of business, nonprofit, philanthropy, PK-12, higher education, and government leaders. Members include Business Leaders for Michigan, Detroit Regional Chamber, Launch Michigan, MASSP, MASU, MCCA, MICU, Michigan Works! Association, MEDC, SBAM, Kresge Foundation, and others. Since 2014, the collaborative has shaped the Sixty by 30 agenda and policy advocacy.
• San Diego State University Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment (CEPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Academic partner collaborating on the School Counselor Fellows program (two-year fellowship) and co-publishing the Journal of College Access peer-reviewed journal. CEPA provides ongoing mentorship and training rooted in leadership and advocacy for Michigan school counseling professionals.
• Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success at American UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Co-publisher with MCAN and SDSU's Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment of the Journal of College Access peer-reviewed online academic journal (founded 2014).
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAN is a member of NCAN and partner on programs including School Counselor Fellows, American College Application Campaign, and FAFSA completion initiatives. NCAN honored MCAN partner John Johnson with the 2024 Professional of the Year Award of Excellence.
• ACT's American College Application Campaign (ACAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCAN runs the Michigan component of ACT's American College Application Campaign via Michigan College Month. ACAC has served nearly 5.17 million students submitting more than 10 million applications since 2005. Director Lisa King leads the national initiative.
• Northern Michigan UniversityminorOthersNMU President Brock Tessman joined MCAN's Board of Directors in September 2024, bringing expertise as former deputy commissioner of higher education for the Montana University System.
• Memorial HealthcareminorOthersMemorial Healthcare Associate VP of Advocacy and Government Relations Ben Frederick joined MCAN's Board of Directors in September 2024; previously served as state representative for the 85th House District (three terms).
• Lumina FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLumina Foundation's A Stronger Nation project has been tracking Michigan's postsecondary attainment rate since 2009. MCAN cites Lumina data for statewide attainment trends; 2023 Michigan rate rose 0.7 percentage points to 47.5%.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• StriveTogether: National cradle-to-career collective impact network — comparable to MCAN's LCAN and MIHEART coalition structure, including community mobilization and data infrastructure.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving equitable economic advancement via education and workforce pathways — comparable to MCAN's Educated Workforce Pathway Planning Grants and Michigan Reconnect outreach work.
• Lumina Foundation: Largest private foundation focused on postsecondary attainment, including the Stronger Nation data series that MCAN cites. Comparable as the national-level incumbent in the same policy/data ecosystem, but as a national funder rather than a state-level operator.

Direct peers

• Excelencia in Education: National nonprofit accelerating Latino student success in higher education — comparable to MCAN's equity-focused work serving students of color, first-generation students, and low-income populations in Michigan.
• uAspire: National nonprofit focused on financial aid advising and FAFSA completion — directly comparable to MCAN's College Cash Campaign, Michigan FAFSA Tracker, and the co-administered Certified FAFSA Specialists program.
• Complete College America: Nonprofit focused on increasing postsecondary completion at the state level through policy, data, and practice — closely aligned with MCAN's Sixty by 30 attainment agenda and gateway-course/structured-pathway work.
• National College Advising Corps (NCAC): National nonprofit placing near-peer advisers in high schools to support college access — directly comparable to MCAN's AdviseMI, College Completion Corps, and MSU College Advising Corps.
• Achieving the Dream: National nonprofit driving community college student success and equity through capacity building and data-informed practice — comparable to MCAN's College Completion Corps, Gateway Course Redesign Academy, and equity strategy work.
• National College Attainment Network (NCAN): National umbrella for college access organizations including MCAN itself. Operates the American College Application Campaign and runs the School Counselor Fellows program that MCAN co-implements — directly comparable mission, member-network model, and federal-policy exposure.

Others

• NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education: National association for student affairs professionals in higher education — adjacent to MCAN's higher education innovation, persistence, and completion work, including gateway course redesign and college completion coaching.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MICollegeAccess
• Facebookfacebook.com/micollegeaccess

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Michigan College Access Network (MCAN)