The Aspire Initiative: Building a Stronger Cradle-to-Career Pipeline in Austin

Chicago Prize
Finalist
Westside Health Authority

The Aspire Initiative mobilizes existing community assets with new investments to impact the growth in educational and economic opportunities for Austinites of all ages.

Last Updated: May 2023
Competition Participation
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Chicago Prize
Subject
Community and economic development
  • Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
  • Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
  • Economically disadvantaged people
  • 4. Quality education
  • 8. Decent work and economic growth
  • 10. Reduced inequalities

Executive Summary

Aspire builds on the momentum of the Austin Quality of Life Plan to create four investments strategically clustered around existing assets in an area bound by Madison, Chicago, Central, and Laramie Avenues. These investments will result in a state of the art early learning, health and recreation center, a vibrant neighborhood high school filled with students, an economic hub that connects low-income residents with real economic opportunity, and 60 units of new affordable housing for purchase so that low-income residents have an opportunity to build wealth. The Aspire initiative is part of a collective vision for a powerful and highly collaborative community with the capacity to create a high quality cradle-to-career educational system and a revitalized economy by and for Austin residents. These investments and the activity they catalyze, will address low education outcomes, rising rates of poverty, and lower rates of homeownership in Austin. Austin Coming Together will work with a third party evaluator to measure the long-term impact of Aspire on Kindergarten readiness, high school graduation, income, and homeownership rates in the community by the year 2030. Aspire is led by Westside Health Authority and Austin Coming Together with supported from numerous partners within the community and beyond.

Organization Details
Lead Organization

Westside Health Authority

website: http://www.healthauthority.org
Organization Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Organization ID
36-3789879
Number of Full-time Employees
26 to 50
Annual Operating Budget
$5.1 to 10 Million
Type
Nonprofit

Charity, fund, non-governmental organization, religious institution, school, or other entity

Organizations may provide budget and employee data based on this proposal or the organization as a whole. For more information on this proposal or organization, please email us.

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