Foundation for College Education
Increasing the Number of Low-income Students of Color who Graduate from College
Fast Facts
San Mateo County, CA US
Carla Williams
2026
Education
How Foundation for College Education (FCE) Is Making a Difference
FCE launched in 1995 to increase the number of first-generation, low-income students of color from East Palo Alto and nearby communities who graduate from four-year colleges or universities. Most participants are the first in their families to attend and graduate from college.
Students join FCE as early as high school and stay engaged through their college years. Such long-term academic advising, college access support, and financial assistance guidance increase the likelihood that students will successfully navigate higher education and prepare for a successful career. FCE works with small cohorts of approximately 20-25 students per grade, allowing for highly personalized services aligned to individual needs.
Work of FCE
- Provides long-term academic advising, starting in high school and continuing through college. Assorted programs expose students to varied career possibilities.
- Provides college access support, including coordination of college visits.
- Includes scholarship opportunities that serve as persistence grants as part of its financial aid counseling.
- Offers parent education programs that teach parents how to better advocate for their children and navigate the college admissions process more effectively.
- Administers the Meta Summer Academy and seeks internships for local students that will introduce them to the tech industry.
Initiatives Supported by Project Redwood
2026: $40,000 to support a multi-year Recruitment and Retention Initiative that will strengthen FCE’s student pipeline, with a focus on Black and Pacific Islander families. Partnerships will be expanded, and a 7-8th-grade feeder program will be added.