SUCCESS
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the national Campaign for Grade Level Reading, reading proficiency by the end of third grade is the most important predictor of high school graduation and career success. Since 2015, the Grinnell Education Partnership has successfully helped Grinnell area students maintain reading scored.
Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation > Healthy Readers
Grinnell Newburg
School Foundation
> Digital Access
After 10 years, several community-wide programs are being sustained by GEP partners.
Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation
> Family Engagement
Grinnell-Newburg Community School District
> School Attendance and Skills Gap
Read 2 Lead
> School Readiness
Grinnell College
> Summer Learning
RECOGNITION
The Grinnell Education Partnership has been recognized on the state and national level for effective cross-sector collaboration benefitting kids and families.
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2025 Iowa's Bright Spots: A "River to River" Collection of Stories from the Campaign for Grade Level Reading Communities recognizing Grinnell for its Grinnell Education Partnership Summer Learning Collaborative during Grade Level Reading week (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2023 Pacesetter Community Honors for three programs focused on reversing the "summer slide," creating digital equity, and ensuring kindergartners are given the opportunity to start their education strong. (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2023 Certified High Impact Network — Certified with the Networks for Non-profits and Social Impact at Northwestern University
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2022 Above & Beyond Award from the Grinnell Newburg Community School District
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2022 Pacesetter Award for GEP's work in supporting early school success. (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2020 President's Engaged Campus Community Partner Award and Community Collaboration Award (Iowa/Minnesota Campus Compact)
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2019 Outstanding Nonprofit Collaboration Award for demonstrating excellence in collaborative efforts that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of services with the long-term goal of enhancing Iowa communities (State of Iowa)
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2019 Pacesetter Award for reporting significant progress in improving school attendance and chronic absence. (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2019 Pacesetter Community Honors for supporting early school success with exemplary work in big tent collaboration. (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2019 Pacesetter Award for demonstrating population-level progress in the key progress indicator of grade-level reading proficiency in K-3 for low-income children. Also received recognition for serving as a proof point in strengthening cross-sector collaboration, interagency partnership and community-wide mobilization (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2019 Presidential Excellence Award for volunteerism (International Town and Gown Association)
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2018 Council of Champions for extraordinary individual contributions. Five community members were inducted into the Council of Champions for their outstanding contribution to the campaign — Sarah Seney, Karen Neal, Chad Nath, Doug Cameron, and Julie Gosselink (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)2016 Leave It Better Than You Found It Award for highly collaborative community involvement and effective success during its initial stages. (Grinnell-based Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation)
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2018 Bright Spot for inspirational solutions (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)2017 Pacesetter Award for outstanding alignment between private, public, and social sectors to achieve measurable progress in literacy achievement (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)
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2017 Pacesetter Award for outstanding alignment between private, public, and social sectors to achieve measurable progress in literacy achievement (Campaign for Grade Level Reading)​
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2016 Leave it Better Than You Found It Award for highly collaborative community involvement and effective success during its initial stages. (Grinnell-based Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation)
Hear from our Partners:
“GEP is one of our strongest community coalitions within the national network, leading the way and making exemplary contributions in key indicators of early school success. They have achieved ‘Pacesetter’ status multiple times, the highest honor within our network, in recognition of measurable impacts for their dedication to ensuring children and families are supported with achieving literacy outcomes.”
—Malai Amfahr
Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Senior Program Officer
"Strong partnerships and transparency provide a solid foundation for the Grinnell Education Partnership. Because of these two core priorities the GEP has created several long-lasting programs that support children and families in our community. It has been a pleasure to work with the partners, funders, and the national Campaign for Grade Level Reading."
—Nicole Brua-Behrens
Executive Director Greater Poweshiek
Community Foundation
"Because of the collaboration of the GEP, Grinnell-Newburg students have consistently started each fall with around 80% of its population proficient on our state screener to help students start each school year with a great foundation for their learning. Because of the collaborative efforts, opportunities have been provided to students to help them grow over the summer months and decrease the potential of summer slide."
—Brian Conway
Grinnell-Newburg Community School District Elementary Principal
“Grinnell College – together with the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation – supports a network of more than 20 organizations, who serve as community-based innovators, bringing their respective resources, skills, trustworthiness, influence, access and knowledge to the table. Demonstrating measurable improvements in student success, the Partnership has transformed the way the College works with our community’s nonprofits and how those organizations work together especially as they continue to adapt to the current social, economic and health challenges of our time. The College is proud to serve as a backbone agency for this important community wide initiative.”
—Anne Harris
Grinnell College President
"GEP is a bright spot of collaboration in our community. Each partner is dedicated to improving the community by meeting needs and finding sustainable solutions within our educational framework. The impact that we have made and can make in the future is a testament to the strength of community partnerships."
—Mallory Snow
Drake Community Library
Assistant Director
"The Grinnell Education Partnership is a first-class example of what can be achieved when a group of committed organizations and individuals unite for a common goal. For over 10 years, GEP has been a cornerstone of our community, providing vital support for youth education. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of being involved with both GEP and the Summer Learning Corps; the leadership team makes the entire process incredibly seamless, always keeping the best interests of our community at the heart of everything they do."
—Kathleen Whisenand
Grinnell Community Early Learning Center
Executive Director
