About Us

The Imagine America Foundation (IAF) is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships, financial aid, and educational resources to students pursuing career-focused education at participating trade schools, and career colleges in the United States. Since its beginning in 1982, IAF has supported students who are interested in technical and vocational training by helping them understand and afford the cost of their education.

Since 1999, IAF has offered several scholarship programs, including the Imagine America High School Scholarship, which is awarded to graduating high school seniors, the Adult Skills Education Program (ASEP) for adult learners, and our Military Award Program (MAP). The Foundation also provides resources including career exploration tools, information on financial literacy, and guidance on choosing the right school and program.

Mission

The Imagine America Foundation is committed to promoting the value of specialized career education and helping students get the hands-on training they deserve. Through industry leading career blog pods, podcast and webinars we nurture a robust network of school counselors, workforce development boards, Veterans Affairs offices, and training programs all across the country.

History

The Imagine America Foundation was originally established as the Career Training Foundation (CTF) in 1982. The CTF broadened its strategic focus in the late 1990s and announced its inaugural Imagine America scholarship program in the fall of 1997, designed to help high school graduates enroll in and pay for career college education.

The Imagine America scholarship program of 1997 was modeled after an aware program designed by the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas, which had significantly improved the image of the career college sector in the minds of legislators, guidance counselors and state bureaucrats.

Just one year after the Imagine America scholarship was announced, more than 2,000 scholarships had been awarded to recipients at more than 300 participating schools. The program won the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Award of Excellence and Summit Award in 1998 and 1999. By 2000, more than 8,000 students had received scholarships to attend career college programs.

By 2001, the entire scholarship application and distribution process was made available online, further increasing its reach, and the Foundation announced the publication of its Guide to Career Colleges, aimed at high school guidance counselors.

In 2003, the CTF changed its name to the Career College Foundation (CCF) and announced the addition of an additional scholarship program, the Imagine America Promise (formerly known as the Imagine America II), focused on adult students. The Imagine America Military Award Program followed in 2004, as a way to recognize and benefit military personnel involved in the aftermath of 9/11 and military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2006, the foundation was again renamed to the Imagine America Foundation, and underwent a number of changes that are still reflected in its operations today.

• Robert L. (Bob) Martin was appointed president
• The Foundation became an independently governed organization, separate from the Career College Association
• The scholarship and award program expanded to include five separate programs:
  • Imagine America, for graduating high school seniors
  • Imagine America Promise, for adult students
  • LDRSHIP Award, for military service people already attending CCA member institutions
  • Imagine America Military Award Program, for active duty, reserve, honorably discharged or retired US Military veterans
  • Imagine America Online, for online and distance learners
• The IAF also began coordinating additional special award programs

In accordance with its original mission of conducting sector research, a mission it carries on to this day, the IAF also began publishing the biannual Fact Book: A Profile of Career Colleges and Universities, which contained important career college statistics and trends about the postsecondary education sector.

Today, the Imagine America Foundation continues to fulfill its charter of providing scholarship and award programs to thousands of enrolling and enrolled career college students each year. IAF is also considered the research arm of the career college sector.

For more information, contact us.