Accelerating Opportunity

Accelerating Opportunity: A Breaking Through Initiative is a multi-state collaboration that seeks to reform adult basic education in the United States.  Through an innovative combination of basic skills and occupational training, it is giving adult learners the skills they need to secure family-sustaining employment. The initiative is supported by ground-breaking coalition of funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and the Open Society Foundations.

Managed by Boston-based Jobs for the Future, Accelerating Opportunity's initial phase is working with eleven states - Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Wisconsin - to redesign adult basic education and postsecondary programs to integrate basic skills with practical, occupational training. In November, approximately five of these states will be selected to receive implementation grants over three years to implement their plans. The initiative will engage nearly 40 community colleges across the country and impact over 18,000 adult learners. For program and implementation expertise, JFF has tapped the National Council on Workforce Education, National College Transition Network and the Washington State Board of Community & Technical Colleges as partners.

Douglas Gould and Company helped JFF and the rest of the Accelerating Opportunity leadership team develop a new brand and graphic identity that conveyed the vision and scope of this ground-breaking work. The branding process had an added challenge in this project, as the group of key decision-makers – including representatives from the five funders, three partners and JFF leadership – was spread across the country and rarely met as a group. A deep commitment from all the stakeholders allowed DG&Co. to develop a name, tagline, message platform, logo and visual execution for Accelerating Opportunity through a combination of one-on-one calls, in-person meetings and webinars. A more detailed discussion of the branding work and process for Accelerating Opportunity is available on our blog.

To shed light on one of the largest initiatives to advance education, DG&Co. targeted national outlets and key reporters covering philanthropy, workforce and higher education.  Our pitching efforts and diligent follow up led to story placements in trade magazines, blogs, and daily newspapers, most notably the U.S. News & World Report.

DG&Co. is also providing technical support for the local implementation teams in the 11 states that Accelerating Opportunity is working with. This technical support will include a detailed communications toolkit, a one-day, in-person spokesperson training, and support developing strategic communications plans for the implementation grant proposals, due this fall.