Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund

The economic future of Los Angeles depends on realizing the potential of our students. By 2018, more than half of California’s jobs will require at least some college education, yet only 12 percent of L.A.’s 9th graders will go on to receive a college degree. With a projected shortfall of 1.1 million degree holders by 2030, California is facing a college graduation crisis.

Students who graduate college are healthier, less likely to become involved in the justice system and more civically engaged. They average an additional $1 million in lifetime earnings, which means our entire local economy benefits when L.A. students graduate from college.

CCF and the College Futures Foundation, along with investors across Los Angeles and the country, have committed more than $15 million to establish the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF) in order to address this impending crisis and increase the number of low-income L.A. County youth who graduate from college. Part high-performing learning network, part innovation incubator, LASIF supports programs that combine multi-year scholarships with additional support proven to help students graduate.

To date, LASIF has provided more than 45,000 students with the resources and skills they need to succeed, and data shows that 94 percent of 2013’s inaugural class of LASIF scholars who enrolled in a four-year college or university persisted to their second year. To join with CCF and College Futures Foundation in unlocking the potential of L.A. students and shaping the future of the region, visit calfund.org/lasif.