Helios Education Foundation

HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS IN ARIZONA AND FLORIDA TO ACHIEVE A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION'S WORK IS DRIVEN BY ITS FOUR FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS: 1) COMMUNITY - EDUCATION CHANGES LIVES AND STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES. 2) INVESTMENT - EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT, NOT AN EXPENSE. 3) EQUITY - EVERY STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE, DESERVES A HIGH- QUALITY EDUCATION. 4) PARTNERSHIP - THE FOUNDATION WILL ACHIEVE ITS MISSION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION. HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION HAS A DEEP AND LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO THE VALUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. WE SEEK TO INTEGRATE THIS COMMITMENT INTO ALL ASPECTS OF THE FOUNDATION'S OPERATIONS AND WE SEEK THE SAME COMMITMENT FROM OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS. OUR COMMITMENT IS ROOTED IN OUR MISSION, OUR VALUES, AND IN OUR FOUR FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS OF COMMUNITY, INVESTMENT, EQUITY, AND PARTNERSHIP. HELIOS INVESTS IN PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ACROSS THE FULL EDUCATION CONTINUUM, FROM EARLY GRADE SUCCESS THROUGH POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. HELIOS PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ELIGIBLE EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION AIMS TO ACCELERATE THE PACE OF CHANGE IN ARIZONA BY FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC POPULATIONS-LOW-INCOME AND LATINO STUDENTS. IN ARIZONA, THE LATINO POPULATION IS THE FASTEST GROWING SUB POPULATION IN THE STATE. LATINO STUDENTS REPRESENT 45 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT POPULATION AND ARE EXPECTED TO REPRESENT MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT POPULATION BY 2026. HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION AIMS TO ACCELERATE THE PACE OF CHANGE IN FLORIDA BY FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC POPULATIONS-LOW-INCOME AND BLACK STUDENTS. IN FLORIDA, BLACK STUDENTS COMPRISE THE LARGEST SUB POPULATION THAT NEEDS THE MOST HELP, PARTICULARLY IN OUR THREE TARGET COMMUNITIES (TAMPA BAY, CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND SOUTH FLORIDA). THE FOUNDATION'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION IS LONG-TERM AND ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS FOCUSED ON INVESTING IN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES AT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPECIFICALLY IMPACT THE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS. DURING FY23, HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION IN GRANTS AND $922 THOUSAND IN-KIND GIVING TO EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN ARIZONA AND FLORIDA. THIS FUNDING AND IN-KIND GIVING PROVIDED SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NON-PROFITS THAT IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION. Helios Education Foundation has a purposeful focus on results. Our Impact Strategy focuses on three key drivers essential to getting students on track for college attainment: Ensure that students are reading by the third grade; Increase college enrollments; and Increase attainment of two- and four-year college degrees. PRIORITIES IN ACHIEVING OUR LONG-TERM GOAL: 1) Helios supports improvements in early learning through: Continual improvement of quality early learning teaching; increasing access to quality early learning environments, particularly for Black, Latino, and low-income students; and expanding the use of research-based literacy initiatives grounded in the science of reading. 2) Helios supports increases in the percent and number of Black, Latino, and low-income students attending college by: Increasing access and enrollment in rigorous courses (including AP and dual enrollment); and closing the "information gap" for students and their families on how to apply to and afford college. 3) Helios supports increases in the percent and number of Black, Latino, and low-income students persisting in and completing two- and four-year degrees by increasing the number and proportion of students who: receive financial aid; receive completion-focused scholarships; and make an effective transition from a community college to a four-year college or university. Helios also supports the expansion of student support services to keep students enrolled and persisting in college.