Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

College Success Foundation coaches and supports students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to prepare for and graduate from college as transformational leaders in order to forge a just and equitable society.

Vision

Our vision is that a college degree is attainable for all.

By 2030, CSF will improve the college completion rate of our students to 70 percent and our core program will support and serve over 20,000 students annually.

Values

Student-Centered Focus
We put student success at the heart of everything we do.

Collaboration
We develop strong partnerships with students, colleagues and communities to ensure student success.

Equity and Inclusion
We work to dismantle the inequities that limit opportunities for our students and staff so that race, socioeconomic and first-generation status do not predict their future.

Continuous Learning
We leverage the power of continuous learning for improvement, professional growth and courageous conversations.

History

It began with a simple but grand idea.

Every student, regardless of ability to pay, deserves the chance to attend college.

A college degree should not be a privilege. It should be a right.

 

-Bob Craves, CSF Co-Founder

In 2000 Bob Craves, Ann Ramsay-Jenkins and a group of prominent community leaders established CSF to provide college scholarships and mentoring to low-income students. With initial funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the organization was built to close the opportunity gap, harness the energy and potential of future generations, and build a brighter future.

Since then, CSF has expanded throughout the state of Washington and all the way to our nation’s capital. We have helped students overcome personal tragedies, financial recessions, and even a global pandemic. No matter the situation, through good times and bad, we remain laser-focused on our ultimate goal: student success.