The Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund

Few things can transform a life like a college diploma. A bachelor’s degree leads to an additional $1 million in lifetime earning potential, but it’s about more than just money. College success benefits entire communities. Graduates are healthier, more civically engaged and contribute to a better life for all.

Los Angeles County is home to dozens of outstanding colleges, yet it is failing to produce the number of graduates needed to sustain and grow its own economy. By 2025, 40 percent of California’s jobs will require a bachelor’s degree, but more than half of our high school graduates lack the classes required to apply to a four year college. And those who are able to enroll face significant financial obstacles, including skyrocketing tuition, a complex financial aid system and crippling student loan debt. The result is a projected shortfall of 2.3 million degree holders over the next decade that threatens the economic future of the region.

Since 2012, the California Community Foundation (CCF), the College Futures Foundation, and investors across Los Angeles and the country have committed more than $15 million to end the graduation crisis and create a more prosperous future for all Angelenos.

By combining need-based scholarships with additional support and resources proven to help students graduate, the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF) has helped tens of thousands of low-income L.A. students realize the promise of a college education.

In this report, you’ll learn more about the impact LASIF has had on the lives of L.A. students, discover the innovative organizations that are working to improve college access and meet LASIF scholars who are transforming their lives and their futures.

To learn more about how LASIF is helping thousands of L.A. students to prepare for, pay for and succeed in college, visit calfund.org/lasif.